Colon-interposition as replacement for the esophagus. A follow-up study.

The longterm results of the use of colon-interposition as a substitution for the esophagus have been studied. Colon-interposition was carried out in eleven patients. There was one operative death. A second child died of an unknown cause nine years and eight months after operation. Nine patients could be studied from sixteen years and nine months to thirteen months after the operation. In six patients a satisfactory result has been achieved. One child is staying in a psychiatric infirmary. Feeding problems due to recurrent fistulae have led to growth retardation in another patient, while a third patient has regurgitation symptoms. A study of the case histories gives insight into the many early and late complications which occur in this operative procedure. The colon-interposition is a complicated procedure and should only be carried out in centers for pediatric surgery, because of its specific indication, its technique and the occurrence of complications afterwards. The development of alternative, less complicated, methods leaves a restricted indication for colon-interposition.