Abstract
Congenital anomalies of the trachea and esophagus in the pediatric surgical field are classified into 2 groups according to embryological background : 1) anomalies caused by disturbed splitting of the foregut, such as congenital esophageal atresia and stenosis, tracheobronchial stenosis, and tracheal agenesis ; and 2) anomalies caused by abnormal lung bud development, such as BPFM. In esophageal atresia, recent improvement in clinical outcomes has altered the risk assessment, and attention is directed to adult problems after esophageal repair in childhood, including carcinogenesis. New operative techniques such as endoscopic repair of esophageal atresia in neonates and slide tracheoplasty for tracheobronchial stenosis have been proposed and accepted widely. Furthermore, innovative surgical techniques for laryngotracheoesophageal cleft and tracheal agenesis are also reported in the recent literature. Congenital anomalies of the trachea and esophagus have become a major topic in modern pediatric surgery.
