Final answer:
Immediate surgery is needed if an infant is found to have a tracheal-esophageal fistula to repair the anomaly and prevent life-threatening complications such as pneumonia. If surgery can't be conducted promptly, gastrostomy tube placement may provide a temporary solution for nutrition.
Step-by-step explanation:
If an infant is found to have a tracheal-esophageal fistula, immediate surgery is typically necessary. A tracheal-esophageal fistula is a serious congenital anomaly that can cause severe complications, including pneumonia and life-threatening issues with breathing and digestion due to the mixing of food and air passageways.
Immediate surgical intervention aims to repair the fistula and separate the esophagus and the trachea properly. This prevents gastric contents from entering the airways, which can lead to pneumonia, and also ensures that the infant can feed safely. In some situations, if immediate surgery is not possible, gastrostomy tube placement might be required to provide nutrition without risking aspiration until surgery can be conducted. It is also essential for the infant to have a secure airway, which might involve endotracheal intubation or tracheostomy to bypass the fistula until repair can be made.