Esophageal Atresia - Diagnosis

Diagnosis

This condition is visible, after about 26 weeks, on an ultrasound. On antenatal USG, the finding of an absent or small stomach in the setting of polyhydramnios used to be considered suspicious of esophageal atresia. However, these findings have a low positive predictive value. The upper neck pouch sign is another sign that helps in the antenatal diagnosis of esophageal atresia and it may be detected soon after birth as the affected infant will be unable to swallow its own saliva. Also, the newborn can present with gastric distention, cough, apnea, tachypnea, and cyanosis. In many types of esophageal atresia, a feeding tube will not pass through the esophagus.