Esophageal reconstruction after oncological total laryngopharyngoesophagectomy: Algorithmic approach

BACKGROUND: Reconstruction for total laryngopharyngoesophagectomy is accomplished mainly by gastrointestinal transposition but can be complicated by anastomotic tension or associated neck-skin defect. Here, we present the results of total esophageal reconstruction by gastrointestinal transposition alone or with additional free tissue transfer and propose an algorithm accordingly. METHODS: We reviewed patients who had oncologic total laryngopharyngoesophagectomy between January 2012 and January 2016. Twenty-four men and one woman were included with a mean age of 54 (range, 41-72) years. Patients were grouped by reconstruction into the gastric pull-up (GP, n = 15), colon interposition (CI, n = 2), GP combined with free jejunal flap (GPFJ, n = 6), or GP combined with anterolateral thigh flap (GPALT, n = 2) group to compare clinical outcomes. RESULTS: The mean operation time was 1037.3 minutes and was significantly longer in the GPALT group than in the GP group (1235.0 ± 50.0 minutes vs. 929.7 ± 137.7 minutes, p =.009). All flaps survived. After a mean follow-up of 18 months, the overall leakage, stricture, and successful swallowing rates were 44%, 4%, and 76%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the leakage (53.3%, 50.0%, 16.7%, and 50.0%, p =.581), stricture (6.7%, 0%, 0%, and 0%, p = 1.000), or successful swallowing (73.3%, 50.0%, 83.3%, and 100%, p =.783) rates between GP, CI, GPFJ, and GPALT groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed algorithm that ranks gastric pull-up as a priority and uses additional free tissue transfer to overcome the anastomotic tension or associated neck-skin defect is feasible.