Thoracoscopic Repair of Esophageal Atresia and Tracheoesophageal Fistula (TREAT): A Brief Introduction to the Current State of the Art and Surgical History

There has been exponential development in the science of esophageal atresia management and has reached the highest level of sophistication with thoracoscopy and minimally invasive repair. The surgical history of esophageal atresia is more than 100 years old. In the initial part of these 100 years, there were no survivals. Later as the science evolved, first few surgeons like William Ladd and Cameroon Haight did successful repair of esophageal atresia. This chapter describes the chronology and history in the development of esophageal atresia surgery leading to current practices. The chapter gives a phase-wise description of the history of esophageal atresia and surgical attempts. Esophageal atresia management has come a long way from a uniformly fatal condition to long-term survivors with near normal quality of life. The operative approach has shifted toward minimal invasive approach at tertiary centers. Learning the history helps to generate more interest in the condition and learn the fundamentals.