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Esophageal Atresia and Tracheoesophageal Fistula Repair Discharge Instructions


About this topic


Esophageal atresia or EA is a problem where your babys food pipe, also called the esophagus, is not connected to the stomach. Most of the time, a baby with EA also has a tracheoesophageal fistula or TEF. A TEF is when there is a connection between the windpipe, also called the trachea, and the food pipe. ‚  
Your baby may have had one or both of these problems. The surgery connected the food pipe to the stomach. The windpipe is connected to the lungs and there are not any extra connections between them. ‚  

What care is needed at home?


  • Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you understand everything the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do to care for your child.
  • Lift your baby by supporting the bottom and head. Do not carry your baby with one arm on your side. This can put pressure on the wound and may cause pain.
  • Talk to your doctor about how to care for your childs cut site. Ask your doctor about:
    • When you should change your child's bandages
    • When your child may take a bath or shower
    • When your child may go back to normal activities like daycare or school
  • Be sure to wash your hands before touching and after touching your child's wound or dressing.
  • Talk to your doctor about how to care for your child's G-tube if your child has one.

What follow-up care is needed?


  • Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your child 's progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
  • If your child has stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.

What drugs may be needed?


The doctor may order drugs to: ‚  
  • Prevent infection
  • Help with pain
  • Prevent reflux
  • Speed up digestion

Will physical activity be limited?


  • You may have to limit your child 's activity for a short time. Talk to the doctor about the right amount of activity for your child.
  • Ask your doctor when it is safe for your child to go to daycare.

What changes to diet are needed?


Talk to your doctor about the right amount and kind of food for your baby. ‚  

What problems could happen?


  • Infection
  • Bleeding
  • Food pipe narrows
  • Windpipe narrows
  • Air on the outside of the lung
  • Food leaks out of the food pipe
  • Fistula happens again

When do I need to call the doctor?


  • Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher; change in the sound of your babys cry; crying too much; muscles become stiff; bulging or fullness of the soft spot on your baby's head; you feel your child is lethargic, irritable, or confused; or decreased amount of urine.
  • Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
  • There is food or fluid leaking around your baby 's feeding tube
  • Breathing problems like coughing or choking while eating
  • Not able to keep food down or your baby is spitting up too much

Teach Back: Helping You Understand


The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you about your child. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚  
  • I can tell you about my child 's procedure.
  • I can tell you how to manage my child 's cut site.
  • I can tell you what I will do if my child has a fever or swelling, redness, or drainage from the wound.

Where can I learn more?


Genetics Home Reference ‚  
http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/esophageal-atresia-tracheoesophageal-fistula ‚  
NHS Choices ‚  
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/oesophageal-atresia/Pages/Introduction.aspx ‚  

Last Reviewed Date


2015-05-28 ‚  

List_set bdysylist


  • Gastrointestinal
  • Neonatal
  • Pediatric

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care provider 's advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

Copyright


Copyright ‚ © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved. ‚  
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