[Intraoperative management of esophageal atresia: small steps that cannot be ignored in Madagascar].

The management of esophageal atresia is still limited due to the precariousness of technical equipments in Madagascar. Our case study aims to highlight possible therapeutic options and to describe the progresses to be made so as to optimize treatment of this congenital pathology. We collected the medical records of all patients hospitalized for esophageal atresia in the Department of Surgical Reanimation at the University Hospital-JRA Antananarivo. The first patients admitted who survived for a period of 42 months (between January 2011 and June 2014) were included in the study. Among the 17 patients admitted with esophageal atresia, three full-term newborns with type III esophageal atresia, successively admitted in Surgical Reanimation, were the first patients in Madagascar to survive after surgery. Only one patient had associated malformations. These three babies were extubated early in the operating room; they underwent oxygen therapy until normal spontaneous breathing. New-born babies underwent post-operatory physical therapy allowing to improve their respiratory status. Overall mortality rate from this pathology was 76.5% in 42 months. Despite these initial success, progresses still remain to be done in the treatment of this congenital anomaly, from diagnosis up to postoperative period. The improvement of technical equipments, especially ventilation and nutritional support equipments would allow more meaningful results, like in the countries where progresses has been made in the field of reanimation.