Evolving Surgical Practices in Esophageal Atresia: Insights from the EUPSA-ERNICA Survey a Decade After the 2014 Baseline Study

The European Paediatric Surgeons' Association (EUPSA) and the European Reference Network for Rare Inherited and Congenital Anomalies (ERNICA) conducted a survey to assess the current surgical management and care practices for esophageal atresia (EA) in order to assess changes over the past decade.An online survey consisting of 56 questions was administered to EUPSA members and ERNICA representatives between March and September 2025. The questionnaire covered seven domains: center structure, preoperative assessment, surgical management of esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula (EA-TEF) patients and long-gap EA, postoperative care, long-term follow-up, and the management of complications. Results were compared to practices reported in a previous EUPSA Network Office survey in 2013.There were a total of 202 respondents from 41 countries with 60% from European Union countries. Compared with previous surveys, the routine use of preoperative bronchoscopy and the use of trans-anastomotic tubes were found to be significantly more common (both p