Yudai Tsuruno

I went to Kathmandu in November to participate FAOPS 2025. I gave a presentation entitled "Primary Thoracoscopic Repair in Patients with Esophageal Atresia and Tracheoesophageal fistula: A Multicenter Study in East Asia." In this study, we aimed to review the clinical outcomes of thoracoscopic TEF repair performed at 5 leading East Asian pediatric minimally invasive surgery centers. This is a retrospective review that was conducted of patients with TEF (gross type C) who underwent primary thoracoscopic repair between 2008 and 2024. Patients with gross type A, long-gap TEF requiring staged repair, or trisomy 18 were excluded. Collected data included demographics, operative results, complications, and long-term outcomes. In total, 127 patients underwent thoracoscopic TEF repair during the study period. The mean operative time and intraoperative blood loss were 191 min and 4.3 ml. Nine patients (7.1%) required open conversion. During hospitalization, anastomotic leakage occurred in 8 (6.3%) patients. The long-term mortality rate was 1.6%. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate low rates of open conversion, morbidity, and mortality in patients who were carefully selected and treated at highly skilled institutions. At FAOPS 2025, I learned about the latest perinatal findings in many regions of Asia and Oceania. This was my first visit to South Asia, and it was a great experience for me to encounter their culture. I appreciate the research grant and for the opportunity.