Esophageal obstruction—prenatal detection rate and outcome

Abstract

The clinical signs of polyhydramnios were the most important factors for prenatal detection of esophageal obstruction. Consequently, the time of diagnosis was late and the detection rate was low (44%). An increased awareness of the possibility of esophageal obstruction, leading to targeted examinations whenever the suspicion is raised during pregnancy, might improve the prenatal detection rate and thereby provide a possibility to improve the outcome. Of the cases with isolated esophageal obstruction, 90% survived, irrespective of prenatal diagnosis.