The Minnesota Experience

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Abstract

It is well known that the typical case of esophageal atresia (EA) which includes a tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is managed by a primary repair procedure soon after birth. Where the esophageal defect is long, a primary repair is not possible and a variety of alternatives have evolved. At the University of Minnesota, a unique procedure was developed over two decades ago as a direct response to the use of the stomach, colon, or small intestine to replace the esophagus and in the belief that the esophagus itself is the best conduit to the stomach. This procedure involved applying traction to grow the native esophageal ends to the point that a primary repair can be performed and has been used in infants with almost no discernible lower esophageal remnant. Here, we discuss the procedure and outcomes.

Keywords

Esophageal atresia Tracheoesophageal fistula Foker procedure Growth induction Long-term follow-up Results Outcome Quality of life Swallowing Eating Reflux 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Medstar Georgetown Transplant InstituteMedstar Georgetown University HospitalWashington, DCUSA

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