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Imaging of long gap esophageal atresia and the Foker process: expected findings and complications

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Abstract

Long gap esophageal atresia (EA) is characterized by esophageal segments that are too far apart for primary anastomosis. Surgical repair utilizing interposition grafts or gastric transposition are often employed. The Foker staged lengthening procedure is an alternative surgical method that utilizes continuous traction on the esophagus to induce esophageal growth and allow for primary esophageal anastomosis. This pictorial review presents the step-by-step radiographic evaluation of the Foker procedure and illustrates the radiographic findings in the most commonly encountered complications in our cohort of 38 patients managed with this procedure from January 2000 to June 2012.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Mark C. Liszewski, Carlo Buonomo & George A. Taylor

  2. Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department of Radiology, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, One Robert Wood Johnson Place, New Brunswick, NJ, 08903, USA

    Mark C. Liszewski

  3. Department of Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Sigrid Bairdain & Russell W. Jennings

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  1. Mark C. Liszewski
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  2. Sigrid Bairdain
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  3. Carlo Buonomo
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  4. Russell W. Jennings
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  5. George A. Taylor
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Correspondence to Mark C. Liszewski.

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Liszewski, M.C., Bairdain, S., Buonomo, C. et al. Imaging of long gap esophageal atresia and the Foker process: expected findings and complications. Pediatr Radiol 44, 467–475 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-013-2847-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-013-2847-2

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