ABSTRACT
Tracheomalacia (TM) is well known as a complication associated with esophageal atresia (EA) and tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF); however, the occurrence of TM requiring surgical treatment in a patient having EA without a tracheoesophageal fistula has never been reported. We describe herein a rare case of TM associated with EA without TEF. Respiratory distress was caused by compression of the trachea by a severely dilated upper esophageal pouch with weakness of the tracheal wall. Aortopexy was performed, and an excellent postoperative result was achieved.
Subject(s)
Aorta/surgery , Esophageal Atresia/complications , Tracheal Diseases/complications , Tracheal Diseases/surgery , Dilatation, Pathologic , Esophagus/pathology , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Male , Suture TechniquesABSTRACT
Numerous technical and physiologic problems have been described with conventional systemic-pulmonary artery shunts. We report the case of a 1-year-old girl in whom the internal thoracic artery was used to create a systemic-pulmonary artery shunt after the failure of a previous Blalock-Taussig shunt. The internal thoracic artery as an alternative systemic-pulmonary artery shunt may offer several potential advantages and can be used successfully to improve cyanotic heart disease in selected cases.
