Esophagectomy: definitive treatment for esophageal neuromotor dysfunction.

Twenty-two patients with a history of between one and four (average of two) unsuccessful prior esophageal operations for neuromotor dysfunction were treated with esophageal resection and replacement. Eleven (50%) had recurred reflux esophagitis in association with various disorders of motility: esophageal spasm in 4, achalasia in 3, scleroderma in 2, and esophageal atresia in 2. Eight (36%) had primary esophageal spasm and 3 (14%) had achalasia. Esophageal obstruction, regurgitation, and severe spasm were the most common manifestations of the inability to swallow normally. Transthoracic or transhiatal (blunt) esophagectomies were performed in 5 and 17 patients, respectively. The stomach, with a cervical esophagogastric anastomosis, was used for esophageal substitution in 15 patients. Six patients underwent a long-segment colonic interposition, and 1 patient with achalasia underwent a distal esophagectomy and short-segment colonic interposition. One patient undergoing transthoracic esophagectomy for achalasia died from unrecognized intraoperative bleeding into the opposite chest. There were no other operative deaths. Additional complications included transient hoarseness in 8 patients, chylothorax in 1, and anastomotic leak in 1. After an average follow-up of 25 months for the 21 surviving patients, ability to eat is regarded as good in 18 (85%), fair in 1 (5%), and poor in 2 (10%). In patients with incapacitating esophageal neuromotor disease, a more radical operative approach-esophagectomy--may be safer and more reliable than attempting another procedure and risking another failure. Esophagectomy ensures definitive elimination of the esophageal problem and as optimal an ability to eat as possible. Our experience suggests that the stomach, with a cervical esophagogastric anastomosis, offers a better functional esophageal substitute than does a colonic interposition.