VACTERL
Background
-
Acronym stands for:
-
V: vertebral defects (e.g. hemivertebrae, fused or butterfly vertebrae, or extra vertebrae)
-
A: anal or other intestinal atresia
-
C: cardiac defects (VSD & tetralogy of Fallot are the most common)
-
TE: tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF)
-
R: renal malformations (e.g. horsheshoe kidney, renal agenesis, vesicoureteral reflux, hypospadias, dysplastic kidney, & cryptorchidism
-
L: limb defects
-
-
Not all features are always present, but TEF is accepted as essential for the diagnosis, along with at least one other major defect in one of the five other categories
-
Most patients are developmentally normal
Considerations
-
Pediatric patient considerations
-
Risk of regurgitation & considerations of TEF
-
Risk of cardiac malformations, especially VSD & TOF
-
Renal & limb defects