Intestinal atresia and stenosis: a review comparing its morphology.

A review of the literature on intestinal atresia of domestic animal species and humans was done. The 5 types of intestinal occlusions described in human infants are atresia type 1, atresia type 2, atresia type 3, stenosis, and the "apple peel" or "Christmas tree" deformity. The intestinal defects described in domestic animal species such as the bovine, equine and porcine are similar to those of human infants. The "T-formation", an intestinal defect of the bovine resembling atresia type 3, and rectal stricture, an acquired intestinal defect of the porcine resembling stenosis, were described recently. Intestinal atresia is similar in several species and these similarities raise the questions as to whether the pathogenic mechanism and possibly etiologies of intestinal atresia are similar in these species.