Thoracoscopic repair of esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula: is it a safe procedure in infants weighing less than 2000 g?

Single-center retrospective study of 41 thoracoscopic EA/TEF repairs demonstrates comparable safety and efficacy in infants under 2000g versus heavier infants, with similar operative and postoperative outcomes except for higher fundoplication rates in the lower-weight group. Findings support thoracoscopic approach as feasible for very low birth weight infants when performed by experienced teams.