Free jejunal graft for reconstruction of the pharynx and cervical esophagus were performed on two patients with carcinoma of the hypopharynx, T2NoMo and T4N0M0, respectively, who underwent total laryngectomy and hypopharyngectomy. Free jejunum with its own feeding vessels, 30 cm long, was removed from the abdomen, 10 cm distal to the Treitz's muscle. The vessels used in the cervical region were the lingual artery and external jugular vein and microvascular surgery was performed. Care was taken

more »

... o ensure that the proximal jejunum was anastomosed to the proximal defect to prevent the establishment of an antiperistaltic segment. To observe the post-operative condition of the jejunal graft, two flexible thermometers for esophagus were used. One was put into the jejunal graft, 18 cm distal from the anterior nostril and the other was put into the thoracic esophagus, 28 cm distal from the anterior nostril. Jejunal temperature was compared with thoracic esophageal temperature and axillary temperature. The result of the thermometry indicated that during 3 days after the operation, jejunal temperature was higher than esophageal and axillary temperature. In this paper, we emphasized that correct information on the success of the graft should be obtained by our three point thermometry.