Substernal gastric bypass for palliation of oesophageal carcinoma; a report of 10 patients.

A review of 10 patients who underwent substernal gastric bypass with oesophageal exclusion for palliative treatment of carcinoma of the oesophagus is presented. The patients were old (average 67.3 years.); all had pulmonary problems or unresectable oesophageal carcinoma. There was anastomotic leakage in 2 cases. Blowout of oesophageal stump occurred in 4 cases: two at the upper oesophagus and two at the lower oesophagus. Five patients died in the hospital, one from subdiaphramatic abscess, one from aspiration of contrast media, and the others died from progressive cachexia. The longest survival was 18 months in one patient.