Immediate primary anastomosis for isolated oesophageal atresia: A single-centre experience

Oesophageal atresia without major cardiovascular anomalies: Is management justified at a district paediatric surgical institution?

BACKGROUND

Oesophageal atresia lacks sufficiently documented treatment approach, as guidelines are based rather on the opinion of experts than on systematic data. We aimed to answer the question if treatment of patients without major cardiovascular anomalies could be justified at a peripheral paediatric surgical institution, by evaluating the outcome of surgical correction.

METHODS

Thirty-three neonates underwent surgery for correction of oesophageal atresia during a period of 20 years. They were categorised into two time-period groups, to follow-up the evolution of surgical intervention and complications through time. Evaluation of post-operative outcome and morbidity was performed. The results were related to those of our recent cross-sectional study on families having experienced oesophageal atresia performed years after repair, regarding the long-term quality of life.

RESULTS

A shift from staged to primary repair occurred throughout time in the patients with a marginal long gap between proximal and distal oesophagus (P = 0.008). Anastomotic stenosis was the major short-term complication encountered, treated with post-operative dilation sessions. Dysphagia and reflux were the most common long-term complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Oesophageal atresia without severe cardiovascular abnormalities could be treated at a peripheral paediatric surgical department with satisfactory outcomes. However, qualified paediatric surgeons, anaesthesiologists and neonatologists and the availability of neonatal intensive care unit should be definitively required.

A new esophageal elongation technique for long-gap esophageal atresia: in vitro comparison of myotomy techniques

BACKGROUND

Complications such as stricture, leakage, recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula and mucosal pouch are commonly seen in myotomy techniques used for long-gap esophageal atresia (LGEA) treatments. Therefore, we think that there is a clear need for other techniques which would enable us to create more robust and longer esophagus in such cases. In this study, we reviewed multiple V-myotomy (VM) technique and the differences of the said technique with Livaditis circular myotomy (LM) and Kimura spiral myotomy (KM) techniques using literature as an aid.

METHODS

21 esophagus samples from 21 male lambs aged 12 months were used in vitro for the study. All esophageal samples were matched to have a length of 120 mm. Samples were divided into 3 groups of 7 and VM, LM and KM techniques were used in each group, respectively. Post-op esophagus lengths, elongation amount with each incision and perforation pressures were measured.

RESULTS

Post-op esophageal lengths were measured as 227, 210 and 200 mm for VM, LM and KM, respectively. Elongation amount per incision was measured as 5.1, 4 and 3.34 mm, again in previous order of VM, LM, and KM. Finally, perforation pressure following VM, LM, and KM was measured as 460, 400, and 410 mmHg.

CONCLUSION

VM was found to significantly increase total esophagus length and elongation per incision over LM and KM. In addition, VM was also shown to have a higher perforation pressure. Although in vivo live animal studies are required, we can say that VM can be used to create longer and robust esophagus.