[Caustic esophagitis: surgical management].

The authors present 28 report cases of severe caustic esophagitis who underwent surgery at the Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins I.P.S.S., from 1987 to February 1991. All were treated by esophagocoloplasty and when the proximal cervical esophagus was injured, by pharingocoloplasty. Eighteen patients (64.28%) were female and 10 (35.72%) male. Whose ages ranged between 15 and 75 years with an average of 34 years. Ten patients (36%) suffered pharingocoloplasty and in the remaining 18 (64%) a esophagocoloplasty (esophagogastric colonic interposition) was made. Postoperative morbidity corresponded in 5 cases (18%) to respiratory Infections, in 3 cases (11%) pneumothorax, in 2 cases (7%) pleural effusions and only one case presented a small cervical leak. All of them were satisfactory solved by conservatory medical treatment. Only two cases (7%) with late postoperative stenosis required reintervention and a simple cervical plasty was made. There were no complications as mediastinitis, necrosis of the colon graft hemorrhage. Operatory mortality was 0% and the long term follow up of all patients is satisfactory, having our first report cases more than 4 years of postoperative follow up.