Ricerc@Sapienza

We describe a nonsurgical technique for managing gastric distention in infants with type C esophageal atresia, involving intubating the trachea with an umbilical catheter and entering the stomach through the fistula as soon as a flexible bronchoscope found its wide-open orifice. This technique might have a special role when gastric distention precedes other commonly used preventive measures.

The combination of esophageal atresia, congenital duodenal obstruction, and anorectal malformation has seldom been reported. We describe the largest series of patients with such association, which we summed up with the mnemonic acronym DATE [D-duodenal obstruction, A-anorectal malformation (ARM), and TE-tracheoesophageal fistula with esophageal atresia].