A rare variant of tracheoesophageal fistula type -3 with opening at left bronchus

Abstract

Esophageal atresia is an anomaly which is usually congenital but can be acquired in which there is disruption in the continuity of the oesophageal lumen resulting in an upper & lower segment. We present the case of a rare sub-type of Oesophageal atresia Type 3 with distal opening at left bronchus. This is the first case reported in literature in the Kalinga hospital Of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar. A 3 day old term male baby who presented as an emergency with difficulty breathing, fever and refusal to feed. Initially managed as early onset neonatal sepsis with aspiration pneumonia in which a diagnosis of oesophageal atresia was finally made.A high index of suspicion for Oesophageal atresia/trachea-oesophageal fistula should prevail when faced with a neonate with the triad: respiratory distress during feeds, regurgitation and persistent frothy salivation. The case discusses about a rare variant of Type 3 oesophageal fistula where the opening is present at the left bronchus.