[Esophageal atresia in newborn infants weighing less than 2,000 grams. Apropos of 37 case reports].

In a consecutive series of 275 infants with esophageal atresia seen at Saint-Vincent-de-Paul's Hospital (Paris) between 1971 to 1987, the authors report the experience with 37 infants weighed under 2,000 g (13.45%). 19 had severe additional malformations (51.35%) and 10 (27%) had a respiratory distress syndrome. As Abrahamson in 1972 (3), Cozzi an Wilkinson in 1975 (4), Rickham in 1981 (5) reported, according to the criteria suggested in 1962 by Waterston (1), survival rate are related to additional congenital anomalies and initial respiratory distress (pulmonary dysmaturity or pneumonia) but seems more related to maturity (small-for-date babies) than to birth weight. The authors recommend to perform a primary division of the tracheo-esophageal fistula and end-to-end esophageal anastomosis whenever possible.