The treatment of oesophageal atresia.

Though both the anatomy and the symptomatology of the first cases of oesophageal atresia were described in detail more than 250 years ago, it was not until 1941 that the first child suffering from this anomaly was successfully operated upon. The mortality rate diminished rapidly during the following years, and, as methods making successful treatment possible were presented, a campaign was started to bring all cases of oesophageal atresia to the surgical wards as soon as possible after birth. That this has not been without effect is shown by the great number of cases now living which make a background to our evaluation of different methods of treatment. Oesophageal atresia is a fairly common disease. The frequency is said to be 1: 2,500-3,000 births. Both prognosis and selection of the method of treatment depend upon the type of malformation dealt with. According to Vogt's (1929) classification there are three principal types, namely, (1) _ complete absence, (2) atresia without tracheal fistula and (3) atresia with fistula between the trachea and the oesophagus, (a, those with a fistula between the upper , segment and the < ((( trachea, b, those "vh a fistula between the lower segment and the trachea, c, those with fistulas between both segments and the trachea).