title: Ultrastructural Changes of the Smooth Muscle in Esophageal Atresia.
abstract: Esophageal atresia (EA) with or without tracheo-esophageal fistula (TEF) is a relatively rare congenital anomaly. Despite the advances in the management techniques and neonatal intensive care, esophageal dysmotility remains a very common problem following EA/TEF repair. Our current study aimed to describe the most significant ultrastructural changes of the smooth muscle cells (SMCs) trying to highlight some of the underlying mechanisms of esophageal dysmotility following EA/TEF repair. Twenty-three biopsies were obtained from the tip of the lower esophageal pouch (LEP) of 23 patients during primary repair of EA/TEF. Light microscopic examination was performed with hematoxylin and eosin (HE), and Van Gieson's stains. Ultrastructural examination was done using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Histopathological examination showed distortion of smooth muscle layer and deposition of an abundant amount of fibrous tissue in-between smooth muscles. Using TEM, SMCs exhibited loss of the cell-to-cell adhesion, mitochondrial vacuolation, formation of myelin figures, and apoptotic fragmentation. There were also plasmalemmal projections and formation of ghost bodies. Interestingly, SMCs were found extending pseudopodia-like projections around adjacent collagen fibers. Engulfed collagen fibers by SMCs underwent degradation within autophagic vacuoles. Degeneration of SMCs and deposition of abundant extracellular collagen fibers are prominent pathological changes in LEP of EA/TEF. These changes might contribute to the pathogenesis of esophageal dysmotility in patients who have survived EA/TEF.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pathology , College of Medicine, King Khalid University , Abha , Saudi Arabia .
authors.forename: Mubarak M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Al-Shraim
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pathology , College of Medicine, King Khalid University , Abha , Saudi Arabia .
authors.forename: Refaat A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Eid
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pathology , College of Medicine, King Khalid University , Abha , Saudi Arabia .
authors.forename: Adel Osman
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Musalam
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pathology , College of Medicine, King Khalid University , Abha , Saudi Arabia .
authors.forename: Khaled
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Radad
authors.affiliation: b Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery , Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region , Khamis Mushait , Saudi Arabia , and.
authors.forename: Ashraf H M
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pediatric Surgery , College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Taif University , Taif , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Talal A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Malki
mesh_terms: D004933:Esophageal Atresia / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014138:Tracheoesophageal Fistula / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Esophagus; atresia; dysmotility; smooth muscle cells; ultrastructure