Delayed cervical esophagogastrostomy: A surgical alternative for patients with ischemia of the gastric conduit at time of esophagectomy

Ischemia of the gastric conduit after esophagectomy represents a setback that increases the risk of anastomotic leak. In order to prevent this severe complication, a surgical alternative has been proposed which consists in delaying the reconstruction until gastric perfusion improves. By adopting this strategy we can avoid two other surgical options that may significantly increase the risk of complications: 1) performing an esophagogastrostomy with a poorly perfused gastric tube and 2) resecting the gastric conduit followed by a complex reconstruction. © 2013 AEC.