[Reoperation in recurrence of carcinoma of the esophagus, Cardia and stomach (author's transl)].

Reoperative surgery is performed with the object of restoring gastrointestinal passage or of pain relief and only rarely, for example in recurrence of an early carcinoma, with the object of curative resection. Out of 31 reoperations for such a purpose, a second resection (total or extended gastrectomy) was possible in 9 cases, gastric bypass or some other palliative operation in 12; in 10 cases, only a laparotomy was possible. The interval between the 1st and 2nd operations was 29 months in the resectable group and 17 months in the nonresectable group, the survival times 11 and 3.3 months respectively. Indications have to be considered separately for each patient.