Nutrition in infants with esophagocoloplasty for esophageal atresia and traheoesophageal fistula

The aim of this clinical prospective study was the follow up of a nutritional management protocol for children with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula for whom the esophageal substitution was performed with left vascularized colon. In this study entered infants aged 3 months to 18 months old with a major nutritional deficit, due to respiratory infections complications, parastomal leaks and accelerated gastrointestinal transit. All infants were underweight, with a single exception, who had no preoperative complications. The patient was enterally fed postoperatively, all the other patients receiving combined enteral and parenetral nutrition for 5-6 days. The enteral nutrition was delivered early through a transanastomotic feeding tube. In the 5th -7th day, complete enteral nutrition was obtained. The parenteral nutrition followed our own recipe: a 10% aminoacid mixture, 50% glucose and Ringer plus electrolytes and vitamins. There was a critical transitional stage between the gastric tube feeding and the oral nutrition. These infants have the suction and the deglutition reflexes modified, followed by oral sensory and motor deficits. After the release from the hospital the patients have been surveyed, the oldest reaching now the age of 7. The earlier the reconstruction was performed, the less problems in oral nutrition were encountered.