Minimally invasive surgical approach in children treated for oesophageal atresia is associated with attention problems at school age: a prospective cohort study.

The long-term neurodevelopment of children born with oesophageal atresia (OA) is unclear. Therefore, we assessed the neurocognitive domains and their predictors. Patients born with OA between February 2006 and December 2014, who were routinely seen at eight years as part of a structured prospective longitudinal follow-up program, were included. Main outcome measures were need for school support, performance in various neurocognitive domains and potential predictors of neurocognitive problems. We analysed data of 65 children with a mean (SD) age of 8.1 (0.2) years, of whom 89% with OA type C. Thirty-five (54%) surgical corrections were minimally invasive; the median (interquartile range) duration of exposure to anaesthetics in the first 24 months was 398 (296 - 710) minutes. Forty-four (68%) attended regular education without extra support and intelligence was within normal range (99-108). More than 50% had z-scores ≤ -2 on one or more neurocognitive domains, of which attention was the most frequently affected domain. The speed on the sustained attention task was significantly below normal (z-score -1.48 (2.12), p < .001), as was fluctuation of sustained attention (z-score -3.19 (3.80), p < .001). The minimally invasive approach and a lower socio-economic status (both p = 0.006) proved significant predictors for sustained attention problems in multivariable analyses.  Conclusion: Children who undergo minimally invasive surgery for OA correction are at risk for sustained attention problems at school age. Future studies unravelling the effects of perioperative events on neurodevelopment should lead to optimal surgical, anaesthesiological, and intensive care management in the neonatal period. What is Known: • School-aged children born with oesophageal atresia have normal intelligence but problems with sustained attention at eight years. What is New: • Oesophageal atresia patients, who undergo minimally invasive surgery or who have a background of lower socioeconomic status are at serious risk for sustained attention problems at school age. • Moreover, those who have been intubated for a longer period are at risk for stronger fluctuations in sustained attention.

The Value of Preoperative Rigid Tracheobronchoscopy for the Diagnosis of Tracheomalacia in Oesophageal Atresia Patients.

BACKGROUND: Oesophageal atresia (OA) is often accompanied by tracheomalacia (TM). The aim of this study was to evaluate its presence in OA patients during routine rigid tracheobronchoscopy (TBS) before primary correction and compare this to postoperative TBS and clinical signs of TM. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients born with OA between June 2013 and December 2022 who had received a TBS before OA correction and had been followed for at least twelve months. Definite TM was postoperatively diagnosed through TBS, and probable TM was defined as having symptoms of TM. RESULTS: We analysed data from 79 patients, of whom 87% with OA type C. Preoperatively, TM was observed in 33 patients (42% of all patients), seven of whom had severe TM. Definite TM was observed in 21 patients (27%), of whom 15 had severe TM. Forty-one patients (52% of all patients) had developed symptoms of TM within twelve months, including harsh barking cough (n = 15), stridor and/or wheezing (n = 20), recurrent respiratory insufficiency (n = 11), or needing airway surgery (n = 7). The sensitivity of preoperative TBS for the presence of postoperative (definite and probable combined) TM is 50.0%, 95% CI [35.2-64.8], and the specificity 67.6%, 95% CI [51.7-81.1]. Clinical characteristics did not differ between the patients with or without postoperative TM. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the studied patients with OA experienced symptoms of TM. While preoperative TBS is routinely performed prior to surgical OA correction, its predictive value for the presence of postoperative TM remains limited. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II. TYPE OF STUDY: Study of Diagnostics Test.