Perforated Meckel's diverticulum in a very preterm baby revealed at birth

Fetal Pediatr Pathol. 2014 Apr;33(2):119-22. doi: 10.3109/15513815.2013.850133. Epub 2013 Dec 13.

Abstract

Perforated Meckel's diverticulum (MD) in a preterm baby is very rare. We report a case of a very preterm baby, born at 29-week gestation, with a birth weight of 1400 g, admitted in the third hour of life to our intensive care unit (ICU) for respiratory distress syndrome with abdominal distention. An abdominal radiograph showed a pneumoperitoneum. Laparotomy revealed Meckel's perforation. The baby was discharged healthy at the age of 16 days. MD should be kept in mind as one cause of an acute abdomen in preterm neonates mimicking necrotizing enterocolitis. To our knowledge, our patient is the third reported case described in the literature and the first one revealed at birth.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdomen, Acute / etiology
  • Adult
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diseases in Twins
  • Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / diagnosis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Premature
  • Intestinal Perforation / complications
  • Intestinal Perforation / congenital*
  • Intestinal Perforation / diagnosis*
  • Male
  • Meckel Diverticulum / complications
  • Meckel Diverticulum / diagnosis*
  • Meckel Diverticulum / pathology
  • Pneumoperitoneum / congenital
  • Pneumoperitoneum / diagnosis
  • Pneumoperitoneum / etiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / etiology