Intestinal Congenital Malformations

Abstract

General considerations ■ Atresias can occur at any level of the gastrointestinal tract ■ Atresias result most likely after mesenteric vascular accidents caused by intrauterine intussusception, volvulus or internal hernia ■ No extraintestinal-associated anomalies are consistently present ■ Jejunoileal atresia is the most common cause of congenital intestinal obstruction in newborns (incidence 1:1000 live births) ■ About 35% of jejunoileal atresia patients are significantly premature ■ Differential diagnosis of jejunoileal atresia includes: meconium disease, meconium plug syndrome, malrotation, Hirschsprung’s disease, and intussusception ■ Colonic atresia is a rare congenital disorder (comprises 5%–10% of all intestinal atresias) ■ Differential diagnosis of colonic atresia includes: malrotation with volvulus, meconium disease, Hirschsprung’s disease, and megacystis hypoperistalsis syndrome