Posted by Kayla in Esophageal Atresia, Fistula's, Medical | 0 Comments
What is a Tracheoesophageal Fistula?
What is tracheoesophageal fistula?
Tracheoesophageal fistula is an abnormal connection in one or more places between the esophagus (the tube that leads from the throat to the stomach) and the trachea (the tube that leads from the throat to the windpipe and lungs). Normally, the esophagus and the trachea are two separate tubes that are not connected.
Tracheoesophageal fistula is also known as TE fistula or simply TEF.
TE fistula is a birth defect, which is an abnormality that occurs as a fetus is forming in the mother’s uterus.
When a baby with a TE fistula swallows, the liquid can pass through the abnormal connection between the esophagus and the trachea. When this happens, liquid gets into the baby’s lungs. This can cause pneumonia and other problems.
What is esophageal atresia?
TE fistula often occurs with another birth defect known as esophageal atresia. The esophagus is a tube that leads from the throat to the stomach. With esophageal atresia, the esophagus does not form properly while the fetus is developing before birth, resulting in two segments; one part that connects to the throat, and the other part that connects to the stomach. However, the two segments do not connect to each other.
Since the esophagus is in two segments, liquid that a baby swallows cannot pass normally through the esophagus and reach the stomach. Milk and other fluids cannot be digested if the esophagus does not connect to the stomach.
If a TE fistula is also present, liquid that a baby swallows can pass through the connection between the esophagus and the trachea and go into the lungs. This can cause pneumonia and other problems.
What causes tracheoesophageal fistula and esophageal atresia?
As a fetus is growing and developing in its mother’s uterus before birth, different organ systems are developing and maturing. The trachea and the esophagus begin developing as one single tube. At about four to eight weeks after conception, a wall forms between the fetus’ esophagus and trachea to separate them into two distinct tubes. If this wall does not form properly, TE fistula and/or esophageal atresia can occur.
How often do these problems occur?
About one in 4,000 to 5,000 babies in the United States is born with one or both of these problems. Actually I did the math and it is 6 babies a day in north America and 27 a day all over the world.
