From Vogt to Haight and Holt to now: the history of esophageal atresia over the last century.

Esophageal atresia was first classified by the Boston Children's Hospital radiologist Edward Vogt in 1929 and has been a major challenge in its characterization and management ever since. It defied all attempts at repair until University of Michigan thoracic surgeon Cameron Haight's first successful fistula ligation and primary esophageal anastomosis in 1941. Haight worked with the pediatric radiologist John Holt. This historical review describes advances in pre- and postnatal diagnosis.