Esophageal AtresiaSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Esophageal Atresia
Esophageal atresia (EA) is a birth defect in which the esophagus does not develop properly. The esophagus is the tube that normally carries food from the mouth to the stomach.
EA is a congenital condition. This means it occurs before birth. There are several types of EA. In most cases, the upper esophagus ends and does not connect with the lower esophagus and stomach.
Most infants with EA have another birth defect called tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF). This is an abnormal connection between the esophagus and the windpipe (trachea).
Often, infants with EA/TEF also have tracheomalacia. When this occurs, the walls of the trachea are weak and floppy, causing high-pitched or noisy breathing.
At least half of babies with EA/TEF have other birth defects as well, most often heart defects.
Symptoms of EA may include:
- Bluish coloration to the skin (cyanosis), often with attempted feeding
- Coughing, gagging, and choking with attempted feeding
- Drooling or vomiting
- Poor feeding
EA is an emergency. Surgery is done as soon as possible after birth.
- First, any connection between the esophagus and the airway must be blocked. This will prevent damage to the lungs.
- The esophagus will be connected to the stomach. This may take time to complete, depending on the gap between the esophagus and the stomach.
Before the surgery, and for some time afterward, your baby is not fed by mouth. Instead, your baby is fed either:
- Through a gastrostomy tube (G-tube) so that your baby can be fed directly into the stomach, or
- Nutrition given through the veins
Care is taken to keep your baby from breathing saliva or other fluids into the lungs.
Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital
Dr. Russell “Rusty” Jennings, a pioneer of pediatric surgical procedures for malformed esophageal and tracheal conditions, is a surgeon in the Esophageal and Airway Treatment (EAT) Program at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, which he joined in 2022. A pediatric surgeon for more than 40 years, Dr. Jennings founded and directed the world’s first Esophageal and Airway Treatment (EAT) Center at Boston Children’s Hospital. There he led a multidisciplinary team that worked on solving unsolved problems, and developed innovative techniques for evaluation, diagnosis and successful treatment of: complex esophageal strictures esophageal atresia “long gap” esophageal atresia esophageal replacement tracheo-esophageal fistulas recurrent tracheo-esophageal fistulas laryngo-tracheo-esophageal clefts tracheomalacia bronchomalacia tracheal reconstruction aberrant subclavian artery vascular compression syndromes vascular rings pectus excavatum chest wall deformities asphyxiating thoracic dystrophies recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring during thoracic surgery Dr. Jennings has many publications on these topics including the largest series of successful treatment of complex recurrent tracheoesophageal fistulas in the literature with excellent outcomes, techniques to grow patients’ tissues to allow repair and connection of the esophagus in cases of esophageal atresia and esophageal injury, esophageal replacement with jejunum, and treatment of tracheomalacia. He has frequently taught and presented on these and numerous other related topics regionally, nationally, and internationally. Dr. Jennings’ prior work includes establishing the first fetal surgery center in New England; Dr. Jennings developed the first successful fetal cardiac surgery program in the world treating HLHS before birth. Dr. Jennings earned his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco. His general surgery residency was done at the University of California, San Francisco. He was a postdoctoral research fellow for three years in the Fetal Treatment Center and Fetal Treatment Laboratory while completing the residency. He completed a pediatric surgery fellowship at Boston Children’s/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Jennings is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Esophageal Atresia. He is also highly rated in 6 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Esophageal Atresia, Tracheoesophageal Fistula, Gastrointestinal Fistula, Double Aortic Arch, and Endoscopy. Dr. Jennings is board certified in American Board Of Surgery.
JHACH Pediatric Surgery
Charles Smithers is a Pediatrics specialist and a Pediatric Surgeon practicing medicine in St Petersburg, Florida. Dr. Smithers is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Esophageal Atresia. He is also highly rated in 9 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Esophageal Atresia, Tracheoesophageal Fistula, Diaphragmatic Hernia, Gastrostomy, and Endoscopy. Dr. Smithers is board certified in General Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, and Surgical Critical Care.
Erasmus MC
Dick Tibboel practices practicing medicine in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Mr. Tibboel is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Esophageal Atresia. He is also highly rated in 23 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, Diaphragmatic Hernia, Esophageal Atresia, Fasciotomy, and Endoscopy.
An early diagnosis gives a better chance of a good outcome.
Your infant may breathe saliva or other fluids into the lungs, causing aspiration pneumonia, choking, and possibly death.
Other complications may include:
- Feeding problems
- The repeated bringing up of food from the stomach (reflux) after surgery
- Narrowing (stricture) of the esophagus due to scarring from surgery
Prematurity may complicate the condition. As noted above, there may also be defects in other areas of the body.
This disorder is usually diagnosed shortly after birth.
Contact your baby's provider right away if your baby vomits repeatedly after feedings, or if your baby develops breathing difficulties.
Summary: Esophageal atresia (EA) is one of the most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies that affects 1 in 2500 to 1 in 4000 live births. It is characterized by abnormal development of the esophagus, which requires surgical intervention to be compatible with life. Surgical repair of EA is associated with risk of developing esophageal strictures or narrowing, which nearly affects 40% of cases. Stric...
Summary: Oesophageal atresia (OAEA), a malformation of the oesophagus present from birth, is characterized by the interruption of the continuity of the oesophagus, which then ends in a cul-de-sac. (Source: Fimatho) An operation is then required to restore continuity to the esophagus. Although this operation enables the vast majority of children to survive the neonatal period, health problems such as gastro...
Published Date: July 01, 2025
Published By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Dingeldein M. Selected gastrointestinal anomalies in the neonate. In: Martin RJ, Fanaroff AA, eds. Fanaroff and Martin's Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 88.
Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al. Congenital anomalies. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 365.
Rothenberg SS. Esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula malformations. In: Holcomb GW, Murphy JP, St. Peter SD, eds. Holcomb and Ashcraft's Pediatric Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 27.
Wolf RB. Fetal abdominal imaging. In: Lockwood CJ, Copel JA, Dugoff L, et al, eds. Creasy and Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 24.