Evaluation of aortopexy in the management of severe tracheomalacia after esophageal atresia repair.

Severe tracheomalacia (TM) is a difficult problem in esophageal atresia (EA) patients. We reviewed our experience with aortopexy and other interventions for severe TM in this population. With review ethics board approval, a retrospective review of TM in postoperative EA patients was conducted (1989-2010). Demographics, perinatal, and surgical information regarding EA repair was collected. TM infants were analyzed for symptomatology, clinical severity, investigations, interventions, and outcomes. Data are presented as proportions or median(range). One hundred and thirty-two EA patients were reviewed. Most had type C atresia (87.3%), and 18 patients (13.6%) died. Twenty-five patients (18.9%) had TM of whom five (20%) died. Median symptom onset was 18 days (0-729) after EA repair, with stridor (64%) or retractions/distress (44%) being most frequent. Four and two patients had airway obstruction or cardiorespiratory arrest, respectively. Median time from symptom onset to investigations was 11 days; these were most commonly rigid bronchoscopy (56%) and fluoroscopy (36%). Ten patients (40%) had severe TM on bronchoscopy. Six underwent aortopexy, one fundoplication, and three were treated medically. Length of hospital stay (LOS) post-aortopexy was 13 days (5-60), and ventilation time was 2 days (0-9). LOS was 60.5 (1-69) days postdiagnosis in non-aortopexy patients. Readmission rates for respiratory issues were significantly less in the aortopexy (median 0 vs. 5; P = 0.048) group over 2-year follow up after discharge. Complications of aortopexy included transfusion (1) and temporary diaphragmatic paresis (1), and one mortality secondary to severe congenital cardiac anomalies. Our experience suggests that aortopexy is safe and effective for the treatment of severe TM. It is associated with reduced LOS compared with other treatment strategies and few complications or long-term sequelae.