ABOUT THE DISEASE
Tracheoesophageal fistula is a condition where there is an abnormal connection in one or more places between the esophagus (food pipe) and the trachea (wind pipe). Normally, the esophagus and the trachea are two separate tubes that are not connected.
Tracheo esophageal fistula is also known as TE fistula or TEF.
When a baby with a TE fistula swallows, the liquid can pass through the abnormal connection between the esophagus and the trachea. When this happens, liquid gets into the baby`s lungs. This can cause pneumonia and other problems.
TE fistula often occurs with another birth defect known as Oesophageal atresia. In oesophageal atresia, the upper part of the oesophagus doesn`t connect with the lower oesophagus and stomach. It ends in a pouch, which means food cannot reach the stomach.
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms may include the following:
- • frothy white bubbles in the mouth
- • coughing or choking when feeding
- • vomiting
- • blue color of the skin, especially when the baby is feeding
- • difficulty breathing
- • very round, full abdomen
- • pneumonia
CAUSES
In most cases it is a congenital defect, present since birth.
In few cases, it may be caused due to any disease in the trachea or the esophagus that erodes into the wall of either organ, as in:
- Complication of intubation.
- Cancer of the esophagus, eroding into the trachea.
- Radiotherapy for treatment of cancer of the neck or chest.
DIAGNOSIS
- CT Scan
- Upper endoscopy
- Flexible bronchoscopy
TREATMENT METHODS
In most cases, a surgical treatment (Correction of oesophageal atresia/tracheo oesophageal fistula) is the only option. The main therapies include esophageal stenting or surgical repair. The surgical repair includes separation of the trachea and the esophagus, repair of the hole in each organ and placement of a muscle between the two organs to prevent future fistula formation. Repair of esophageal atresia depends on how close the two sections of esophagus are to each other and may require more than one surgery.
In case the repaired part of the oesophagus narrows, further surgery may be needed to widen this (an endoscopy to inflate a balloon inside the oesophagus).
You may also like to learn about:
Oesophageal atresia
Tracheal stenosis
Esophagitis
Oesophageal sphincter dysfunction
Gastritis
Cancer esophagus