Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Coping
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Prenatal (Before Birth) Symptoms
Duodenal atresia often results in polyhydramnios, an abnormal accumulation ofamniotic fluid(the fluid that surrounds the fetus during pregnancy). Under normal circumstances, the fetus swallows amniotic fluid, but when duodenal atresia is present, swallowing is difficult for the fetus, resulting in a buildup of extra amniotic fluid.
Polyhydramnios presents a higher risk of complications during pregnancy, such as premature delivery.
Prenatal symptoms of duodenal atresia include:
Symptoms After Birth
After birth, infants may exhibit other symptoms of duodenal atresia, such as:
Normally, the lumen (opening) of the duodenum leads to the rest of the digestive tract. It should be open during fetal development to allow food and fluids to flow freely through the digestive tract while the fetus is developing. Duodenal atresia is an obstruction (blockage) of the duodenum due to a developmental malformation. It involves either an absence of or complete closure of the duodenal lumen.
Duodenal atresia is a congenital condition that develops before birth. The cause is unknown, and genetics may play a role. Duodenal atresia can be an isolated condition, or it may occur along with other congenital birth defects.
The rate of occurrence of duodenal atresia is approximately one in every 5,000 to 10,000 live births; the condition affects boys more commonly than girls. Over half of all infants born with duodenal atresia have an associated congenital defect, with nearly 30% of instances of duodenal atresia involvingDown syndrome.
Other associated congenital abnormalities include esophageal atresia (an abnormality of the esophagus that impacts its motility), renal problems, defects of the limbs, cardiac (heart) defects, premature birth, and other intestinal abnormalities.
Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21)
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs when a child has three, instead of two, copies of chromosome 21. Down’s syndrome is referred to as “trisomy 21.” The extra chromosome results in physical and intellectual disabilities. Various other abnormalities, such as duodenal atresia, can be present, as well as heart problems, vision problems, and hearing problems.
Down Syndrome
A 20-week prenatal ultrasound checkup is often recommended during pregnancy. Duodenal atresia may not be visible on ultrasound until the last trimester of the pregnancy.
An additional ultrasound may be performed after the 20-week prenatal check-up—during the third trimester of pregnancy—for several reasons, including:
If duodenal atresia is suspected, further diagnostic tests may be conducted, including:
Duodenal Atresia Treatment Before Birth
Duodenal atresia can only be treated after an infant is born, but there are some prenatal interventions that can reduce the risk of complications at birth.
Close observation is needed so the fetus and mother can be monitored for urgent problems. This includes sequential measurements of the uterus and evaluation of internal uterine pressure. Sometimes an amnioreduction procedure is done to remove some of the amniotic fluid during pregnancy.
Duodenal Atresia Treatment After Birth
An infant with duodenal atresia has to be fed with intravenous nutrients and fluids. In addition, a very thin flexible tube called a nasogastric (NG) tube will be inserted into the infant’s stomach via the nose or mouth. This will remove air since trapped air and gases will not be able to move through the digestive tract normally. The tube will also allow the delivery of fluids to help prevent dehydration as well as provide nutrition.
An infant diagnosed with duodenal atresia will not be able to take milk from a bottle or breastfeed until surgery is done to correct the obstruction.
Surgical Treatment
Under most circumstances, the surgical procedure is done around day two or three after birth. Although there are several different types of malformations of the duodenum that are considered subtypes of duodenal atresia, the procedure is similar for each subtype. The steps in the procedure include:
After Surgery
When duodenal atresia is promptly diagnosed and treated, the prognosis is excellent, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Post-operative complications are rare and can include dehydration, swelling of the small bowel, intestinal motility problems, or gastroesophageal reflux.
Study of Minimally-Invasive Surgery vs. Conventional Surgery
A 2017 study examined the outcome of infants with duodenal atresia who were treated between 2004 and 2016 with minimally invasive surgery (MIS) or traditional open surgery.
The results of the study were measured to evaluate the overall healing time of the infants:
Keep in mind that in the modern world, children born with Down syndrome often grow up to live long, happy, healthy, and productive lives. What may initially seem overwhelming often turns out to be one of the biggest blessings in life, according to many parents of children born with Down’s syndrome.
The first step is to reach out and explore the plethora of resources available for parents, such as theNational Down Syndrome Congress,which offers a wealth of resources. They offer advice for new and expectant parents, adult siblings, education, speech and language tools, health and medical information, and research opportunities. They also have a quick directory of local and national support networks.
A Word From Verywell
Most babies who have surgery for duodenal atresia will not need any type of long-term treatment or ongoing follow-up care for the condition once they are discharged from the hospital.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institutes of Health.Duodenal atresia.MedlinePlus.Duodenal atresia.Chiarenza SF, Bucci V, Conighi ML, et al.Duodenal atresia: Open versus MIS repair-analysis of our experience over the last 12 years.Biomed Res Int.2017;2017:4585360. doi:10.1155/2017/4585360Children’s Minnesota.What is duodenal atresia?.Additional ReadingNational Down Syndrome Congress.Local and national support networks.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institutes of Health.Duodenal atresia.MedlinePlus.Duodenal atresia.Chiarenza SF, Bucci V, Conighi ML, et al.Duodenal atresia: Open versus MIS repair-analysis of our experience over the last 12 years.Biomed Res Int.2017;2017:4585360. doi:10.1155/2017/4585360Children’s Minnesota.What is duodenal atresia?.Additional ReadingNational Down Syndrome Congress.Local and national support networks.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institutes of Health.Duodenal atresia.MedlinePlus.Duodenal atresia.Chiarenza SF, Bucci V, Conighi ML, et al.Duodenal atresia: Open versus MIS repair-analysis of our experience over the last 12 years.Biomed Res Int.2017;2017:4585360. doi:10.1155/2017/4585360Children’s Minnesota.What is duodenal atresia?.
National Institutes of Health.Duodenal atresia.
MedlinePlus.Duodenal atresia.
Chiarenza SF, Bucci V, Conighi ML, et al.Duodenal atresia: Open versus MIS repair-analysis of our experience over the last 12 years.Biomed Res Int.2017;2017:4585360. doi:10.1155/2017/4585360
Children’s Minnesota.What is duodenal atresia?.
National Down Syndrome Congress.Local and national support networks.
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