Novel procedures for enhancing high jejunal atresia repair: bilateral side-plication and plication before anastomosis

Abstract

In high jejunal atresia (HJA), discrepancy between the diameters of the proximal and distal jejunum can often be significant and cause major anastomotic complications. We developed 2 novel procedures to enhance conventional jejuno-jejunostomy (JJ): bilateral side-plication during JJ (BSP): plication of both lateral aspects of the dilated proximal jejunum, and jejunal plication before JJ (pre-P): plication of the jejunum proximal to the planned JJ site along the anti-mesenteric line. We used BSP in a neonate with a membranous stenosis 5 cm distal to the duodeno-jejunal flexure, and pre-P in 2 neonates, both with HJA and hugely dilated proximal jejunum. By using BSP, the jejunum could be plicated symmetrically near the closed jejunotomy, allowing the caliber change at the closed jejunotomy to be smooth without any kinking. If simple anti-mesenteric plication had been performed instead, proximal-to-distal kinking caused by closing the jejunotomy site transversely after the membrane was excised could have worsened. By using pre-P, the caliber change across the JJ could be made smooth and symmetric. If plication had been performed along the anti-mesenteric line after completing the JJ, the proximal jejunum near the JJ would have become asymmetrical causing the JJ to become kinked. Postoperatively, there were no JJ-related complications, and all subjects are well after a mean follow-up period of 3.0 years. Our novel procedures are simple and appear to enhance JJ by controlling kinking at the JJ site.