The Visionaries, the Virtuosos, and the History of Congenital Esophageal Atresia Surgery

The year 2018 marks the 130th anniversary of the first known surgical attempt at correction of esophageal atresia, performed by Charles Steele. But before the first successful procedure happened, many other surgeons undertook heroic attempts to save newborns and infants with this defect. Two hundred seventy-one years passed from the first description of the defect to the first surgery survivor. This paper presents a fascinating history of these milestones in pediatric surgery and of its pioneers whose creativity, mastery, and fantasy created a basis of congenital esophageal atresia surgery.