[Congenital esophageal atresia]

Current management of congenital esophageal atresia (CEA) is described on the basis of our experience and recent literatures. Primary repair for Gross C type CEA is performed as modern standard treatment in infants without high-risk factors such as associated severe cardiac anomaly and respiratory insufficiency. Surgical strategy depends on preoperative condition of the infant therefore preoperative full assessment of the infant is very important. In general, delayed primary repair or staged repair on CEA is selected for premature infants weighing less than 1,500 g and high-risk infants. Recently, primary repair has become an effective option in premature infants without high-risk factors. In long-gap CEA, gastrostomy and/or closure of tracheoesophageal fistula is performed initially. Esophagoesophagostomy is carried out after attempts to decrease gap length. Intraoperative esophageal elongation is required in some infants. However esophageal replacement should be selected if esophageal elongation fails is impossible due to hypogenesis of lower esophagus. Thoracoscopic primary repair was recently reported as a new optional treatment. This treatment will be able to decrease the damage on the thoracic wall. However this procedure should be adopted after very careful discussion because it is difficult to accomplish without very skillful endoscopic surgical technique.