title: Livaditis myotomy in long-gap esophageal atresia.
abstract: During 1973 to 1983, Livaditis myotomy was performed on 12 esophageal atresia patients in whom anastomosis otherwise would have been impossible. Ten patients had the usual malformation with a distal fistula, while two had an isolated atresia. Four patients belonged to Waterston's risk group A, 4 to group B, and 4 to group C. In 11 cases anastomosis was permitted by myotomy. In one patient anastomosis was impossible even after myotomy. This baby weighed 1,380 g and she also had trisomy 18 with severe cardiac and renal anomalies leading to death. One patient had a refistula and died of pneumonia, she also had a severe congenital cardiac malformation. There were no anastomotic leakages to free pleural cavity nor complications related to the myotomy. The ten survivors were followed up for a mean period of 5.4 years (range 1.6 to 11.3 years). The subjective results at last follow-up according to the criteria of Desjardins were excellent in eight and good in two patients. Esophagograms showed no strictures, but two patients had a myotomy pouch.
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple; D004933:Esophageal Atresia / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007668:Kidney / Q000002:abnormalities; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011859:Radiography; D014138:Tracheoesophageal Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery