Aim:The aim of the study is to review 7 patients with congenital esophageal stenosis treated in our institution from a diagnostic and therapeutic point of view.Materials and Methods:This is a retrospective cohort study of 7 patients treated in Christian Medical College, Vellore from 2008 to 2014. The data were analyzed with regards to age at onset of symptoms, investigative findings, age at definitive treatment, pathology, modalities of treatment, and outcomes.Results:Symptoms started within the 1st year of life in all children with a median age of 4 months. The time of delay in diagnosis ranged from 8 months to 81 months with a mean period of 37 months. About 6 patients had a lower esophageal stenosis and 1 patient had a mid-esophageal stenosis. About 4 of the 7 children underwent endoscopic balloon dilatation from elsewhere, with 2 of the above 4 undergoing a myotomy for a wrongly diagnosed achalasia. The number of dilatations ranged from 2 to 7 with a mean of 4 dilatations. Resection of the stenotic segment with end to end anastomosis was employed in 6 of the 7 patients, and a transverse colon interpositioning was done in 1 patient. An antireflux procedure was performed in one patient. Histopathological examination of the resected specimen revealed tracheobronchial remnant in 3 patients, fibromuscular thickening in 3 patients, and membranous web in 1 patient. Postoperatively, 2 of the 7 patients had asymptomatic gastroesophageal reflux and 1 patient had postoperative stricture requiring one session of endoscopic balloon dilatation. The mean follow-up period was 42 months (range 18-72 months). At the time of the last follow-up, all 7 patients were able to eat solid food, and none of the children were found to have symptoms suggestive of obstruction or gastroesophageal reflux. There was a statistically significant increase in the weight for age after the operation.Conclusion:Congenital esophageal stenosis is rare and often confused with other causes of esophageal obstruction. Although endoscopic balloon dilatation offers an effective temporary relief, we feel that definitive surgery is curative. Long-term results following definitive surgery have been good, especially with respect to symptoms and weight gain.
A 1-year-old male child presented with progressive jaundice. Investigations were suggestive of an obstructive pathology with a suspected choledochal cyst on imaging. Intraoperative cholangiogram demonstrated runoff of contrast from the cystic duct into the common bile duct with no opacification of the biliary system proximal to this. Intraoperatively, the right hepatic artery was found anteriorly crossing the common hepatic duct (CHD) causing extrinsic compression leading to complete obstruction. Following stricture excision and anastomosis of the dilated bulbous CHD to a Roux-en-Y jejunal loop, the child recovered completely. An anteriorly crossing right hepatic artery causing obstruction to the biliary duct is a rare occurrence, more so in infancy. An excision with a hepaticojejunostomy is straight forward and curative.
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