What is the Difference Between Atresia and Stenosis

The key difference between atresia and stenosis is that atresia is an intestinal condition that causes a complete blockage or obstruction anywhere in the intestine, while stenosis is an intestinal condition that causes narrowing of the opening or lumen of the intestine.

Atresia and stenosis are two different intestinal conditions. Though these conditions can involve any portion of the gastrointestinal tract, they mainly affect the small bowel or small intestine. Children are the most commonly affected population by these two intestinal conditions. Therefore, often they are called congenital malformations. Moreover, both these intestinal conditions can be corrected by surgical procedures.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Atresia
3. What is Stenosis
4. Similarities – Atresia and Stenosis
5. Atresia vs Stenosis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Atresia vs Stenosis

What is Atresia?

Atresia is an intestinal condition that causes complete blockage or obstruction anywhere in the intestine. This intestinal condition is a congenital malformation of the structure of the intestine, which leads to bowel obstruction. This malformation can be narrowing (stenosis), absence, or malrotation of the portion of the intestine. The above defects can mainly occur in the small or large intestine. The signs and symptoms of this condition may include excess amniotic fluid before birth, bilious vomiting, abdominal distension, failure to pass meconium (earlier stool), small mucus-like grey-type stool, and jaundice. Some types of atresia (non-duodenal intestinal atresia) can occur due to a vascular accident in utero, which leads to decreased intestinal perfusion, ischemia of the respective segment of the bowel, and ultimately narrowing of the intestine. An inherited form was also identified (familial multiple intestinal atresias). This condition is due to a mutation in the gene TTC7A on the short arm of chromosome 2 (2p16).

Atresia can be diagnosed through routine physical examination, sonogram, ultrasound study, amniocentesis, and X-ray. Furthermore, treatment options for atresia may include surgical procedures like colostomy and laparotomy, intravenous fluid hydration, and a nasogastric or orogastric tube to aspirate the contents of the stomach and nutritional administration after surgery.

What is Stenosis?

Stenosis is an intestinal condition that causes the narrowing of the opening or the lumen of the intestine. In intestinal stenosis, the intestine is not completely blocked, but the inside space called the lumen has narrowed. This makes it difficult for nutrients to move through. Stenosis is caused by an inadequate supply of blood to the intestine during fetal development, and it also appears to run in families. In some instances, stenosis develops later in life due to injuries and inflammation. The signs and symptoms of stenosis may include the inability to tolerate feedings, vomiting, and a bloated abdomen called a distended abdomen.

Stenosis is diagnosed through physical examination, X-ray, ultrasound, upper gastrointestinal test, and lower gastrointestinal tract test, or barium enema. Furthermore, stenosis can be treated through a surgical procedure called serial transverse enteroplasty procedure (STEP) and advanced intestinal rehabilitation (supportive care for feeding until recovery from the surgery).

What are the Similarities Between Atresia and Stenosis?

Atresia and stenosis are two different intestinal conditions.
Stenosis can ultimately lead to atresia.
Both conditions can cause intestinal obstruction.
They mainly affect the small bowel.
Children predominantly suffer from both conditions (congenital).
Both conditions can be inherited.
They can be diagnosed through X-ray and ultrasound.
They are mainly treated through surgical procedures.

What is the Difference Between Atresia and Stenosis?

Atresia is an intestinal condition that causes complete blockage or obstruction anywhere in the intestine, while stenosis is an intestinal condition that causes narrowing of the opening or lumen of the intestine. Thus, this is the key difference between atresia and stenosis. Furthermore, atresia leads to complete intestinal blockage, while stenosis leads to partial intestinal blockage.

The below infographic presents the differences between atresia and stenosis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Atresia vs Stenosis

Atresia and stenosis are two intestinal conditions that cause intestinal blockage. They mainly affect the small bowel of the gastrointestinal tract. However, atresia causes complete blockage or obstruction anywhere in the intestine. In contrast, stenosis causes the narrowing of the opening or lumen of the intestine. Atresia is more common, unlike stenosis. So, this summarises the difference between atresia and stenosis.