Prenatal diagnosis of gastrointestinal obstruction: A correlation between prenatal ultrasonic findings and postnatal operative findings

Abstract

The impact of prenatal sonographic diagnosis of oesophageal and gastrointestinal obstructions has been analysed over a 10-year period. Three groups of patients were evaluated. The first group consisted of 46 newborns with abnormal prenatal sonograms, 41 of which were confirmed to have intestinal obstruction postnatally. The second group consisted of 17 neonates with normal prenatal sonograms who had intestinal obstruction postnatally. The third group included 56 newborns who did not undergo a prenatal sonogram but who had intestinal obstruction confirmed at surgery. Polyhydramnios without the appearance of a stomach on ultrasound was diagnostic of pure oesophageal atresia. Polyhydramnios with intestinal dilation was diagnostic of intestinal obstruction. Although surgery was performed earlier in the infants diagnosed prenatally with ultrasound, mortality was no less than in the group that did not undergo a prenatal sonogram, probably because of the high incidence of associated anomalies.

Isolated or non‐isolated duodenal obstruction: perinatal outcome following prenatal or postnatal diagnosis

“…In two other studies, in cases diagnosed prenatally the ages of the newborns at postnatal confirmation of diagnosis and at surgery were significantly younger, resulting in fewer metabolic complications 10 and a significantly earlier start of intestinal feeding 11 . However, there have been other studies in which no difference in overall outcome was demonstrated, and this was mainly attributed to the high incidence of associated major anomalies 4,12 . In these and in other studies 13 -15 , the outcome for fetuses and infants with or without associated anomalies was not assessed separately.…”

Solution Structure of Quinoline‐ and Pyridine‐Derived Oligoamide Foldamers

“…In two other studies, in cases diagnosed prenatally the ages of the newborns at postnatal confirmation of diagnosis and at surgery were significantly younger, resulting in fewer metabolic complications10 and a significantly earlier start of intestinal feeding11. However, there have been other studies in which no difference in overall outcome was demonstrated, and this was mainly attributed to the high incidence of associated major anomalies4, 12. In these and in other studies13–15, the outcome for fetuses and infants with or without associated anomalies was not assessed separately.…”

Early Sonographic Detection of Fetal Intestinal Obstruction and Possible Diagnostic Pitfalls

“…The prenatal sonographic diagnosis of lower intestinal obstruction has been established (Dell'Agnola et al, 1993;Hertzberg, 1994). However, most cases were diagnosed in the second half of pregnancy, mainly in the third trimester.…”