Preservation of the azygos vein versus ligation of the azygos vein during surgical repair of esophageal atresia-tracheoesophageal fistula- a systematic review and meta-analysis

Esophageal atresia-tracheoesophageal fistula (EA-TEF) is amongst the most common life‐threatening developmental anomalies. For the surgical repair of esophageal atresia-tracheoesophageal fistula (EA-TEF), several interventional modifications have been suggested. One such modification is the preservation of the azygos vein, a key draining vein for the esophagus and surrounding structures. However, there is no clear consensus on the subject.