HISTOMORPHOLOGICAL FINDINGS AND CLINICO-RADIOLOGICAL CORRELATION OF INTESTINAL ATRESIA AT A TERTIARY CARE CENTRE

Background: An atresia is a congenital defect of a hollow viscus that results in complete obstruction of the lumen. Intestinal atresia is one of the most frequent causes of bowel obstruction in the newborn and can occur at any point in the gastrointestinal tract. This study was undertaken to study the histomorphological findings of intestinal atresia and to correlate it with different subtypes and clinico-radiological feature. Material and methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted in 24 months on the resected gastrointestinal tract of 40 neonatal intestinal obstruction cases admitted in Pediatric surgery ward received in the Department of Pathology, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna. Control Group- A total of 5 cases of vitello-intestinal duct patency were taken as control and compared with the study group. Results: With respect to total 40 cases, there were six, i.e. 15.0% female babies and 34, i.e. 85.0% male babies studied. Out of that, 15 i.e. 37.50% were full term and 25, i.e. 62.5% were premature. Mucosa showed oedema, ulceration and flattening in 9 cases. Apart from flattening and oedema, mucosa was denuded at some places and also showed congestion and extravasated blood in 6 cases each. Abnormal villus configuration, calcium deposition in 4 cases each and hypertrophied mucosa were found in 3 cases. Luminal narrowing, loss of mucosa, duplication of mucosa and gangrenewere found in one case each. Sub mucosal changes showed congestion in 33 cases, oedema in 15, Fibrosis in 4, thickened submucosa in 2 cases and dilated irregular branching blood vessels, extravasted blood, calcification in 1 case each. Muscularispropria having changes i.e. thinning in 16 cases, congestion, hypertrophy in 4 cases each, focal loss in 3 cases, calcification in 2 cases and thinning in 2 cases. Similarly, histopathological changes in serosa shows serositis in 16 cases, congestion in 11 cases and thinning in 3 cases. Oedema and congestion were present in 2 cases, hypertrophy and calcification in 1 case each. Conclusion:In this study spectrum of histomorphological changes in the atretic segment has been described. Histomorphological changes at atretic segment can be valuable to surgeons in deciding the type of surgery and minimizing the postoperative intestinal dysmotility, which remains the most common complication of intestinal atresia.