Esophageal Atresia With Distal Tracheo-Esophageal Fistula

  • Etiology: congenital
  • CXR: distended proximal pouch with coiled nasogastric tube within it and intestinal gas
  • Complications: at risk for having tracheomalacia
  • Clinical: most common (85%) esophageal atresia

Radiology Cases of Esophageal Atresia With Distal Tracheo-Esophageal Fistula

CXR of esophageal atresia with distal fistula
CXR shows a nasogastric tube coiled within a dilated proximal esophagus. There is gas in the stomach.
CXR AP (left) shows a nasogastric tube that cannot be advanced further in the esophagus. Vintage upper GI lateral image (right) shows a dilated proximal esophageal pouch compressing the airway. In current practice, there is no indication for doing an upper GI with positive contrast material.
CXR of esophageal atresia
CXR AP shows a nasogastric tube looped upon itself forming a figure 8 in the proximal esophagus. There is gas present in the stomach and bowel.
CXR of esophageal atresia
Initial CXR AP (left) shows an air-filled dilated proximal esophagus to the left of the endotracheal tube. CXR lateral (right) taken later after nasogastric tube was placed and could not be advanced further shows interval decompression of the proximal esophagus. There is gas present in the stomach and bowel.