[The use of the aortic bypass in the surgery of the esophageal carcinoma invading the thoracic aorta].

During the period from 1980 to 1989, five patients with carcinoma of the esophagus invading the thoracic aorta were treated by resection of the involved aortic segment combined with esophagectomy. Various types of arterial bypass were applied in order to provide blood flow to the distal aorta during aortic clamping. These included one permanent aorto-aortic bypass, two axillo-femoral bypass and one subclavian-aortic bypass. There was one death within 30 days and one developed paresis. These arterial bypasses are beneficial to esophageal surgery because it is technically easy and it does not necessitate systemic heparinization which maybe associated with profuse bleeding.