Published online Aug 14, 2019. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i30.4213
Peer-review started: April 8, 2019
First decision: May 30, 2019
Revised: July 4, 2019
Accepted: July 5, 2019
Article in press: July 5, 2019
Published online: August 14, 2019
Processing time: 129 Days and 22.9 Hours
Tracheoesophageal fistula in children is a rare human disease worldwide. To date, there is no ideal surgical strategy for the disease. The main reason is due to the lack of ideal animal models to mimic this disease.
The magnetic compression technique has been used to prepare the animal model of digestive tract anastomosis or vascular anastomosis. Therefore, we tried to use this new technique to establish a novel model mimicking tracheoesophageal fistula in children, hoping to provide a new surgical strategy for this disease.
To establish a canine model of tracheoesophageal fistula using the magnetic compression technique.
Using a magnetic device consisting of daughter and parent Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets, a tracheoesophageal fistula model was established in male beagles through placing the device in the cervical esophagus. After 4~6 days of operation, gastroscopy/bronchoscopy, esophageal angiography, and histological analysis were carried out to identify the model.
After the operation, the esophageal mucosa and pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium were absent at the site of the fistula in the beagle model of tracheoesophageal fistula. Mean operating time was 4.33 ± 1.11 min, and mean time for successful establishment of the tracheoesophageal fistula model was 4.67 ± 0.75 d.
A simple, minimally invasive, and feasible model of tracheoesophageal fistula in canine was first established by using the novel magnetic compression technique.
Although providing a suitable model similar to tracheoesophageal fistula in children, the feasibility, applicability, safety, and efficacy of new surgical treatment for tracheoesophageal fistula using the specific model need to be explored in future studies.