Apple peel jejunal atresia.

Apple peel deformity of the small bowel is a variant of jejunal atresia with a high mortality. Forty five percent of these patients can be expected to die, most from anastomotic leaks with sepsis, or anastomotic failure with prolonged ileus and malnutrition. This report documents survival of three consecutive patients treated by an adaptation of the Santulli "chimney" anastomosis. This method accomplishes the goals of relief of intestinal obstruction, minimal resection, and preservation of tenuous intestinal blood vessels. All three patients had a benign postoperative course and made an uneventful recovery. Intestinal function is normal in each patient at 1 1/2 years. Based on this experience, it appears that a Santulli jejunojejunostomy combined with total parenteral nutrition offers the most promising operative strategy in the treatment of patients with apple peel bowel.