Faugli A, Bjørnland K, Emblem R, Nøvik TS, Diseth TH. Mental health and psychosocial functioning in adolescents with esophageal atresia. J Pediatr Surg. 2009 Apr;44(4):729-37. PubMed PMID: 19361632.

Koivusalo A, Pakarinen MP, Rintala RJ. Anastomotic dilatation after repair of esophageal atresia with distal fistula. Comparison of results after routine versus selective dilatation. Dis Esophagus. 2009;22(2):190-4. Epub 2008 Dec 22.

Rintala RJ, Sistonen S, Pakarinen MP. Outcome of esophageal atresia beyond childhood. Seminars in pediatric surgery 2009 ; 18 : 50-56

Madre C, Serhal L, Michaud L, Bonnevalle M, De Lagausie P, Gottrand F, Bonnard A, Hugo JP. Prolonged Enteral Feeding is often reguired to avoid long-term nutritional and metabolic complications after esophagogastric dissociation. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2009

Assisted reproductive technology and major structural birth defects in the United States. J. Reefhuis, M.A. Honein, L.A. Schieve, A. Correa, C.A. Hobbs, S.A. Rasmussen and the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Hum Reprod. 2009 Feb;24(2):360-6.

BACKGROUND: With >1% of US births occurring following use of assisted reproductive technology (ART), it is critical to examine whether ART is associated with birth defects.

METHODS: We analyzed data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a population-based, multicenter, case–control study of birth defects. We included mothers of fetuses or live-born infants with a major birth defect (case infants) and mothers who had live-born infants who did not have a major birth defect (control infants), delivered during the period October 1997–December 2003. We compared mothers who reported ART use (IVF or ICSI) with those who had unassisted conceptions. Multiple logistic regression was used to adjust for the following confounders: maternal race/ethnicity, maternal age, smoking and parity; we stratified by plurality.

RESULTS: ART was reported by 1.1% of all control mothers, and by 4.5% of control mothers 35 years or older. Among singleton births, ART was associated with septal heart defects (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.1, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.1–4.0), cleft lip with or without cleft palate (aOR = 2.4, 95% CI 1.2–5.1), esophageal atresia (aOR = 4.5, 95% CI 1.9–10.5) and anorectal atresia (aOR = 3.7, 95% CI 1.5–9.1). Among multiple births, ART was not significantly associated with any of the birth defects studied.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that some birth defects occur more often among infants conceived with ART. Although the mechanism is not clear, couples considering ART should be informed of all potential risks and benefits.

Minimally invasive Heller's myotomy in children: safe and effective.Askegard-Giesmann JR, Grams JM, Hanna AM, Iqbal CW, Teh S, Moir CR.J Pediatr Surg. 2009 May;44(5):909-11. Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn 55905, USA.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to review a single institution experience of minimally invasive Heller's myotomy in pediatric patients with achalasia. METHODS: An institutional review board-approved retrospective review from 1999 to 2005 identified patients 18 years old and younger who underwent a minimally invasive Heller's myotomy for achalasia. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were identified with a mean age of 15 (range, 4-18 years). There were 11 female and 15 male patients. There were 3 intraoperative complications (2 esophageal mucosal injuries and 1 aspiration). There was no mortality. All 26 surgeries were completed laparoscopically. Two patients had Dor fundoplication, whereas 23 patients had Toupet fundoplication. Average length of hospital stay was 2.7 days (range, 1-4 days) excluding the 3 patients with intraoperative complications and 3.5 days for all patients (range, 1-17 days). Postoperative follow-up ranged from 0 to 75 months (mean, 20 months). Postoperatively, one patient developed reflux symptoms (incidence 4%). Seven patients (27%) had recurrence of symptoms at a mean of 13 months (range, 1-66 months) after their operation. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic Heller's myotomy with fundoplication is a safe and effective treatment of symptomatic achalasia in the pediatric population. Complications were low in this group of patients and comparable to other published reports in the literature.

Use of transanastomotic feeding tubes during esophageal atresia repair. Alabbad SI, Ryckman J, Puligandla PS, Shaw K, Nguyen LT, Laberge JM.J Pediatr Surg. 2009 May;44(5):902-5. Division of Pediatric Surgery, The Montreal Children's Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada. saleh.al-abbad@mail.mcgill.ca

PURPOSE: Esophageal atresia (EA) with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) type C accounts for 85% of all EA. In our center, patients were previously started on total parenteral nutrition (TPN) postoperatively and oral feedings initiated only after a contrast esophagogram. Our aim is to assess the benefit of intraoperatively placed transanastomotic feeding tubes (TAFTs). METHODS: A 7-year retrospective review analyzed the outcomes of children with EATEF type C as they relate to the use of TAFT. Demographics, associated anomalies, operative findings, complications, duration of TPN, resumption of oral feeding, length of stay, and follow-up were examined. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients had EATEF type C. Eleven (55%) and 9 (45%) patients were identified as nonfeeding tube (NFT) and TAFT groups, respectively. There were no differences in gestational age, birth weight, associated anomalies, and interval to operative intervention or operative time. Excluding one patient with a severe cardiac malformation in the NFT group, there were no significant differences in anastomotic leak (8% vs 22%), stenosis (36% vs 22%), TPN duration (20 days vs 12 days), and cholestasis (36% vs 11%). CONCLUSION: Transanastomotic feeding tube may lead to shorter TPN duration and decreased cholestasis, but a larger prospective study would be required to prove these benefits and ensure that it does not increase anastomotic leaks. This could be done through an expanded Canadian Pediatric Surgery Network study.