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Atresia

Radswiki et al.

An atresia in general refers to a situation where there is underdevelopment of a structure with very rudimentary remnant tissues. This contrasts with an agenesis meaning there is no development of the structure as all. The term atresia is often used with hollow structures such as a bronchus or intestine.

For example

respiratory tract
alimentary tract
bile ducts
- biliary atresia
genito-urinary tract
- vaginal atresia
  - lower vaginal atresia
- urethral atresia

Some authors occassionally overlap the two terms (i.e atresia and agenesis).

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