ENGLISH ABSTRACT
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

[Early esophageal replacement in patients with esophageal atresia].

INTRODUCTION: When primary anastomosis is not feasible in esophageal atresia esophageal replacement is one of the possible options. We report our experience with this approach in patients with long-gap esophageal atresia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1991 to 2002 we treated 50 children with esophageal atresia. Nine required esophageal replacement because of long-gaps. Six were boys and three girls. Six had isolated atresia, and three had regular atresia with TEF. Associated malformations in 8 patients were: cardiovascular (2), anorectal (2), urogenital (5), intestinal duplication (1), and costovertebral (1). The weight at birth ranged from 1.2 to 3.95 kg (median 2.3). Patients with type I atresia had immediate gastrostomy accompanied by esophagostomy in one. Esophageal anastomosis was impossible or failed in 3 patients with type III EA, who had fistula ligation and esophagostomy. Esophageal replacement was performed at a median age of 4.95 months (range 2.3 to 18), with a median weight of 5.33 (range 2.89 to 11.5 kg.). We used gastric pull-up in 2 cases and colonic transposition in 7 with isoperistaltic left transverse colon in retromediastinal-transhiatal (6) or restrosternal (1) position. Two patients had extramucosal piloromyotomy and 4 had piloroplasty.

RESULTS: All patients survive and have functional grafts. Postoperative complications were: pneumonia (1), wound dehiscence with evisceration (2) and salivary fístula (2) which closed spontaneously. In the long range, one patient was operated three times for hernia through the enlarged hiatus, one had one episode of intestinal subobstruction successfully managed with nasogastric aspiration and another one had dumping syndrome for several months. After a median follow-up of 3.15 years (range 1.6 to 6.9) all patients eat normal diets per os.

CONCLUSIONS: Esophageal replacement for the treatment of infants with long-gap EA has been in our hands as good as any other option with 100% survival and good functional results. The operation can be safely performed in the first months provided that associated malformations are under control. However, like other options, this approach is not devoid of complications.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app