We present our experience in the management of complications after a colon interposition for corrosive esophageal burns. From April 1976 to December 2006, 85 patients with caustic esophageal burns were included in this study. The superior belly median incision with an anterior border incision of the left sternocleidomastoid was used. Anastomosis between the colon and the cervical esophagus was performed in 68 and between the colon and pharyngeal portion in 14 patients. An esophageal scar part resection and gastric-esophageal anastomosis was performed in one patient who had been given an unsuccessful colon and jejunum interposition at another institute. An anastomotic modeling operation was performed in one patient with anastomotic stricture who had been managed with colon interposition at another institute. Exploratory thoracotomy and gastrostomy was performed in one patient who had an unsuccessful colon interposition at another institute. Seven of 14 patients (8.5% of 17.1%) died with serious complications such as aspirated pneumonia, interposition colon necrosis, abdominal wound dehiscence and degradation of swallowing and concordance function. However, others with such serious complications survived and were discharged for rehabilitation after corresponding treatment. The 25 patients (30.1%) with other mild complications were discharged for rehabilitation and corresponding management. Two patients from other institutes were discharged for rehabilitation and one was lost to follow-up. The most dangerous complication of this procedure is colon necrosis, and the stomach is the best organ for re-operation. Otherwise, aspiration in infants due to hypoplasia and degradation of swallowing co-ordination needs attention. Peri-operative management is very important, including the control of mediastinal and pulmonary infection and systemic nutritional support to avoid abdominal wound dehiscence. The platysma flap is an excellent method for the treatment of anastomotic stricture.

The downregulation of zinc ribbon domain-containing 1 (ZNRD1) protein was recently found to partially reverse the resistance of human leukemia cells toward chemical therapeutic drugs. Therefore, the ZNRD1 protein might be involved in the process of DNA damage and repair. To explore the possible protective effects of ZNRD1 on DNA damage induced by ultraviolet (UV)-C irradiation in human esophageal squamous cancer cell line EC109, we designed and transfected a expression vector into EC109 cells, and established an overexpression cell line. The single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) was used to investigate the DNA damage and repair in UV-C-irradiated control and transfected cells. It was found that the ZNRD1-expressing cells exhibited a significant enhanced DNA repair capacity. Moreover, the overexpression of ZNRD1 could upregulate the expression of excision repair cross-complementing 1 (ERCC1) gene. Collectively, these findings suggested that ZNRD1 might play an important role in the process of DNA damage and repair by regulating the expression of ERCC1.