Les fistules œsotrachéales congénitales isolées : à propos de trois observations

Abstract

The authors report three cases of isolated tracheoesophageal fistula without esophageal atresia (H type fistula), treated in the children's hospital of Rabat in Morocco. This is a rare malformation whose diagnosis was difficult in some cases because of misleading nature of symptoms. The clinical signs are mainly respiratory but also digestive. The diagnosis can be made with a barium swallow in all three patients, but a tracheoesophageal endoscopy remains the investigation of choice. The treatment is surgical. In most cases, the fistula is accessible by a cervical incision to obtain its division and suture of the esophageal and tracheal ends; in one case, a muscular flap was interposed. Follow up and long-term results were excellent. We discuss the different investigation for diagnosis and various therapeutic approaches.