CASE HISTORY

Born of a healthy primiparious mother aged 27 years. Easy low forceps delivery. Well-developed full term infant weighing 7 lbs 13oz. There was much mucus in the air passed, but when this cleared breathing wassoon established. On the second day of life baby began to have recurrent attacks of cyanosis which seemed to be induced by saline feeds. Baby had to have continued aspirations through pharynx andoxygen intranasally. On the third day baby became feverish and dehydrated. An oesophageal obstruction was suspected and an elastic catheter could not be passed down the oesophagus at about the level of thesupra-sternal notch. The stomach became dilated withgas. The condition was diagnosed as congenital stenosis of the oesophagus and deemed inoperable. Death 14.5.38, presumably from bronchopneumonia.

PATHOLOGY

The oesophagus was closed at the junction of its middle and upper thirds. The upper part formed a blind sac while the lower portion opened by a fistulous communication into the posterior aspect of the trachea just above the bifurcation.