Cardiovascular malformations associated with tracheoesophageal fistula and esophageal atresia.

Cardiovascular malformations were present in 48 of 326 (14.7%) patients with tracheoesophageal fistula. The most common cardiac lesion was ventricular septal defect. When tracheoesophageal fistula or esophageal atresia was associated with other gastrointestinal anomalies, tetralogy of Fallot and atrial septal defect were very frequent; when skeletal anomalies were present, the cardiac malformations were usually complex. The hospital mortality in infants with tracheoesophageal fistula and cardiovascular malformations is 79% in contrast to 23% for infants without cardiac abnormalities.