• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.140-142
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• 2003

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.165-170
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• 2005

The repair of esophageal atresia with a long gap continues to pose difficulties for the surgeon. There is a general agreement that the child's own esophagus is the best, however, primary repair is not always possible. Foker JE et al. (1997) developed a technique of esophageal lengthening using external traction sutures. We successfully treated one patient with a 4.5cm gap esophageal atresia (4 vertebral spaces) using the external traction suture technique.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.152-159
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• 1997

Transhiatal gastric transposition was performed in two case of long gap esophageal atresia without tracheoesophageal fistula. The patients were a 12 months old female and an 18 months old male. Stamm type gastrostomies were performed at other hospitals in both cases. The stomach was mobilized preserving the right gastric artery, the right gastroepiploic artery and spleen. A portion of the proximal and the distal esophageal segment were excised by transcervical and transhiatal route, respectively. The mobilized stomach was pulled up to the neck through the esophageal hiatus and posterior mediastinum. The esophagogastrostomy, the only one anastomosis of this procedure, was performed in the neck. There was no clinical evidence of anastomotic leakage, stricture, regurgitation, difficulty of gastric emptying, hoarseness or respiratory problem. Transhiatal gastric transposition seems to be a safe and easy alternative surgical procedure for esophageal replacement in long gap esophageal atresia.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.162-169
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• 1995

Since 1988, we have performed esophageal replacement with the reversed gastric tube on four esophageal atresia patients. Three patients had long-gap esophageal atresias and one patient had recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula that was previously operated on three times. One combined imperforate anus. The youngest patient was 6-month-old and the oldest, 34-month-old at the time of procedure. The technique of gastric tube construction is described. There have been both major and minor complications. Although two patients had shown distal tube strictures as late complications. those were solved with tuboplasties on 29 months and 48 months, postoperatively. Growth and development have been acceptable in all four patients, although most remain in the lower percentiles for growth and height, a condition that usually predates the esophageal substitution. Conclusively, reversed gastric tube interposition has proved very satisfactory for long-gap esophageal atresia that cannot be anastomosed primarily even by spiral myotomy and esophageal atresia with recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula having destroyed esophagus due to previous operation.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.92-98
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• 2004

The history of esophageal replacement in infants or children is the history of development of various kinds of alternative conduits such as stomach, colon, and small bowel. The gastric tube has been the most widely used conduit. From January 1988 to May 2003, 23 esophageal replacements with gastric tube were performed at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Seoul National University Childrens Hospital. Statistical analysis was performed using Windows SPSS11.0 Pearson exact test. There were Gross type A(n=10), type B(n=1), type C(n=11), type D(n=1). Ten patients who had long gap esophageal atresia (type A-8, type B-1, type C-1) and 13 patients (type A 2, type C-10, type D-1) who had stenosis, leakage, recurred tracheoesophageal fistula, and esophagocutaneous fistula after previous corrective operations, had esophageal replacement with gastric tube. Mean follow-up periods were 4 year 2 months (7 months-15 year 1 month). There were postoperative complications including GERD in 16 (69.6 %), leakages in 7 (30.4 %), diverticulum at anastomosis in 2 (8.7 %), anastomosis site stenosis in 4 (17.3 %), and distal stenosis of the gastric tube in 1 (4.3 %). There was no statistical significance between operation types and postoperative leakage and gastroesophageal reflux. In conclusion, esophageal replacement with gastric tube may be a useful surgical option in esophageal atresia with long gap and esophageal atresia complicated by previous corrective operation.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.236-240
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• 1997

The management of neonate with long gap atresia without a fistula(type A) is complex and controversial. Various esophageal reconstruction include use of native esophagus or replacement with colon, stomach and small bowel. A severe premature male, at 28 weeks gestation weighing 1.2kg, was born with type A esophageal atresia in Chonnam University Hospital. Initial treatment consisted of gastrostomy under the local anesthesia and suctioning of proximal pouch, and than underwent delayed esophageal end to end anastomosis. A minimal leakage and mediastinitis ocurred postoperatively, but was treated by adequate drainage and negative suction from the leakage site through the gastrostomy. The patient was discharged in good general condition and normal weight of 5.4kg after 4 months after the surgery.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.567-572
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• 1999

Background: Surgical correction of the full spectrum of esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula has improved over the years, but the mortality and morbidity assoiated with repair of these anomalies still remains high. Material and Method: We retrospectively analyzes 27 surgically treated patients with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula at Dong-A University Hospital between January 1992 and March 1997. Result: There were 21 male and 6 female patients. Mean birth weight was 2.62$\pm$.385 kg(2.0~3.4 kg). Twenty- four(88.9%) had esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula, and 3(11.1%) had pure esophageal atresia. Four(14.8%) infants were allocated to Waterston risk group A, 18(66.7%) to group B, and 5(18.5%) to group C. In eighteen(66.7%) infants with associated anomalies, cardiovascular anomalies were the most common. Three had a gap length of 3.5 cm or greater(ultra-long gap) between esophageal segments, 7 had 2.0 to 3.5 cm(long gap), 8 had 1.0 to 2.0 cm(medium gap), and 9 had 1 cm or less(short gap) gap length. Among 27 neonates, 3 cases underwent staged operation, late colon interposition was done in 2, and all other 24 cases underwent primary esophageal anastomosis. Oerative mortality was 2/27(7.4%). Causes of death included acute renal failure(n=1), empyema from anastomotic leak(n=1), necrotizing enterocolitis(n=1), sepsis(n=1), insulin-dependent diabetus mellitus(n=1 . There were 4 anastomosis- related complications including stricture in 3, leakage in 1. Mortality was related to the gap length(p<.05). Conclusion: Although the complication rate associated with surgical repair of these anomalies is high, this does not always implicate the operative mortality. The overall survival can be improved by effective treatment for combined anomalies and intensive postoperatve care.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 1995

A delayed primary esophago-esophagostomy of a case of long-gap esophageal atresia without tracheoesophageal fistula was performed in success with three months' intermittent periodic bougienage of the upper pouch via mouth as well as the lower esophagus through Janeway gastrostomy. Meanwhile, an effective continuous sump suction from the upper pouch seemed to be a critical part of the patient management. The extra length of esophagus for primary anastomosis could be achieved by a circular myotomy. Stricture at the myotomy site, found 4 months later, was treated with periodic pneumatic baloon dilations only with temporary symptomatic reliefs. After 4 months' trials, operative esophagoplasty was performed successfully. A careful follow-up schedule for the myotomy site would be required for early detection of stricture. The previous neonatal patient is currently 8 years old, healthy school-boy, and has a normal barium swallow without stricture or gastroesophageal reflux.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2001

The aims of this study were to evaluate the prognostic predictabilities of the risk classifications (Waterston, Montreal, and Spitz), preoperative treatment of pneumonia and the length of esophageal gap in esophageal atresia. Twenty-five cases of esophageal atresia were reviewed retrospectively. The data was analyzed with Likelihood ratio test for trend and Fisher's exact test. Survival rates were 100.0 % in group A and B, and 60.0 % in group C according to Waters ton classification (p=0.027). By Montreal classification, 95.7 % in group I and 50.0 % in group II (p=0.086). By Spitz classification, 95.5 % in group I and 66.7% in group II (p=0.159). The survival rate was 85.7 % in the patients with pneumonia preoperatively treated and 94.4% in the patients without pneumonia. The difference was not significant (p=0.490). Survival rate in the patients with long gap (${\geq}$3cm) was 50.0 % and 100.0 % in patients with short gap (<3cm) with significant difference (p=0.020). The Waterston classification could be modified into two groups because the prognosis of both group A and B were the same. Preoperative pneumonia does not seem to be a risk factor. The length of the esophageal gap showed prognostic value.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.186-190
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• 2018

Esophageal atresia (EA) with proximal tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF; gross type B) is a rare defect. Although most patients have long-gap EA, there are still no established surgical guidelines. A premature male infant with symmetric intrauterine growth retardation (birth weight, 1,616 g) was born at 35 weeks and 5 days of gestation. The initial diagnosis was pure EA (gross type A) based on failure to pass an orogastric tube and the absence of stomach gas. A "feed and grow" approach was implemented, with gastrostomy performed on postnatal day 2. A fistula was detected during bronchoscopy for recurrent pneumonia; thus, we confirmed type B EA and performed TEF excision and cervical end esophagostomy. As the infant's stomach volume was insufficient for bolus feeding after reaching a body weight of 2.5 kg, continuous tube feeding was provided through a gastrojejunal tube. On the basis of these findings, esophageal reconstruction with gastric pull-up was performed on postnatal day 141 (infant weight, 4.7 kg), and he was discharged 21 days postoperatively. At 12 months after birth, there was no catch-up growth; however, he is currently receiving a baby food diet without any complications. In patients with EA, bronchoscopy is useful for confirming TEF, whereas for those with long-gap EA with a small stomach volume, esophageal reconstruction with gastric pull-up after continuous feeding through a gastrojejunal tube is worth considering.