Neonatal intestinal obstruction: Type I - Septal atresia of distal small intestine

Abstract

Congenital Intestinal atresia is common cause of neonatal intestinal obstructions. Small intestinal atresia accounts for majority of cases than colonic atresia. In small intestinal atresia Type I is rare form. The plausible etiology is mainly from intra-uterine mesenteric vascular accident and the extent depends on the time and the site of development of obstruction. A 2-day-old baby with history of maternal antenatal scan suspecting of Hirschsprung's disease presented with clinical signs of lower intestinal obstruction. Barium enema showed features of distal small intestine obstruction for which baby underwent surgery with resection of obstructed segment with end to end anatomises was done. Type I small intestinal atresia was confirmed on histological examination. Thus intestinal obstruction is an emergency encountered in newborn infants requiring early accurate diagnosis by radio imaging modalities and histopathological evaluation.