Esophageal atresia is a congenital condition in which the esophagus ends in a blind pouch and does not connect to the stomach. On prenatal ultrasound, this condition may be suspected when the fetal stomach cannot be visualized or appears persistently small, because the fetus cannot swallow amniotic fluid into the stomach. Polyhydramnios, an excess of amniotic fluid, is also commonly present because the fetus cannot swallow and absorb the fluid. However, the diagnosis is difficult to make with ultrasound alone because the most common type of esophageal atresia includes a tracheoesophageal fistula that allows some fluid to reach the stomach. Prenatal detection allows for delivery planning at a center with neonatal surgical expertise.
Sonography Term