A case of non-functioning antiperistaltic retrosternal colic conduit replaced in situ and substituted with an isoperistaltic segment of ileum-caecum.

The authors report the case of a female patient, affected by long-gap oesophageal atresia, who, at 5 months old, was operated on for retrosternal substitution with a right-transverse antiperistaltic colic segment, in her local district hospital. Due to the anomalous position the neooesophagus never worked, and the baby was seriously dysphagic and failed to thrive. For this reason, when she was 11 months old, she was reoperated in our department. Through a medium sternolaparotomy the antiperistaltic colon was removed and replaced between the left and right colon; reconstruction was carried out with a retrosternal and isoperistaltic segment of ileo-caecum. The reoperation resolved her problems. This case is reported to confirm the author's opinion that all intestinal conduits must be positioned in the isoperistaltic direction.