Preliminary study on gastric tube esophagoplasty for corrosive strictures of the esophagus in children

Abstract

To study the clinical value of gastric tube esophagoplasty for complicated corrosive stricture of the esophagus in children. A retrospective analysis was performed to study 7 patients with complicated corrosive stricture of the esophagus who were treated with gastric tube esophagoplasty via retrosternal route between March 2010 and October 2011. Three patients had a stricture longer than 2.5 cm, and 4 patients had more than one stricture. All the operations went well. The average time for mechanical ventilation postoperatively was 6 hours. No patients showed insufficient ventilation after withdraw of ventilator. There was 1 patient developed anastomotic leak which was healed a week later. One patient had anastomotic leak with pyloric obstruction, and the leak was healed 3 weeks after intraoperative placement of duodenal feeding tube and pyloric obstruction became patent 4 weeks later. There were 2 patients developed anastomotic stricture and they resumed normal diet after balloon dilatation. The average follow-up duration was 10.5 months. The quality of life was improved and no other complications were found. Gastric tube esophagoplasty is a effective alternative for complicated corrosive stricture of the esophagus and the short-term outcomes are favorable.