Spontaneous Ileal Perforation in Very Low Birth Weight Infant without Evidence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis

ABSTRACT

Ongoing advances in the treatment of very-low-birth-weight infants have confronted us with a growing number of infants susceptible to acquired illnesses of the gastrointestinal tract. Although necrotizing enterocolitis has been regarded as the major cause of gastrointestinal perforation in preterm infants, the incidence of spontaneous perforation occurred in an apparently normal bowel is increasing. The risk factors for spontaneous intestinal perforation include prematurity, twin pregnancies, perinatal asphyxia, prior use of umbilical artery catheter, use of indomethacin and/or steroid, and bacterial or fungal sepsis. We report a case of spontaneous ileal perforation occurred in very low birth weight infant who was successfully treated with emergency operation.