The Use of Endoclips in Thoracoscopic Correction of Esophageal Atresia: Advantages or Complications?

Diagnosis and management of congenital type D esophageal atresia

This study was performed to describe the current clinical practice and outcomes of type D esophageal atresia. We retrospectively analyzed 10 patients who were diagnosed with type D esophageal atresia and underwent esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula repair in the Capital Institute of Pediatrics and Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2017 to May 2022. Ten patients include three newborns and seven non-newborns. Seven (70%) cases were misdiagnosed as type C esophageal atresia before the first operation. Three neonatal children underwent thoracoscopic distal tracheoesophageal fistula ligation and esophageal anastomosis: the proximal tracheoesophageal fistula was simultaneously repaired with thoracoscopy in one of these children, and the proximal tracheoesophageal fistula was not detected under thoracoscopy in the other two children. Among the seven non-neonatal children, one underwent repair of the proximal tracheoesophageal fistula through the chest and the other six underwent repair through the neck. Nine patients were cured, and one died of complications of severe congenital heart disease. Type D esophageal atresia lacks specific clinical manifestations. Misdiagnosis as type C esophageal atresia is the main cause of an unplanned reoperation. Patients without severe malformations have a good prognosis.

Esophageal Magnetic Anastomosis Device (EMAD) to simplify and improve outcome of thoracoscopic repair for esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula: A proof of concept study

BACKGROUND

We designed a new Esophageal Magnetic Anastomosis Device (EMAD) for thoracoscopic repair of esophageal atresia (EA) with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) without the need of handheld suturing or additional gastrostomy.

METHODS

Synthetic EA-TEF model: Spherical and tubular shaped rubber balloons and a term infant sized plastic doll were used. Medical students (n = 10) and surgical trainees (n = 10) were asked to perform thoracoscopic repair of an "EA" with a hand sutured anastomosis (HA) and with the EMAD. Euthanized animal model: The esophagus in 5 piglets (3-4 kg) was dissected and a thoracoscopic esophageal magnetic anastomosis (EMA) was performed. Bursting pressure (BP) and pulling force (PF): HA and EMA were created on ex vivo New Zealand white rabbit (2.5-3 kg) esophagi (n = 25 in each test series). BP and PF were measured and compared against each other.

RESULTS

Medical students were unable to complete HA, but were successful with the EMAD in 11.1 ± 2.78 min. Surgical trainees completed EMA in 4.6 ± 2.06 min vs. HA 30.8 ± 4.29 min (p<0.001). The BP following a HA (14.1 ± 3.32 cmH₂O) was close to the physiological intraluminal pressure reported in a neonatal esophagus (around 20 cmH₂O), whereas the BP with the EMAD was extremely high (>90 cmH₂O) (p<0.001). The PF of an EMA (1.8 ± 0.30 N) was closer to the safety limits of anastomotic tension reported in the literature (i.e. 0.75 N) compared with the HA (3.6 ± 0.43 N) (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

The EMAD could simplify, shorten, and potentially improve the outcome of thoracoscopic repair for EA with TEF in the future. A high BS and a relative low PF following EMAD application may lower the risk of postoperative complications such as esophageal leakage and stricture formation.

Association of operative approach with outcomes in neonates with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula

PURPOSE

We sought to evaluate the impact of thoracoscopic repair on perioperative outcomes in infants with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF).

METHODS

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program pediatric database from 2014 to 2018 was queried for all neonates who underwent operative repair of EA/TEF. Operative approach based on intention to treat was correlated with perioperative outcomes, including 30-day postoperative adverse events, in logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Among 855 neonates, initial thoracoscopic repair was performed in 133 (15.6%) cases. Seventy (53%) of these cases were converted to open. Those who underwent thoracoscopic repair were more likely to be full-term (p = 0.03) when compared to those in the open repair group. There were no significant differences in perioperative outcome measures based on surgical approach except for operative time (thoracoscopic: 217 min vs. open: 180 min, p<0.001). A major cardiac comorbidity (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.1; p = 0.003) and preoperative ventilator requirement (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-1.9; p = 0.034) were the only risk factors associated with adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

Thoracoscopic neonatal repair of EA/TEF continues to be used sparingly, is associated with high conversion rates, and has similar perioperative outcomes when compared to open repair.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Thoracoscopic Esophageal Atresia Repair: Outcomes Analysis Between Primary and Staged Procedures

PURPOSE

Thoracoscopic repair of esophageal atresia (EA) is analyzed in this systematic review that compares outcomes between primary and staged repairs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PubMed/Embase databases were reviewed for articles on thoracoscopic repair of EA, and articles were selected for primary and staged repairs. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative parts of the study.

RESULTS

Thirty-six articles identified between 1999 and 2019 met the inclusion criteria and offered 776 patients for this analysis. Primary repairs were performed in n=703 and staged repairs in n=73. Comparative analysis showed that esophageal anastomosis was performed using absorbable suture in 88% primary and 78% staged repairs. Anastomotic leak rates were comparable between primary n=65/696 (9%) and staged repairs n=8/73 (11%). The re-fistulation rate was 2% in primary and 1% in staged repairs. There was no difference between suture material and re-fistulation (P>0.05; NS). In primary repairs, nonabsorbable sutures were found to be associated with more leaks than absorbable sutures (P<0.05*). The conversion rate was similar between 2 approaches; primary n=49/680 (7%) and staged n=6/73 (8%); P>0.05. No significant differences were found in the rate of anastomosis strictures between primary n=135/703 (19%) and staged repair n=21/73 (29%); P>0.05. The overall mortality was n=20/703 (3%) in primary and n=1/73 (1%) in staged repairs; P>0.05.

CONCLUSIONS

Successful thoracoscopic primary- and staged-EA repairs have been reported with low rate of complications. Outcomes between primary and staged repairs do not show significant differences with regards to re-fistulation, anastomotic leaks, conversion rates, and mortality.

Clinical analysis of surgery for type III esophageal atresia via thoracoscopy: a study of a Chinese single-center experience

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness and safety of the operation for type III esophageal atresia using a thoracoscope.

Methods

The clinical data for 92 patients with type III esophageal atresia in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 49 patients in group A who underwent thoracoscopic surgery and 43 patients in group B who underwent conventional surgery.

Results

The mechanical ventilation time (55.7 ± 11.4 h vs 75.6 ± 19.2 h), intensive care time (3.6 ± 1.8d vs 4.7 ± 2.0d), postoperative hospitalization time (13.1 ± 2.2d vs 16.8 ± 4.3d), thoracic drainage volume (62.7 ± 25.5 ml vs 125.4 ± 46.1 ml), blood transfusion volume (30.5 ± 10.4 ml vs 55.3 ± 22.7 ml) and surgical incision length (2.0 ± 0.5 cm vs 8.0 ± 1.8 cm) in group A were lower than those in group B, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Among the postoperative complications, the incidences of postoperative severe pneumonia (8.2% vs 23.3%), poor wound healing (2.0% vs 14.0%) and chest wall deformity (0% vs 11.6%) in group A were significantly lower than those in group B (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of anastomotic stricture, tracheomalacia or gastroesophageal reflux between the two groups after surgery and early during follow-up (P > 0.05), and there were no complications such as achalasia signs and esophageal diverticulum in either group.

Conclusion

Surgery for type III esophageal atresia via thoracoscopy has the same safety and clinical effectiveness as traditional surgery and has the advantages of smaller incision and chest wall deformity.