A rare pitfall in the diagnosis of oesophageal atresia

Preoperative management of children with esophageal atresia: current perspectives

Esophageal atresia remains one of the most challenging congenital anomalies of the newborn. In recent years, because of the advances in prenatal diagnosis, neonatal critical care, and surgical procedures, overall outcomes have improved substantially, including for premature children. Nowadays, most of the research is focused on medium- and long-term morbidity, with particular reference to respiratory and gastroesophageal problems; the high frequency of late sequelae in esophageal atresia warrants regular and multidisciplinary checkups throughout adulthood. Surprisingly, there are few studies on the impact of prenatal diagnosis and there is continuing debate over the prenatal and preoperative management of these complex patients. In this review, we analyze the literature surrounding current knowledge on the management of newborns affected by esophageal atresia, focusing on prenatal management and preoperative assessment.

Appearances are Deceptive - Passing a Nasogastric Tube does Not Always Rule Out Oesophageal Atresia

Oesophageal atresia/trachea-Oesophageal fistula is commonly diagnosed in the newborn period by inability to pass a nasogastric tube (NGT). We present the instance of a newborn baby where the diagnosis of oesophageal atresia was delayed because of an apparent successful passage of nasogastric tube to the stomach. Failure to reinsert the NGT raised the suspicion of oesophageal atresia which was confirmed by contrast study showing blind upper oesophageal pouch.