Anatomical study of retrosternal gastric esophagoplasties.

Five currently used procedures of gastric esophagoplasty were done in 5 groups of 14 embalmed human cadavers. These procedures were: whole gastric intrathoracic transposition (Kirschner's procedure) isoperistaltic gastric cone (Akiyama's procedure) isoperistaltic gastric tube (Rutkowski's or Lortat-Jacob's procedure); isoperistaltic gastric tube with resection of the lesser curvature; anisoperistaltic gastric tube with intrahilar splenectomy (Gavriliu's, Heimlich's procedure). Gastric morphometry and ascinding vascularization ability and quality of the vascular network were assessed. Injection of plastic dye was used to evaluate the vascularization of the grafts. In 13 out of 14 grafts, whole gastric transposition extended above the sternal notch, for a mean distance of 7.7 +/- 4.9 cm. This basic performance was significantly correlated to the dimensions of the greater and lesser curvatures and to the cardioxiphoid, sternal and hyosternal distances. Absent or poor injection of the distal arterial network, over a mean distance of 3.6 +/- 0.8 cm, was seen in all 14 grafts. Study of the isoperistaltic gastric cone demonstrated that the graft extended above the sternal notch in all 14 cases. The mean distance of the graft segment above the sternal notch was 5.0 +/- 3.0 cm. This basic performance showed a significant correlation only with the dimensions of the greater and lesser curvatures. Absent or poor injection of the distal arterial network of the gastric cones was seen in 9/14 cases, the mean length of the devascularized segment being 1.3 +/- 1.3 cm. Subsequent to resection of the distal zone showing poor vascularization, 13 out of the 14 isoperistaltic cones still extended above the sternal notch. The mean length of the segment above the sternal notch was 3.7 +/- 2.6 cm. All 14 isoperistaltic gastric tubes (without resection of the lesser curvature) extended above the sternal notch. The mean length of the segment above the notch was 15.1 +/- 7.1 cm. This basic performance showed a statistically significant correlation only with the minimum pylorodiaphragmatic distance subsequent to extensive Kocher's manoeuver. Of these 14 gastric tubes, 9 showed poor or no vascularization of their distal arterial network. The mean length of the poorly injected segment was 8.0 +/- 1.8 cm. Subsequent to resection of the poorly vascularized territory, 12/14 grafts were still found to extend above the sternal notch. The mean length of the segment above the sternal notch was 7.1 +/- 6.9 cm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)