Esophageal atresia overview: types, VACTERL association, and surgical management

Dan von Almen is the surgeon in chief at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Erin Garrison is a pediatric surgeon at Cincinnati Children's and the associate program director of the fellowship.

VACTERL association includes vertebral malformation, anorectal anomalies, cardiac anomalies, tracheoesophageal fistula, renal anomalies, and limb malformations.

Screening for VACTERL association malformations is important in infants with esophageal atresia.

There are five different types of esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula.

The surgical approach for esophageal atresia involves dividing the tracheoesophageal fistula and creating an esophageal anastomosis.

Surgeons want to minimize tension on the esophageal anastomosis.

Anastomotic leak is one of the most common short-term complications after esophageal atresia repair.

The rate of anastomotic leak after esophageal atresia repair is 5-15%.