Short-Term Complications and Management After TREAT

Complications after thoracoscopic repair of esophageal atresia are expected due to the technicalities of the procedure and complex anatomy. The short-term complications after TREAT are many and should be managed diligently to give good outcomes with minimum morbidity. In the early postoperative period, expectant complications are anastomotic leaks and air leaks in early post-op <14 days of surgery. After the first 2 weeks of surgery, other complications like recurrent fistula and anastomotic stricture can happen. This chapter describes these early complications occurring within 3 months of surgery. Management options for leak, stricture, recurrent TEF, etc. are described with an algorithm for the management of leak after thoracoscopic repair of esophageal atresia. The descriptions are supported with ample intraoperative illustration and video supplementary material showing thoracoscopic management of recurrent TEF and Thoracoscopic resection of esophageal stricture after primary EA-TEF repair.