Embryology Flashcards
What is the most common subtype of tracheoesophageal fistula?
Esophageal atresia (a blind-pouch upper esophagus with the lower esophagus connected to the trachea)
What are some symptoms seen with the most common subtype of tracheoesophageal fistula?
Cyanosis, choking, and vomiting with feeding, air bubble on x-ray of the chest (or polyhydramnios, if still in utero)
A patient’s CXR shows an airway stricture. He is drooling excessively. How do you confirm your suspected diagnosis?
Attempt to pass a nasogastric tube (in a tracheoesophageal fistula, the tube will not reach the stomach)
A newborn chokes and vomits with the first feeding, and she reportedly had polyhydramnios in utero. Why might this baby become cyanotic?
The newborn may develop cyanosis from laryngospasm (to avoid reflux-related aspiration) (this is a tracheoesophageal fistula)
In a patient with congenital pyloric stenosis, hypertrophy of the pylorus leads to what problem?
Gastric outlet obstruction
An infant with projectile vomiting is found to have a palpable, epigastric, olive-sized mass is found on physical exam. Name this condition.
Congenital pyloric stenosis
In a baby with suspected congenital pyloric stenosis, what type of vomit would rule out the disorder?
Bilious (bilious vomit originates distal to the pyloric sphincter)
The mother of a newborn says her previous child had developed projectile vomiting. When would this most likely occur in this newborn?
2 weeks of age
A 3-week-old baby has projectile nonbilious vomiting and a normal physical exam. What treatment will likely be indicated?
Surgical pyloromyotomy (with pyloric stenosis, the classic “olive mass” is often not palpable)
Is the pancreas derived from the foregut, the midgut, or the hindgut?
The foregut
A patient is diagnosed with pancreas divisum, and she asks how this developed. What do you tell her?
Failure of the ventral and dorsal pancreatic buds to fuse during embryologic development
The spleen receives blood from the ____ (foregut/midgut/hindgut) vasculature.
Foregut (specifically, the celiac artery) even though the spleen has a mesodermal origin
A patient has a malformed accessory pancreatic duct. What pancreatic bud did not form correctly?
Dorsal pancreatic bud
Ventral pancreatic buds contribute to the formation of these three pancreatic structures.
Pancreatic head, main pancreatic duct, and uncinate process
A child has malformed mesentery of the stomach. What mesodermal organ that is supplied by the celiac artery are you concerned about?
Spleen
