[Duodenal obstruction in the newborn infant].

The autors present their experience with nine cases of duodenal obstruction in newborns, admitted to this hospital between Janurary, 1972 and January, 1977. Six babies had duodenal atresia and three had stenosis. Two groups were formed based on the patient's weight: Group one (good prognosis) patients with weight above 2.500 g. Group two (poor prognosis) patient's weight under 2.500 g. All the patients of the first group survived and all the patients of the second died. The overall mortality was 4/9. All the patients from the second group (poor prognosis) also showed associated congenital malformations (esophageal atresia, multiple atresias, urological and cardiac disease). Even if the number of cases is not statistically significant, it seems that the weight of the baby and the associated malformations bear on the final outcome of these patients.