Repair of limited or segmental defects of the cervical esophagus with mucosa-lined flaps.

Repair of limited cervical esophageal defects can now be accomplished safely with mucosa-lined flaps. Free jejunal grafts have demonstrated excellent durability and function for circumferential defects. The axial cheek flap and laryngeal flap have also shown excellent functional results for noncircumferential defects. In addition, all three of these procedures offer the advantage of immediate reconstruction. The size of the esophageal defect, the physical condition of the patient, and the rehabilitative goals are critical in patient selection.