Congenital tracheoesophageal fistula: preventing recurrence.

Recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula is a major complication of surgical therapy among children with congenital esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula. In a consecutive series of 153 patients operated on during a 20-year period in the same institution, only one patient had this complication. The authors believe that adherence to sound surgical principles can lower the risk of fistula recurrence considerably.