The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
2010 , Vol 52 , Num 1
Diagnostic difficulties in esophageal atresia with proximal and distal tracheoesophageal fistula: a case report
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
The authors report two patients with esophageal atresia and double fistula,
one of whom was diagnosed intraoperatively and the other preoperatively
through upper pouch contrast study. Patients with proximal and distal fistula
do not present with excessive oral secretion and drooling because they can
swallow the saliva/meals that reach the trachea from the proximal esophagus
via the proximal fistula and then from the trachea to the distal esophagus
via the distal fistula. Thus, since this clinical entity can be easily overlooked,
some radiological and clinical signs that are helpful for preoperative and
intraoperative diagnosis of a proximal fistula are discussed.
Keywords :
esophageal atresia, double tracheoesophageal fistula, proximal and distal
tracheoesophageal fistula, recurrent pneumonia.