How to Pronounce Duodenal Atresia
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Duodenal Atresia Pronunciation
doo-oh-DEE-nal ah-TREE-zhah
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
doo
oh
DEE
stress here
nal ah
TREE
stress here
zhah
6 syllables
What is Duodenal Atresia?
A congenital obstruction of the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine just beyond the stomach) caused by a complete blockage of the intestinal lumen, producing the characteristic "double bubble" sign on X-ray — two air bubbles in the stomach and proximal duodenum with no air beyond. It is associated with Down syndrome (trisomy 21) in approximately 30% of cases and requires surgical repair.
Questions About Duodenal Atresia
How do you pronounce 'duodenal atresia'?
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Say it like this: doo-oh-DEE-nal ah-TREE-zhah. The stress falls on the second syllable of each word — DEE in duodenal and TREE in atresia. If you break it down slowly, it sounds like you're saying "doo" then "oh" then "dee-nal" for the first word, and "ah" then "tree" then "zhuh" for the second.
What is the correct way to break 'duodenal atresia' into syllables?
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Duodenal breaks into four syllables: du-od-e-nal. Atresia breaks into three syllables: a-tre-sia. When you say them together, it's: du-od-E-nal ah-TRE-zhah, with the capital letters showing where the stress hits hardest.
What's a common mispronunciation of this term?
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Many people accidentally stress the first syllable and say DUO-denal instead of duo-DEE-nal. Others may pronounce atresia as ah-TRAY-zee-uh instead of ah-TREE-zhah — remember the 's' makes a 'zh' sound, like in 'measure' or 'vision.'
Where does the word 'duodenal' come from?
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Duodenal comes from the Latin word 'duodenum,' which literally means 'twelve' — because the duodenum is about twelve finger-widths long. The '-al' at the end is a common suffix that means 'relating to,' so duodenal means 'relating to the duodenum.'
What does 'atresia' mean in plain English?
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Atresia comes from Greek and means an abnormal absence or closure of a normal body opening or tube. In medical language, when you add it to an organ name like 'duodenal,' it means that part is blocked or closed off completely.
What does 'duodenal atresia' mean in everyday words?
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Duodenal atresia is a complete blockage in the duodenum, which is the first section of the small intestine right after the stomach. Think of it like a pipe that is completely plugged up and nothing can flow through it.
What are some related medical words that share the word root 'atresia'?
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You might hear terms like biliary atresia (a blockage in the bile ducts), esophageal atresia (a blockage in the food pipe), or tricuspid atresia (a blockage or absence in the heart). All of these use 'atresia' to mean a complete closure or absence of something that should normally be open.
Can you use 'duodenal atresia' in a simple sentence?
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Sure! Here's an example: "The radiologist used the term 'duodenal atresia' to describe the complete blockage she saw in the duodenum on the X-ray images."