Selection and Placement of Conduits

Brian Mitzman, MD, Mark K. Ferguson, MD

Key Points

  • Many options exist for esophageal replacement depending on the clinical scenario, availability of gastrointestinal conduits, and technical ability of the surgeon.
  • Gastric tubularization remains the mainstay for esophageal reconstruction due to excellent outcomes and technical ease when compared with other techniques.
  • Long segment colonic interposition is an appropriate choice when the stomach is not available, but careful preoperative workup is necessary to ensure adequate blood supply.
  • Ischemic necrosis of any conduit is a dreaded complication, and new techniques are being evaluated to help assess perfusion at the time of anastomosis.

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Last updated: December 18, 2022