[Surgery of atresia of the gastrointestinal tract]

The most common sites of atresia in the gastrointestinal tract are the oesophagus, the duodenum and the anorectum. Surgical intervention is always necessary. Because of the rapid progress in surgical techniques and peri- and postoperative intensive care management, lethality has been minimized, even when treating very small premature infants. In the meantime, the surgical intervention itself is no longer the great risk it was; associated congenital malformations such as complex cardial defects are now much greater risks.