Gastric pull-up reconstruction in hypopharyngeal and cervical oesophageal cancer

ObjectiveTo determine the results of gastric pullup reconstruction following pharyngo-laryngo-esophagectomy.MethodsThe clinical data of 12 patients who were treated with pharyngolaryngo/esophagectomy were analysed, from 1995 to 2000. All patients had advanced disease, and required a gastric pull-up reconstruction. Clinical swallowing function and morbidity were evaluated postoperatively and the survival group was studied using a Kaplan- Meier survival curve.ResultsFive cases of hypopharyngeal cancer and seven cases of cervical esophageal cancer were studied. In three cases a regional flap was used. A total of 16 cervical dissections were carried out. Only in 2 patients the nodes were free of metastasis. There were four hospital deaths. At discharge, 7 patients out of the 8 had a good swallowing. The most common complications were pulmonary (58%). The five years survival was 31%.ConclusiónGastric pull up transposition must be used for reconstruction following pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy. Proper selection of patients may reduce considerably the morbidity and mortality of this surgical procedure.