Thoracoscopic Versus Open Repair of Esophageal Atresia: A Systematic Review of Surgical Outcomes.

Introduction: Esophageal atresia (EA) is a rare defect in the continuity of the esophagus, with the absent portion forming an upper and lower segment. Despite both thoracoscopic and conventional open repair (OR) techniques being well established worldwide, the literature remains unclear as to the comparison of surgical outcomes and efficacy of each procedure. Aim: To conduct a systematic review to determine which technique for EA repair, thoracoscopic or open, has the better outcome. Methods: A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) compliant literature search returned 14 full text articles for analysis of demographic information and surgical outcomes. Results: Major comorbidities were more likely in the OR group (P < .05) with all other surgical outcomes comparable between the two groups. Conclusion: Overall, this systematic review highlights that the surgical outcomes of patients undergoing thoracoscopic repair for EA are comparable with those of the conventional OR.