It's a birth defect in which there is an abnormal connection between the esophagus and the trachea. There may be an extra connection between the esophagus and the trachea or the esophagus may be a blind tube.
A baby with a tracheoesophageal fistula is typically stabilized, given intravenous fluids, and placed on a ventilator to help with breathing before surgery. The surgical team may also perform imaging tests to evaluate the extent of the defect and plan the corrective surgery. A pediatric anesthesiologist will carefully assess the baby's airway and cardiopulmonary function to ensure a safe anesthesia plan.
It sounds like you may be referring to a fistula. A fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway that forms between two organs or vessels that typically do not connect. Treatment for a fistula may involve surgery or other interventions depending on the location and cause.
Normal anatomyThe trachea and esophagus run next to each other through the chest cavity. The esophagus connects to the stomach, and carries food and saliva to the stomach. The trachea connects to the lungs and carries air to the lungs.IndicationsA tracheoesophageal fistula is a congenital anomaly in which there is a connection between the trachea and the esophagus. This is a life-threatening problem requiring immediate intervention. Saliva and gastric secretions may be aspirated into the lungs through the abnormal opening in the trachea. Normal swallowing and digestion of food cannot occur with the abnormal esophagus.Procedure, part 1Although the surgical procedure varies depending on the location and type of fistula, in general, an incision is made in the right chest. The section of esophagus that contains the fistula is resected.Procedure, part 2The ends of the esophagus are sutured back together. In many cases, infants are very ill, and therefore require a staged procedure. This involves placing a tube in the stomach (gastrostomy tube), in order to decompress the stomach and prevent fluid in the stomach from flowing up the esophagus, through the fistula and into the lungs. The infant is then cared for in an intensive care unit until he or she is well enough to undergo resection of the fistula and a definitive repair of the esophagus.AftercareThe baby will be cared for pre-operatively and post-operatively in a neonatal intensive care unit. He/she will be placed in an isolette (incubator) to keep warm. He/she may require oxygen and/or mechanical ventilation. A chest tube may be in place to drain fluids. Intravenous fluids and pain medications will be given. Feedings will be started as soon as possible, depending on the extent of the repair. Length of the hospitalization varies, depending on the seriousness of the surgery and the baby's condition.Reviewed ByReview Date: 08/11/2011David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; George F. Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program, San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
Using a stethoscope, a physician can detect the sound of a pulse in the affected vein (bruit). The sound is a distinctive to-and-fro sound. Dye into the blood can be tracked by x ray to confirm the presence of a fistula.
A subcutaneous fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway that forms between two surfaces underneath the skin. It is typically the result of an infection or inflammation in the subcutaneous tissue and can lead to the drainage of pus or other fluids. Treatment usually involves addressing the underlying cause and may require surgical intervention to repair the fistula.
Tracheoesophageal fistulas are not preventable birth defects.
A fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway between two epithelium-lined organs or vessels that normally do not connect. If it happens between trachea and esophagus then it will be known as tracheoesophageal fistula.
In a rare type of fistula called an H type, both the esophagus and trachea are complete, but they are connected. This is the most difficult type of tracheoesophageal fistula to diagnose, because both eating and breathing are possible.
The two most common congenital esophageal abnormalities are esophageal atresia (EA) and tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF).
What comes to mind is a tracheoesophageal fistula or TEF.
This condition usually occurs with tracheoesophageal fistula, a condition in which the esophagus is improperly attached to the trachea, the nearby tube that connects the nasal area to the lungs.
the membrane that divides the trachea from the esophagus (tracheoesophageal septum) is incompletely formed, leaving a fistula between the two normally separate organs.
When this happens, air enters the gastrointestinal system, causing the bowels to distend, and mucus is breathed into the lungs causing aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems.
Tracheoesophageal fistula, and it can be corrected surgically.
The trachea, or windpipe, carries air to the lungs. The esophagus carries food to the stomach. Sometimes during development, these two tubes do not separate completely, but remain connected by a short passage.
Even when the esophagus is successfully separated and reattached, many infants have difficulty swallowing, because the contractility of the esophagus is impaired. Infants may also have problems with gastroesophageal reflux
TEFs may develop in adult life, secondary to the invasion of cancer in the area. In addition, TEFs may be deliberately constructed with surgery to aid talking in a patient who has the larynx removed