Congenital H-type tracheoesophageal fistula: a national multicenter study.

Background: Congenital H-type tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is very rare and represents <5 % of all congenital tracheoesophageal malformations. This is a national, multicenter review of our experience with isolated H-type TEF outlining clinical presentation, methods of diagnosis, associated anomalies, treatment and outcome

Patients And Methods: The medical records of all patients with the diagnosis of congenital H-type TEF treated at four pediatric surgery units in Saudi Arabia were retrospectively reviewed for: age at diagnosis, sex, presenting symptoms, associated anomalies, method of diagnosis, treatment and outcome.

Results: During the study period (January 1998-December 2013), 435 infants and children with the diagnosis of esophageal atresia with or without TEF were treated.