Groene John,  Ong Seng,  Feinstein Kate,  Slater Bethany,  Zaritzky Mario

Final Pr. ID: Poster #: EDU-017

Purpose:
A new minimally invasive procedure, the use of magnets (Flourish™) for the treatment of esophageal atresia will be described. The invention’s background, patient selection criteria, procedure details and complications are the subject of this exhibit.

Background:
Esophageal atresia is a rare congenital defect where the proximal esophagus does not connect to the distal esophagus. Classically, this defect has been treated by surgery to reconnect the ends and reestablish esophageal continuity, however a small subset may be treated with a magnetic catheter-based system. The primary goal of this procedure is to form an anastomosis while avoiding a major thoracic surgery and its complications.
The Flourish™ device uses bullet-shaped rare earth magnets which are inserted into the upper esophagus and lower esophagus. Included in these magnets is the rare earth element neodymium, which along with iron and boron create an alloy with a strength of up to 1.2 Tesla.
When the magnets are placed in close proximity at the ends of the esophageal pouches, they will attract over several days, eventually connecting the ends of the esophagus and causing an anastomosis via pressure necrosis.

Criteria:
Selection is based on absence of tracheoesophageal fistula, esophageal gap shorter than 4 cm and a mature gastrostomy tract.

Procedure:
Under fluoroscopy, the gastric catheter is advanced superiorly through the gastrostomy to the most superior end of the distal esophageal pouch. The oral catheter is then advanced in order to bring the magnets to closest proximity. Daily radiographs are obtained to evaluate magnet positions.

Complications/outcomes:
Thirteen patients that have undergone placement of the magnetic catheter-based system at six institutions. Twelve patients had an average time to achieve anastomosis of six days and progressed to full oral feeds. The most common complication was magnetic anastomosis stenosis requiring dilatation. Currently, Flourish is approved as a Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE).
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Authors:  Groene John , Ong Seng , Feinstein Kate , Slater Bethany , Zaritzky Mario

Keywords:  Esophageal Atresia, Atresia, Flourish

Loken Delaney,  Goncalves Luis,  Patel Mittun

Final Pr. ID: Poster #: CR-011

Prenatal diagnosis of esophageal atresia (EA) remains challenging, with indirect signs such as polyhydramnios, a small or absent stomach bubble, and a dilated upper esophageal pouch often being nonspecific. Only 10-40% of EA cases are diagnosed prenatally. Fetal MRI can overcome ultrasound limitations; however, constraints like motion can hinder evaluation of the esophagus. One approach to improve image quality is super-resolution imaging with slice-to-volume reconstruction (SVR). This technique enhances diagnostic accuracy by generating high-resolution 3D images from standard fetal MRI slices. We present two instances where super-resolution imaging with SVR was employed to accurately diagnose EA and assess the presence or absence tracheoesophageal fistulas (TEF).

Case 1: A 30 3/7-week gestation male fetus was referred for fetal MRI following ultrasonographic findings of a dilated right atrium, a single umbilical artery, a small fetal stomach, and a urinary tract dilation observed at 27 2/7 weeks. Fetal MRI revealed a dilated upper esophageal pouch with a small amount of fluid in the distal esophagus, and a diminutive stomach. 3D-rendered super-resolution images demonstrated a dilated atretic upper esophageal pouch and a TEF originating from the left mainstem bronchus. The application of super-resolution imaging with SVR was crucial to determine the precise origin of the TEF from the left mainstem bronchus, findings that were later confirmed by bronchoscopy and surgery.

Case 2: A 33 2/7-week gestation male fetus was referred for fetal MRI due to polyhydramnios and inability to visualize the stomach on an ultrasound performed at 31 weeks. Fetal MRI confirmed polyhydramnios with a distended, fluid-filled proximal esophagus, consistent with EA. The stomach was decompressed, and the distal esophagus was not visualized. 3D-rendered super-resolution imaging with SVR confirmed the dilated upper esophagus and revealed that it ended 0.5 cm below the level of the carina. The imaging also demonstrated a gap between the distal end of the esophageal pouch and the gastroesophageal junction at the level of the diaphragm, supporting the absence of the distal esophagus.

The use of super-resolution imaging with SVR provided detailed, pre-surgical 3D anatomical depictions in both cases of EA, with and without TEF. This technique demonstrates significant potential for accurately delineating the relevant surgical anatomy, which can improve surgical planning and outcomes. Read More

Authors:  Loken Delaney , Goncalves Luis , Patel Mittun

Keywords:  3D Imaging, Esophageal Atresia, Tracheoesophageal Fistula

Michishita Yukiko,  Miyazaki Osamu,  Imai Ayako,  Okamato Reiko,  Tsutsumi Yoshiyuki,  Miyasaka Mikiko,  Sago Haruhiko,  Kanamori Yutaka,  Nosaka Shunsuke

Final Pr. ID: Poster #: SCI-004

Esophageal atresia (EA) is a relatively rare congenital anomaly. Esophageal pouch (EP) is the only direct sign of EA on fetal MRI, but is not always seen. Distended hypopharynx (DHP) has been reported as a useful prenatal sign of EA, but as EP and DHP are both subjective assessments, the prenatal diagnosis of EA is challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether quantitative measurement of distended pharynx is useful in the diagnosis of EA. Read More

Authors:  Michishita Yukiko , Miyazaki Osamu , Imai Ayako , Okamato Reiko , Tsutsumi Yoshiyuki , Miyasaka Mikiko , Sago Haruhiko , Kanamori Yutaka , Nosaka Shunsuke

Keywords:  Esophageal Atresia, fetal MRI, Quantitative