Background: Esophageal substitutes need conveyance from the abdomen into the neck for restoration of alimentary continuity. Reports suggest that the use of plastic camera sleeve may prove advantageous in restoring conveyance. This study aims to evaluate the practicability of this approach, specifically, in laparoscopy-assisted surgeries.
Methods: The efficacy of camera sleeve in conduit transposition was prospectively evaluated over 2 years. The following parameters were assessed: success/failure; time taken; blood loss; adequacy of length of the conduit delivered into the neck; conduit orientation; ease of procedure through different routes; conduit damage; complications; and drawbacks.
Results: The technique was used in 25 consecutive patients. Two ileo-colonic, 13 gastric, and 10 colonic conduits were transposed. Posterior mediastinal, retro-sternal, and ante-sternal routes were used in 15, 8, and 2 cases, respectively. There were no failures. The technique was easy to adopt. It added < 10 minutes to the procedure. It entailed no additional blood loss. Adequate length of the conduit was transposed into the neck, atraumatically. Conduits maintained their orientation without effort. Although no complications per se were associated with its use, extra conduit length became transposed into the neck, twice, necessitating its trimming/adjustment. In one case, traction suture became avulsed from the conduit, midway in the tunnel. This could easily be rectified by pulling out the sleeve from the neck, which brought up the conduit along with it, as desired.
Conclusions: Use of camera sleeve proves efficacious in interposition of esophageal substitutes.
Keywords: Foley’s catheter; colonic conduit; esophageal substitute; gastric tube; plastic camera sleeve.