Congenital absence of the superior mesenteric artery.

Atresias of the intestinal tract are one of the causes of congenital intestinal obstruction. The superior mesenteric artery supplies the midgut from the fourth portion of the duodenum to the midportion of the transverse colon. Absence of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) with subsequent absence of jejunum, ileum, appendix, and right colon is a previously unreported condition. A fetal vascular accident might result in this intestinal catastrophe.

Operative gastric perforation: a rare complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

Complications of ventriculoperitoneal shunts are reported in 24-47 % of cases. These include mechanical malfunction and infection, cerebrospinal fluid collection, shunt migration, and visceral perforation. Intestinal perforation, most commonly colonic, may be associated with meningitis or cerebral abscess. Gastric migration has been previously described as a late complication related to the use of stiff Raimondi coil-spring peritoneal catheters in children with malnutrition and abdominal adhesions. We report a case of operative gastric perforation, a rare complication which was detected prior to development of symptoms.