What Is a Tracheoesophageal Fistula?
A tracheoesophageal fistula is a connection between the esophagus and the trachea. These two structures are normally not connected, and the connection represents a very serious medical problem. These fistulas are usually congenital, occurring because of an error which happened during fetal development, but sometimes they can emerge later in life, as for example in the form of a complication of surgery performed in these region. The fistula is repaired in a surgery in which the connection is broken off and the esophagus and trachea are repaired.
