**8. Discussion**

In summary a total of 22 papers reporting on 332 EA-TEF repairs performed via MAS revealed no prospective studies and only four comparative studies with historic and contemporary open repairs as controls.

The focus of this chapter is on the type C, or esophageal atresia with fistula (TEF) as this is the most common form in esophageal atresia. Even with these numbers data are sometimes scarce and difficult to compare.

Allthough it is not the aim of this chapter a special mention has to be made of the role of MAS in correction of type A (long gap) EA. In some of the reviewed papers, these patients have been included because a esophago-esophagostomy was performed 3,5,6. And there are a number of other reports on the role of MAS in esophageal replacement. For example Stanwell 29 describes 7 patients in whom gastric transposition was performed and were laparoscopically assisted. In this study five of these had a long gap EA. Esteves 30 reported on laparoscopically assisted colon interposition in 5 children with long gap EA. Nevertheless because of the small numbers in these studies, the different nature and the conflicting views on the various procedures (primary anastomosis vs replacement by stomach, colon or jejunum), these papers have not been included in this review.
