BACKGROUND: From August 1968 to March 2000 we attended 180 patients at Hospital Geral de Nova Iguaçu and at Hospital EMCOR, that had squamous cell esophagus cancer. The cervical esophagus gastric fistula was studied. METHODS: The treatment was essentially surgical, through transhiatal and transpleural esophagectomy. In the reconstruction of the digestive transit three approaches were used: pre-esternal, retro-esternal and posterior mediastinum, with their positives aspects and complications. RESULTS: The number of leaks was reduced to 7,69% when the posterior gastric wall was used. The postoperative mortality was 15,71% and respiratory insufficiency was the main cause. The five-year survival rate was 13,5%. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical esophagus-gastric anastomosis was the procedure used in all cases, firstly in the anterior wall and finally in the posterior wall. The best results were obtained with cervical esophagus-gastric anastomosis in the posterior wall.
Esophagus cancer; Esophagus-gastric fistula
