[Circular myotomy in the reconstructive therapy of esophageal atresia. Experimental study in the rabbit]

The authors report their experimental results in 22 rabbits subjected to circular myotomy of the esophagus, with radiological followup and final autopsy verification. This relatively simple surgical procedure may prove valuable for the correction of neonatal atresia of the esophagus; in particular, when done upon the cranial stump, it affords primary anastomosis of the viscus without undue tension even in cases of faulty esophageal continuity involving a length of several centimeters.