Histopathologic studies of gastric mucosa following gastric substitution in benign and malignant esophageal disease.

Gastric interposition was performed and prospectively studied in 9 patients with esophageal cancer, 1 patient with esophageal neurofibroma and 5 with corrosive esophageal stricture. The postoperative follow-up periods were between 6 to 68 months with a mean of 28.6 months. The subjects were then endoscopically reviewed. Twelve of them were macroscopically normal. The others exhibited signs of inflammation and hyperemia. Mucosal biopsies were obtained at the upper and lower third of the graft. The histologic findings were compared with those of the preoperative specimens. Among the 15 post-operative specimens, only minute histologic changes were seen. Three patients whose proximal grafts showed inflammatory signs revealed congestion. Another 2 patients exhibited granulocyte infiltration in the mucosa of the distal third. The mucosal structure of the remaining 10 patients was similar to that of the preoperative graft. In conclusion, the macroscopic and microscopic changes were few and minimal although there were alterations in function, physiology and location of the stomach.