atresia

American  

[uh-tree-zhuh, -zhee-uh] / əˈtri ʒə, -ʒi ə /

noun

Medicine/Medical.

1. the congenital absence, or the pathological closure, of an opening, passage, or cavity.

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atresia British  

/ -ʒə, əˈtriːʒɪə /

noun

1. absence of or unnatural narrowing of a body channel

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Other Word Forms

• atresic adjective
• atretic adjective

Etymology

Origin of atresia

1800–10; < New Latin < Greek a- a- ⁶ + três ( is ) perforation + -ia -ia

Example Sentences

She said Reggie was born with a number of health complications, including oesophageal atresia and skeletal dysplasia, meaning he will have to have both legs amputated.

From BBC • Sep. 27, 2025

Within weeks he was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a blockage in the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder, a rare form of liver disease only seen in infants.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2022

Cecilia had been suffering since birth with biliary atresia.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 18, 2021

Perhaps his most famous transplant patient was 11-month-old Jamie Fiske, who was born with biliary atresia, a rare condition of the liver and bile ducts.

From Washington Post • Sep. 4, 2020

Lange says that an infant was brought to Karg for relief of anal atresia when fourteen days old.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Pyle, Walter L. (Walter Lytle)