Gastric Conduit Necrosis following esophageal reconstruction

The successful completion of esophageal reconstruction after esophagectomy is a great challenge in esophageal surgery. The gastric reconstruction is widely employed in benign and malignant esophageal disease. Compared to other digestive organs, stomach has a good blood supply and gastric procedure requires a single reconstructive anastomosis. The gastric tube is a durable graft, retaining its size, shape, and function over time. Therefore the stomach has become the most commonly adopted graft to replace the resected esophagus. The viability and function of the graft are the most two important factors affecting postoperative surgical outcome and functional results. Gastric graft necrosis is the most disastrous complication that can lead to leakage, sepsis, multi system failure and death. Therefore, knowledge of risk factors, diagnosis, management, and prevention of graft necrosis is key to understand and to successfully perform an esophageal reconstructive surgery. Keywords— Esophageal Reconstruction, Gastric Graft,