Colonic Interposition for Benign Disease

Typical arterial and venous anatomy for the colon. The standard colon interposition is based on the ascending branch of the left colic artery from the inferior mesenteric artery. The middle colic vessels are divided and the region of the hepatic flexure is brought up for anastomosis to the residual esophagus in an isoperistaltic fashion. a = artery; v = vein.

For a standard colon interposition the colon is mobilized from the retroperitoneal attachments and then the splenic flexure is brought up as far as the left colic and inferior mesenteric vessels will permit. A silk marking stitch is placed at this point, typically at about the level of the xiphoid in most patients. An umbilical tape is then used to mark the distance from the stitch on the colon to the tip of the left ear. This tape will then be used to determine the necessary length of colon proximal to the marking stitch for the graft to comfortably reach to the neck.

After confirming the suitability of the vascular supply of the proposed graft (in this case a standard transverse colon graft based on the left colic vessels), the middle colic vessels are divided and the mesentery separated to allow the graft to become as straight as possible. It should reach comfortably to the neck since the length was determined with the umbilical tape (note the two silk marking stitches). a = artery.

Via an anterior gastrotomy a standard vein stripper has been passed up to the neck and the esophagus ligated securely around the large head of the vein stripper. The entire esophagus will be stripped out, and the esophagus has been completely divided. The interwoven nature of the esophageal vagal plexus makes stripping the only method that will preserve vagal integrity in a reliable fashion. In preparation for the stripping the gastroesophageal junction fat pad and anterior vagus nerve have been mobilized toward the patient’s right and a highly selective vagotomy has freed up the lesser curvature and also mobilized the posterior vagus toward the right side of the patient. a = artery; n = nerve.

The entire esophagus is stripped out of the mediastinum by pulling on the vein stripper. It should strip easily with a minimum of force. Not shown is an umbilical tape left tied to the esophagus that will traverse the mediastinum and guide the subsequent dilation of the mediastinal tract and the colon interposition.

The esophagus has been stripped out and is now completely inverted out the anterior gastrotomy. The cardia is divided distal to the gastroesophageal and squamocolumnar junctions to be certain all Barrett’s tissue has been excised and no squamous mucosa is left behind.

The anterior gastrotomy has been closed, and the staple line from the division of the cardia is visible. The highly selective vagotomy is seen along the lesser curve with preservation of the antral and pyloric innervation.

The colon interposition is passed up through the mediastinum behind the stomach. It is necessary to divide the uppermost short gastric vessels and posterior pancreatico-gastric vessels along the posterior fundus to create a passageway for the graft. The esophageal anastomosis is done with a single layer of 4-0 PDS sutures with the knots on the inside. The colo-gastric anastomosis is stapled to the posterior wall of the fundus. Not shown is the colo-colo anastomosis, which typically is located just below the colo-gastric anastomosis to minimize the amount of mesenteric dissection necessary after dividing the distal end of the graft.

Patients with achalasia are candidates for a mucosal stripping vagal-sparing esophagectomy. Here an anterior myotomy has been made in the cervical esophagus and the mucosa has been circumferentially dissected, divided, and ligated securely around the large head of a vein stripper passed up from an anterior gastrotomy.

The mucosa is stripped out of the esophagus leaving the muscular tube of the esophagus in place. This is most useful in patients with end-stage achalasia who have a very dilated esophagus. Mucosal stripping in this circumstance minimizes bleeding, which can be substantial if the entire esophagus is removed since the dilated achalasia esophagus can be supplied by very large aortic branches. Further, the old muscularis propria of the esophagus serves to keep the colon graft straight in the mediastinum and reduces the potential for redundancy.

When the vagus nerves have been divided, the colon graft is sewn to the gastric antrum, and the upper two-thirds of the stomach are excised. The colo-antral anastomosis is done full length to the excised antral staple line, and often the colon is spatulated proximally along the anterior tinea to compensate for size discrepancy. The anastomosis is done in two layers of interrupted 3-0 silk sutures.

(A) When the vagus nerves have NOT been preserved, a pyloroplasty is performed using a circular stapler. After manually dilating the pylorus with a clamp, head of a 21-mm circular stapler is passed through the pylorus, closed, and fired with gently downward pressure with a silk tie to push the anterior pyloric musculature into the stapler. The stapler is advanced through a gastrotomy along the lesser curve, which is excised when the stomach is divided at the antrum for anastomosis to the colon graft when the vagus nerves have not been preserved. (B) The endoscopic appearance of the pylorus after a stapled pyloroplasty procedure. An anterior defect in the pyloric ring has been created.

(A) When the vagus nerves have NOT been preserved, a pyloroplasty is performed using a circular stapler. After manually dilating the pylorus with a clamp, head of a 21-mm circular stapler is passed through the pylorus, closed, and fired with gently downward pressure with a silk tie to push the anterior pyloric musculature into the stapler. The stapler is advanced through a gastrotomy along the lesser curve, which is excised when the stomach is divided at the antrum for anastomosis to the colon graft when the vagus nerves have not been preserved. (B) The endoscopic appearance of the pylorus after a stapled pyloroplasty procedure. An anterior defect in the pyloric ring has been created.