Small Intestinal Atresia

If not diagnosed antenally, small intestinal atresia usually presents as bilious vomiting, abdominal distention and failure to pass meconium. Dilated loops of bowel without distal air on abdominal x-ray is highly suggestive of small bowel atresia. These patients are often treated with bowel resection and end-to-end anastomosis. This chapter talks about the presentation of small intestinal atresia, operative approach, and the management of these patients in the perioperative period.