Objective: Small bowel atresia is a common cause of intestinal obstruction in newborns. In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of localization on treatment, follow-up, mortality and morbidity.

Materials and Methods: 40 patients operated for small bowel atresia between 2011 and 2021 were analyzed. Data on gender, time of diagnosis, birth week, clinical features, accompanying anomalies, operative findings, hospitalization, complications, nutrition and development were compared.

Results: 21 duodenal, 7 proximal-jejunoileal and 12 distal-jejunoileal atresia were found. 28 patients were diagnosed prenatally. Duodenoduodenostomy was performed in 15 duodenal atresia, tapering+duodenoduodenostomy in 3 and duodenojejunostomy in 3 patients. Ostomy was performed in 1 proximal jejunoileal atresia and 6 distal jejunoileal atresia, all others were treated with anastomosis. In all groups, most common cause of mortality was sepsis and most common cause of additional surgery was obstruction. Time to full nutrition was 12(7-27) days in duodenal atresia, 56(10-123) days in proximal jejunoileal atresia and 29.5(9-673) days in distal jejunoileal atresia. The mean follow-up period was 1136.1 days. In the long-term there was developmental delay in jejunoileal atresia.

Conclusion: In proximal small bowel atresia, additional anomalies were more frequent, time to full nutrition and hospitalization was shorter; in distal atresia, time to total nutrition and hospitalization was longer, developmental delays were frequent. This maybe explained by involvement of a longer proximal bowel segment in distal atresia. Ileal atresia should be followed closely and appropriate projections should be made to families for the future according to atresia location.