Utility of helical CT for diagnosis and operative planning in tracheomalacia after repair of esophageal atresia

We utilized helical computed tomography (CT) in three infants (aged 1 to 5 months) with tracheomalacia after repair of esophageal atresia. Helical CT was used for preoperative diagnosis and operative planning. At the time of aortosternopexy, it is often difficult to determine the direction of suture traction to yield the largest tracheal lumen. The helical CT was useful no t only for diagnosis of tracheomalacia but also for operative planning of a ortosternopexy.