OBJECTIVETo study the validity of transplanting transverse colon to replace esophagus in treating cicatricial stricture resulting from severe esophageal chemical burns in children.

METHODSA retrospective study was carried out on the clinical data of 46 patients with severe chemical esophageal burns who were treated from November 1972 to September 2008. The transverse colon with the ascending branch of the left colic artery was brought through a retrosternal tunnel to replace strictured esophagus. Thirty-two patients underwent colon-esophageal anastomosis and 14 patients underwent colon-pharyngeal anastomosis.

RESULTSAll patients survived after surgery, but complications occurred in 7 cases, including leakage of anastomosis in cervical region in 4 cases, stenosis of anastomosis in 2 cases, and dyspnea in 1 case, and they were cured after due treatment. Follow-up study (1 - 26 years) in 39 patients revealed that there was no difference in growth, development and diet between the patients and the normal children of the same age.

CONCLUSIONSEsophageal reconstruction with transverse colon together with the ascending branch of the left colic artery through a retrosternal tunnel is a valuable method for treating cicatricial stricture of the esophagus secondary to severe chemical burns of the esophagus in children.