Colonic Atresia: A Series of Four Cases with Two Rare Variants

Objectives: Colonic atresia (CA) is one of the rarest causes of congenital intestinal obstruction. Treatment ranges from diversion to primary anastomosis depending on the type of atresia, the site of atresia, and associated abnormalities. We present the cases operated on by us and highlight various concerns during the course of their management. Material and Methods: This was a retrospective study over a period of 2 years from March 2022 to March 2024. We operated on four cases of CA and collected data for all cases of CA operated by us during the period. Results: We found type IIIa CA in two patients and type I in one patient. In one case, there was both type IIIa and type I atresia. One case was type I atresia in the form of an isolated ileocecal valve atresia. Three cases were managed by colostomy and levelling biopsies, while in one case, web excision sufficed. All the cases survived and have been essentially symptom-free till the recent follow-up. Conclusion: CA is a rare pathology. The treatment should be individualised according to the patient’s condition, level of atresia, and presence of aganglionosis.