title: Oesophageal atresia: Diagnosis and prognosis in Dakar, Senegal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oesophageal atresia is a neonatal emergency surgery whose prognosis has improved significantly in industrialised countries in recent decades. In sub-Saharan Africa, this malformation is still responsible for a high morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to analyse the diagnostic difficulties and its impact on the prognosis of this malformation in our work environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective study over 4 years on 49 patients diagnosed with esophageal atresia in the 2 Paediatric Surgery Departments in Dakar.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age was 4 days (0-10 days), 50% of them had a severe pneumonopathy. The average time of surgical management was 27 h (6-96 h). In the series, we noted 10 preoperative deaths. The average age at surgery was 5.7 days with a range of 1-18 days. The surgery mortality rate is 28 patients (72%) including 4 late deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The causes of death were mainly sepsis, cardiac decompensation and anastomotic leaks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Albert Royer Children Hospital, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Mbaye
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fall
authors.forename: Papa Alassane
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Mbaye
authors.forename: Haingonirina Joelle
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Horace
authors.forename: Ibrahima Bocar
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Wellé
authors.forename: Faty Balla
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Mamadou Mour
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Traore
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diop
authors.forename: Oumar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ndour
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ngom
mesh_terms: D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000401:mortality*; D004933:Esophageal Atresia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012675:Senegal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends