[Reconstruction of the trachea invaded by advanced carcinoma of the esophagus, using the omental pedicle flap]

Abstract

The omental pedicle flap (OPF) was used for wrapping the plastic site of trachea involved in esophageal cancer in two cases. Though one of them developed an anastomotic dehiscence, the catastrophe was held off to the minimum. There were some disadvantages of the esophageal surgery for utilizing the omentum, compared to the other thoracic operations. It is the problem that the gastroepiploic artery should be shared to the gastric tube to some extent. But OPF was considered to be the best tissue in these particular cases.