ESOPHAGEAL replacement has been accomplished successfully by using autogenous tissues and plastic tubes. The goal of each of these procedures is to establish the continuity of the esophagus following a surgical resection.
The desirability of using the patient's own tissue for esophageal reconstruction is not questioned; however, each of the tissues used has limitations. Skin tubes not only require multiple procedures to develop an adequate blood supply but also lack peristaltic activity and frequently develop fistulae at the site of anastomosis. The stomach, although the logical and desirable organ to use for esophageal replacement, is at times not available because of previous disease and, on occasions, has proved to be of inadequate length to bridge the esophageal defect.
The experiences of Longmire and Ravitch1 Shumacker and Battersby,2 and others with the use of jejunum emphasizes the difficulty in mobilizing long lengths of jejunum and preserving an adequate blood