Dr ARRAVIND KS
Pediatrics
December 2024
Acquired tracheoesophageal fistula (ATEF) is a rare but serious complication of prolonged invasive ventilation and nasogastric feeding, occurring more frequently in younger patients. A fourteen-year-old girl who developed ATEF after a long stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) due to cerebral venous thrombosis and subsequent seizures is successfully managed in this case report. The patient experienced chronic choking, frequent respiratory infections, and trouble eating due to aspiration phobia. The diagnostic tests confirmed the existence of a high-level ATEF. A strong sternocleidomastoid muscle flap was used to correct the defects in the trachea and esophagus, where the esophagus was closed transversely and the trachea closed vertically. In that case, after a straightforward post-operative course, the patient's respiratory disorders improved dramatically, and on the fifth day, he returned to taking oral feeds. At the six-month follow-up visit, the patient had no residual symptoms, and repeat imaging confirmed that the fistula had completely closed. It is only through early diagnosis and the conduct of tailored surgical procedures as well as careful post-operative monitoring that iatrogenic ATEF can be effectively managed in children
350- 363
© Airo Journals 2021
