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Long‐term impairment of pulmonary function in trachea‐esophageal fistula (TEF) patients is, at least in part, commonly ascribed to gastro‐esophageal reflux disease (GERD). The objective of this study was to examine the independent effects of the underlying condition and GERD on cardiopulmonary function.

Cardiopulmonary function of TEF patients, who had (severe) GERD (s‐GERD) requiring antireflux surgery (TEF + GERD, n = 11) and TEF patients who did not have s‐GERD (group TEF–GERD, n = 20) were compared with control patients who had isolated s‐GERD requiring antireflux surgery (group GERD, n = 13). All patients performed spirometry, lung volume measurements, measurement of diffusion capacity and maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET).

Mean age of the participants was 13.8 ± 2.7 (group TEF + GERD). 13.2 ± 2.9 (group TEF …