Archive for esophageal atresia
Predicting feeding difficulties in children with esophageal atresia: A proactive approach
Children with esophageal atresia are at risk for developing anastomotic strictures, or areas of esophageal narrowing, following surgical repair. Clinicians have long assumed that such strictures can cause dysphagia and feeding difficulties, but it isn’t clear whether the severity of feeding difficulties is related to the severity of a stricture. Now, findings of a recent ... Read More
Taking treatment of long-gap esophageal atresia to the next level: Refining innovative techniques
The surgeons in the Esophageal and Airway Treatment Center at Boston Children’s Hospital are pioneers in developing and refining innovative surgical approaches to long-gap esophageal atresia, a condition in which a child’s esophagus develops in two separate segments that can’t be easily connected with surgery. Among these techniques are jejunal interposition and the Foker process. ... Read More
Game-changing surgical procedure results in zero-percent TEF re-recurrence rate
A tracheaesophageal fistula (TEF) is a congenital defect in which an abnormal connection forms between a child’s esophagus and trachea. It often occurs with esophageal atresia. Even after surgical repair, TEFs recur in about 10 to 15 percent of infants and children. They rarely close spontaneously and typically require surgical or endoscopic intervention. Key takeaways: ... Read More
‘The best decision we ever made’: Bridging the gap for Arya’s esophageal atresia
When Teja and Naveen learned last year that their daughter, Arya, would be born with long-gap esophageal atresia (EA), they did what many parents do: They took to the internet in search of more information. There, they learned that long-gap EA is a rare but serious condition in which a baby’s esophagus develops in two ... Read More
Devina’s story: Minimally invasive Foker process repairs esophageal atresia
Selina De Leon doesn’t have a background in medicine — but she does have experience being a mom. When the mother of four learned that her youngest child, Devina, had a rare birth defect, “I said, ‘esophageal what?’” she remembers. The condition, called esophageal atresia (EA), occurs when a baby’s esophagus develops in two separate ... Read More
What’s it like to have an endoscopy?
If your child has symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux or celiac disease, has been diagnosed with esophageal atresia, or has another condition that affects their upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, their clinician may recommend an upper endoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor passes a long, thin, flexible tube with a light on the end through your child’s ... Read More
Taking charge: Emma perseveres with laryngeal cleft
Emma Morris is “a pistol,” says her mother, Sarah. “She’s a spitfire, passionate and caring.” But the 11-year-old gets anxious, too — and for an understandable reason. She’s been in and out of the hospital since she was a newborn. In fact, Sarah estimates that her daughter has spent more than 400 nights at Boston ... Read More
Making up for lost time: Living with esophageal atresia
Whether he’s riding his dirt bike, learning how to swim, playing with his dogs and cats, or herding the chickens and goats on his family’s farm, Landen Spry loves staying active and being outside. “He’s making up for lost time,” says his mother, Jolene. She isn’t exaggerating. During his young life, he’s spent nearly a ... Read More