[Established caustic stenosis of the esophagus in children. Closed-thorax esophagectomy with in situ colonic esophagoplasty].

Replacement of the oesophagus with a colonic graft brought up to a retrosternal or intrathoracic position is usually performed in children with undilatable oesophageal stenosis resulting from caustic burns. However, incidents associated with the oesophagus remaining in situ regularly raise the problem of concomitant or delayed oesophagectomy and therefore thoracotomy. A one-stage surgical technique is described, which includes closed-thorax oesophagectomy and colonic oesophagoplasty in situ in the oesophageal bed. The 3 patients operated upon by this method made an uneventful recovery.