Neonatal esophageal atresia

Many congenital genetic diseases appear in newborns, so most parents are very afraid of discovering congenital diseases in their newborns. The esophagus is a very important organ in the human body's digestive organs. The food people eat into their mouths must first pass through the esophagus before entering the stomach for digestion. But what should we do if esophageal atresia occurs in a newborn?

1. Congenital esophageal atresia

Congenital esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula, collectively referred to as congenital esophageal atresia, is a serious developmental malformation of the digestive tract in the neonatal period. This disease is not uncommon in clinical practice, and there is no difference in the incidence between men and women. The main symptoms are vomiting, cyanosis, choking and difficulty breathing when the infant is feeding.

2. Causes

This disease is a congenital disease caused by the failure of fetal development to form tubular tubes. The specific cause of the disease is not yet very clear.

3. Clinical manifestations

1. The saliva cannot be swallowed and flows back into the mouth, resulting in drooling and foaming at the mouth after birth.

2. During each breastfeeding, the breast milk of type I and type III patients cannot be sent to the stomach and overflows into the respiratory tract; in type II, IV and V cases, the breast milk directly enters the trachea, causing choking, vomiting, difficulty breathing, cyanosis, and prone to aspiration pneumonia. In type I and type IV cases where there is an esophageal tracheal fistula between the lower esophagus and the trachea, respiratory air can enter the gastrointestinal tract through the fistula, causing abdominal distension. At the same time, gastric juice can also flow back into the respiratory tract through the esophageal tracheal fistula, causing aspiration pneumonia, presenting with fever and shortness of breath.

3. Because food cannot enter the gastrointestinal tract, the sick infant becomes dehydrated and emaciated. If not treated promptly, he or she may die from lung inflammation and severe dehydration within a few days. Physical examination often reveals signs of dehydration, with accumulation of saliva in the mouth. In patients with pneumonia, rales can be heard in the lungs, and percussion of the inflamed area is dull.

IV. Treatment

If congenital esophageal atresia is not treated, death will occur within a few days of birth. Therefore, surgery should be performed as soon as possible after a clear diagnosis to correct the deformity. Before surgery, attention should be paid to adequate fluid replacement, correction of dehydration and electrolyte imbalance; prevention and treatment of aspiration pneumonia; administration of antibiotics; and maintenance of normal body temperature. Placing the child in a semi-sitting position can reduce the risk of gastric juice overflowing into the respiratory tract. Place a thin catheter in the upper esophageal cavity to continuously apply negative pressure or frequently suction oral secretions to prevent or reduce the amount of oral secretions being inhaled into the lungs. In cases of lung inflammation or atelectasis, ventilation function needs to be maintained and oxygen inhalation should be given.