Although esophageal replacement has been long used for the treatment of both benign and malignant
esophageal strictures, results have often poor due to attendant complications. However, we have
had good results with the use of esophagogastrostomy, and present our experience with 20 cases from the
Department of Surgery of the Kwangju Christial Hospital, seen during the four years between January
1967 to December 1970.
1) Benign strictures of the esophagus due to lye ingestion accounted for 8 cases, (40%), esophageal
carcinomas for 11 cases, (55%), and one casee with cause unlisted, (5%).
2) Of the benign strictures, more than half were females in the second decade, and of the malignant
strictures more than half were in males in the fifth decade of life.
3) Complications were as follows:
A. Chest symptoms in the early post-operative period-such as mild dyspnea and pressure sensation 35%
(7 persons)
B. Reflux-10% (2 persons).
C. Infection-5% (one persons).
D. Stenosis of anastomosis without leakage or empyema-5% (1 persons).
4. Esophagogastrostomy is a better operation than total replacement or by-pass for esophageal stricture,
since special pre and post-operative procedures are not necessary, there is only one anastomosis, and the
complications are few.
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