
Atresia (ah-TREE-zhah) is a condition in which a baby is born with a missing or
closed valve or tube somewhere in his or her body.
Pulmonary atresia is a rare defect in which a baby is born with an abnormally developed
pulmonary heart valve (which
is between two of the heart's chambers) that doesn't open. This prevents blood from
flowing through the heart and into the lungs to receive oxygen. Treatments include
medications and surgery.
More to Know
Air, blood, bodily fluids,
and waste products travel throughout the body in a system of vessels, tubes, and chambers
that are often separated by valves. When a child is born with atresia, it means that
a valve is missing or a tube is closed off. This interrupts the normal flow of blood,
fluid, waste, or air, which can lead to a number of complications.
Most kinds of atresia are serious and can be fatal if they go untreated. Treatment
usually involves surgery while the child is still an infant.
Atresia can affect many body parts, including the nose, ears, organs, digestive
tract, and heart. The types of atresia are named for the body parts they affect:
Keep in Mind
Most kinds of atresia can be treated successfully with surgery; some cases may
require more than one operation.
All A to Z dictionary entries are regularly reviewed by KidsHealth medical
experts.