Intestinal neuronal dysplasia-like histopathology in infancy.

The present patient was delivered at a gestational age of 27 weeks. She had abdominal bloating with symptoms of respiratory distress. We suspected Hirschsprung disease (HD) or small intestinal stricture, but examinations were not definitive. Exploratory laparotomy was performed at 97 days of age. Intraoperative findings showed no evidence of small intestinal stricture or changes in intestinal caliber. A transanal drainage tube was inserted, and decompression therapy and intestinal lavage were started. Rectal mucosal biopsy was performed at 184 days of age, and HE and acetylcholinesterase staining showed intestinal neuronal dysplasia (IND)-like pathological findings. At 15 months, giant ganglia were no longer present on follow-up rectal mucosal biopsy, and the pathological diagnosis was normoganglionosis. It should be recognized that while the enteric nervous system is developing, IND-like pathological findings may be seen as a pathological condition during the maturation process.

Massive pulmonary gas embolism in a neonate with ileal atresia and meconium peritonitis.

We presented the case of a neonate with portal venous gas and pulmonary gas embolism. The patient presented with severe respiratory distress and abdominal distension 12 hours after birth. An ultrasound revealed intravascular microbubbles moving into a pulmonary artery that were traveling from the portal venous system through a ductus venosus. Additional clinical observations were hypotension and a sudden decrease in end-tidal carbon dioxide with a markedly discrepant high Pco(2), indicating a massive pulmonary gas embolism. Operative findings revealed congenital ileal atresia and meconium peritonitis with abscess. Gas-forming Escherichia coli was recovered from the abscess contents. The patient had respiratory distress, shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and intractable diarrhea but eventually recovered and was discharged on the 131st postoperative day.