Emergency operations in the newborn.

With the present-day development and understanding of anesthetic methods, fluid and electrolyte therapy, antibiotic medications and pediatric care, many congenital anomalies once uniformly fatal are now being successfully treated by emergency operations in the neonatal period. The eight most common of these which demand emergency operation in the immediate postnatal period are esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula, diaphragmatic hernia with dislocation of the abdominal viscera into the chest, malrotation of the intestine with obstruction, intestinal atresia, meconium ileus, imperforate anus, omphalocele and myelomeningocele. Although infants born with any of these serious problems often are born prematurely and often have more than one congenital anomaly, survival rates in the surgical treatment of these conditions are steadily improving. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are the most important factors in the continued improvement of these survival rates.