title: Esophageal Atresia: Future Directions for Research on the Digestive Tract.
abstract: Esophageal atresia (EA) is a congenital malformation defined by the discontinuity of the esophagus occurring in 2.4 in 10,000 births. As survival rates are high, the significant medical morbidity became more relevant. Short-term and long-term morbidities involve the respiratory and gastrointestinal system in the majority of the patients. The impact of this morbidity seems large enough to inspire researchers to develop experimental animal models that may help understanding the pathogenesis and pathophysiology. These models can also be used to explore potential surgical therapies. We reviewed the clinical and experimental literature focusing on esophageal morbidity in EA. Although the consequences of esophageal motility disorders are very relevant in the clinical setting, research remains largely underexplored. Consequently, we suggest integrating motility function assessment in the existing research models.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Maissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rayyan
authors.affiliation: ExpORL, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.|Disorders of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Department of Gastroenterology, Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rommel
authors.affiliation: Disorders of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Department of Gastroenterology, Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.|Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tack
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium.|Department of Development and Regeneration, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deprest
authors.affiliation: Department of Development and Regeneration, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.|Intensive Care and Department of Pediatric Surgery, Erasmus Medical Center-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Allegaert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004933:Esophageal Atresia / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015154:Esophageal Motility Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D004944:Esophagoplasty / Q000379:methods; D004947:Esophagus / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical