Etiological Aspects of Esophageal Atresia

.............................................................................................................................. 5 LIST OF PUBLICATIONS ....................................................................................................... 6 CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................... 7 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................... 9 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 11 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................................... 12 History .................................................................................................................................. 12 Anatomy/ Classification ....................................................................................................... 12 Descriptive epidemiology .................................................................................................... 13 Embryology .......................................................................................................................... 14 Etiology ................................................................................................................................ 15 Pathophysiology ................................................................................................................... 15 Diagnosis .............................................................................................................................. 16 Prenatal ............................................................................................................................. 16 Postnatal ........................................................................................................................... 16 Treatment ............................................................................................................................. 16 Preoperatively ................................................................................................................... 16 Direct anastomosis ........................................................................................................... 17 Long-gap EA .................................................................................................................... 18 Postoperative management ............................................................................................... 18 Outcome ............................................................................................................................... 18 Early morbidity ................................................................................................................ 18 Late morbidity .................................................................................................................. 19 Risk of cancer ................................................................................................................... 20 Mortality ........................................................................................................................... 21 Quality of life ................................................................................................................... 22 AIMS ........................................................................................................................................ 23 MATERIAL AND METHODS ............................................................................................... 24 Registers ............................................................................................................................... 24 Study I .................................................................................................................................. 25 Design ............................................................................................................................... 25 Statistical analyses ............................................................................................................ 25 Studies II, III and IV ............................................................................................................ 26 Design, studies II and III .................................................................................................. 26 Design, study IV ............................................................................................................... 26 Exposure assessment ........................................................................................................ 26 Outcome assessment, studies II and III ............................................................................ 26 Outcome assessment, study IV ......................................................................................... 26 Statistical analyses ............................................................................................................ 27 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................. 28 Study I .................................................................................................................................. 28 Participants ....................................................................................................................... 28 Incidence .......................................................................................................................... 28 Mortality ........................................................................................................................... 28 Cancer ............................................................................................................................... 30 Studies II, III, and IV ........................................................................................................... 31