Purpose: Thoracoscopic repair can be safely performed in most types of congenital esophageal atresia (EA), including in patients with long gap EA or very low birth weight. Accordingly, we performed single- or multistage thoracoscopic repair for various EA types. We aimed to report our therapeutic strategy for thoracoscopic radical surgery for treating EA and its outcome.
Methods: Outcomes of radical surgeries for treating congenital EA at our institute from 2013 to 2018 were retrospectively evaluated.
Results: Thirty-eight radical surgeries were evaluated: 3 Gross type-A, 1 type-B, 30 type-C, 1 type-D, and 3 type-E. The cervical approach was performed in 5 cases and thoracoscopic esophageal anastomosis in 33, including 26 single-stage (all type-C) and 7 multistage surgeries (3 type-A, 3 type-C, and 1 type-D). There were no cases of thoracotomies or intraoperative thoracoscopic surgery complications. Three cases of minor leakage were conservatively resolved. Three postoperative chylothorax surgeries (9%) and seven balloon dilatations (21%) for anastomotic stenosis were performed.
Conclusion: Thoracoscopic radical surgery for treating EA, including single- and multistage procedures, can be performed, except in type-E cases or when the end of the proximal esophagus is located higher than the clavicle.
Keywords: Congenital esophageal atresia; Multistage anastomosis; Primary anastomosis; Thoracoscopic repair.