Isolated or non-isolated duodenal obstruction: perinatal outcome following prenatal or postnatal diagnosis.

Objectives: To determine whether the pre- or postnatal diagnosis of either isolated or non-isolated duodenal obstruction (DO) is associated with different outcomes.

Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis was carried out of 91 cases diagnosed with a DO between January 1991 and June 2003. Data on the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of the cases were gathered, and differences between the groups were analyzed.

Results: Twenty-eight cases of DO were diagnosed before and 63 after birth. Of 15 presumed isolated cases in the prenatally diagnosed group, four revealed associated or chromosomal anomalies after birth. The types of obstruction present were significantly different between the prenatally (n = 11) and postnatally (n = 27) detected subsets of isolated DO. The prenatally detected subset displayed a lower median gestational age at delivery, lower median birth weight and a higher prematurity rate (8/11 vs. 8/27). The diagnosis of DO occurred significantly later in the postnatally detected subset than the postnatal confirmation of the diagnosis in the prenatally detected cases. In the non-isolated cases of DO, no difference was found in the type of chromosomal or associated anomaly or the type of obstruction between the prenatally detected (n = 17) and postnatally detected subsets (n = 36). Trisomy 21 was present in 7/17 (41%) vs. 22/36 (61%) cases, respectively. Two terminations and three intrauterine deaths occurred in the prenatal non-isolated subset. The liveborn infants from the prenatally detected non-isolated subset (n = 12) showed a significantly higher prematurity rate (9/12 vs.14/36), lower median birth weight and earlier confirmation of diagnosis after delivery. After surgery, outcome was similar between both subsets of isolated and non-isolated DO. All the infants with an isolated DO survived. Neonatal death occurred in three prenatally and five postnatally diagnosed cases with non-isolated DO.

Conclusions: The outcome of prenatally and postnatally diagnosed DO is not essentially different despite more prematurity and a lower birth weight in the former. Of the prenatally detected cases of DO assumed to be isolated, 25% revealed additional chromosomal or associated anomalies after delivery, which influenced outcome.