Clinical and pathophysiological evaluation of esophageal reconstructions using gastric tube and pedicled colon segment

Pathophysiological and nutritional conditions were compared after esophageal reconstruction in 15 patients with a gastric tube and in 12 patients with a pedicled colon segment for the treatment of esophageal cancer. There was no significant difference in the postoperative nutritional index, iron and vitamin B₁₂ metabolisms. On the other hand, the long gastric tube from the greater curvature of the stomach used as an esophageal substitute retained some secretory functions of both exocrine and endocrine although the effect of truncal vagotomy may have to be taken into consideration. Presented at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery, November 26, 1975, Osaka. This study is supported partly by the Cancer Research Grant No. 75-8, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Japanese Government.