Flexing the neck relieves tension on cervical esophageal anastomosis.

Background: The conventional method of bridging anatomic defects of the upper digestive tract in the neck is by tissue transfer--either gastric or colon pull-through, free jejunal graft, or full-thickness skin flaps. An alternative way of closing such defects is to flex the neck. This moves the remnant proximal esophagus or pharynx a considerable distance downwards--a standard tension-releasing maneuver in tracheal resection and reconstruction.