Esophageal atresia
Esophageal atresia is a birth defect in the swallowing tube (esophagus) that connects the mouth to the stomach. In a child with esophageal atresia, the esophagus has two separate sections, the upper and lower esophagus, which do not connect. A child with this birth defect cannot pass food from the mouth to the stomach and sometimes has difficulty breathing.
Esophageal atresia often occurs with a tracheoesophageal fistula, a birth defect in which part of the esophagus connects to the trachea.
Types of esophageal atresia
There are four types of esophageal atresia: type A, type B, type C, and type D.
- Type A, when the upper and lower parts of the esophagus do not connect and have closed ends. In this type, no part of the esophagus is attached to the trachea.
- Type B is very rare. In this type, the upper part of the esophagus is attached to the trachea, while the lower part of the esophagus has a closed end.
- Type C is the most common type. In this type, the upper part of the esophagus has a closed end, while the lower part of the esophagus is attached to the trachea.
- Type D is the rarest and heaviest. In this type, the upper and lower esophagus are not connected to each other, but each separately connects to the trachea.
Causes
The causes of esophageal atresia in most children are unknown. Researchers believe that some cases of esophageal atresia may be caused by abnormalities in the child's genes. Nearly half of all babies born with esophageal atresia have one or more additional birth defects, such as other problems with the digestive system (bowels and anus), heart, kidneys, ribs, or spine.
Diagnosis
Esophageal atresia is rarely diagnosed during pregnancy. Esophageal atresia is most often detected after birth, when the baby first tries to eat and chokes or vomits, or when a tube inserted into the baby's nose or mouth cannot help descending into the stomach. An x-ray can confirm that the tube is stopping in the upper esophagus.
Treatment
Once diagnosed, surgery is needed to reconnect the two ends of the esophagus so the baby can breathe and eat properly. Several surgeries and other procedures or medications may be needed, especially if the child's repaired esophagus becomes too narrow for food to pass through; if the muscles of the esophagus do not work well enough to move food through the stomach; or if the food digested in the stomach constantly returns to the esophagus.