The influence of congenital heart disease on survival of infants with oesophageal atresia

Objective-To examine the prevalence of congenital heart disease in babies w ith oesophageal atresia and its influence on outcome. Design-Retrospective analysis. Setting-The resident population of one health region. Results-A total of 153 babies with oesophageal atresia were identified from 509 975 live births (0.30 per 1000); 26 (17%) had cardiac defects. Surviva l of babies with normal hearts was 97%, 97%, and 95% at one week, one month , and one year. Survival of babies with congenital heart disease was 85%, 8 5%, and 67% at one week, one month, and one year, but only one of ten death s was the result of the congenital heart disease. The remaining deaths were due to other congenital malformations, respiratory disease, or chromosome abnormalities. Conclusions-There is a high prevalence of congenital heart disease in babie s with oesophageal atresia. Congenital heart disease is associated with a h igher mortality in oesophageal atresia but it is not the cause of it.