ABSTRACT
The causality for intestinal atresia is most often likely due to mechanical accidents, including vascular occlusion. The treatment of migraine headaches during pregnancy with ergotamine tartrate and caffeine has also been implicated in the development of intestinal atresia. Intestinal atresia seems to affect male and female infants equally. Attempting to perform intestinal imbrication–to reduce the luminal diameter and restore function while preserving mucosal surface area–has been fraught with a tendency to breakdown resulting in recurrent dilatation. The genetic contribution to jejunoileal atresia remains unclear. The vast majority of infants with jejunoileal atresia demonstrate a micro-colon, which is directly related to the fact that little meconium has passed the area of obstruction. Approximately one-third of infants with jejunal atresia, one-quarter of infants with ileal atresia and nearly half of all neonates with multiple atresias are born with low birthweight. Although 30% of infants with duodenal atresia or stenosis also have trisomy, it is uncommon in those with jejunoileal atresia.
