Probrems and Remedies after Esophageal Reconstruction

The relationship between swallowing function and mis-swallowing after an operation for esophageal reconstruction was studied by measuring the esophageal inner pressure. Fifty-three outpatients with resected esophageal cancer in our department were studied. Esophageal inner pressure on swallowing was measured by the stationary pull-through method using a transducer with 4-channel microchips and pressure at rest of the cervical esophagus was measured by the rapid pull-through method. The ratio of the preceding negative wave to the following positive wave in swallowing pressure was 10.20±1.30 (M±SE) in the mis-swallowing group and 3.59±0.29 in the group without mis-swallowing, with a statistically significant difference. The ratio of inner pressure at rest around the upper esophageal sphincter and around the anastomosis in the cervical esophagus was 1.73±0.34 in the mis-swallowing group and 0.79±0.17 in the group without mis-swallowing. This difference was also statistically significant. The distance between the upper esophageal sphincter and the anastomosis was 2.2±0.3 cm in the mis-swallowing group and 3.7±0.6 cm in the group without mis-swallowing, with statistically significant differece.