This study concerns 58 patients with benign esophageal stricture caused by ingestion of lye, who were treated by esophago-colo-gastrostomy at the Kwangju Christian Hospital between January 1962 and December 1967.
Diagnosis was made clinically and confirmed X-ray examination in every case. No strictures was due to malignant disease.
1) The majority of patients were between 20 and 30 years of age, (53.4%).
2) Females outnumbered males almost two to one, (38 females to 20 males).
3) The level of the stricture was high cervical in 3 patients, low cervical in 23, upper thoracic in 30 and mid-thoracic in 2 patients.
4) The left colon was used in five patients, the right colon in nine patients, and the right colon with a segment of terminal ileum in 44 patients.
5) A preliminary gastrostomy was performed in almost every case. This was followed by esophago-colo-gastrostomy within three to six months in the majority of cases, (34).
6) Three patients died, a mortality rate of 5.2%. A good result was obtained in 49 patients of 84.4%.
7) There is significant risk of complications, the most important being necrosis of the transplanted bowel, (occurring in three patients), and leakage of the esophagocolic anastomosis which usually results in subsequent stenosis, (eight patients). Bowel necrosis is a catastrophy, but leakage and stenosis can usually be rectified by operation.
8) In successful cases, a good functional result with consumpton of a regular diet, was achieved within four to six weeks of operation.
|