Intrauterine Intussusception Presenting as Fetal Ascites and Meconium Peritonitis

Intussusception is a well-known cause of intestinal obstruction in children. Its occurrence in fetus as an intrauterine incidence is extremely rare and poses a diagnostic difficulty. Intrauterine intussusception may result in intestinal atresia once the gangrenous segment resorbed. However, a very late occurrence of intussusception just prior to delivery may present as meconium peritonitis. We are reporting a case of premature baby who was born at 35 weeks gestation via emergency caesarean for breech in labour. Routine scan 4 days prior to the delivery showed evidence of fetal ascites. She was born with good Apgar Score and weighed 2.5kg. Subsequently she developed respiratory distress syndrome requiring mechanical ventilation. She passed minimal meconium once after birth then developed progressive abdominal distension and vomiting. Abdominal radiograph on day 4 of life revealed gross pneumoperitoneum and bedside percutaneous drain was inserted to ease the ventilation. Upon exploratory laparotomy, a single ileal perforation was seen 20cm from ileocecal junction with an intussusceptum was seen in the distal bowel. Gross meconium contamination and bowel edema did not favour the option of primary anastomosis, thus stoma was created. Reversal of stoma was performed a month later and she recovered well. Fetus with a complicated intrauterine intussusception may present with fetal ascites and their postnatal clinical and radiological findings need to be carefully assessed for evidence of meconium peritonitis; in which a timely surgical intervention is required to prevent the sequelae of prolonged intraabdominal sepsis in this premature baby.International Journal of Human and Health Sciences Supplementary Issue-2: 2021 Page: S18

Filth, impurity, and threat

In many religions, body secretions have been regarded as impure or dangerous. Meconium, the pitch-like substance filling the gut at birth, was considered the embodiment of impurity and actively driven out from the newborn’s body. The custom was advantageous by breaking the taboo on colostrum consumption. Passing the meconium before birth was considered a bad omen. The claim that it indicated fetal death led to intense debates between the Parisian surgeons Viardel and Mauriceau. In 1798, Scheel described meconium aspiration into the airways, a severe disease still causing 1000 deaths annually in the US in 2008. Meconium ileus resulted from a hardened substance within the gut, linked to cystic fibrosis of the pancreas by Landsteiner in 1905. Meconium peritonitis, described by Morgagni in 1751, resulted when the dilated gut perforated during fetal life. A series of meconium occlusion and peritonitis were described in 1877 among infants admitted to the St. Petersburg Foundling Hospital. For centuries, ‘expelling’ the meconium was a postnatal routine with similarities to exorcism, freeing the child from evil.

Treatment of meconium peritonitis in the antenatal and postnatal periods during pregnancy and after childbirth (a clinical case)

Introduction. This article describes a clinical case of a pregnant woman with fetal meconium peritonitis and further observation and treatment of the child. Meconium peritonitis, being aseptic intrauterine peritonitis, is a serious disease that requires an integrated approach. Tactics of management the fetus, intrauterine risks and prognosis of survival in this pathology as well as choice of the technique for correcting meconium peritonitis and its complications during pregnancy and after childbirth are discussed.Material and methods. Prenatal ultrasound examination revealed in a male fetus signs of low intestinal obstruction, distortion of bowel loops, calcifications, ascites and polyhydramnios. This case shows that depending on the clinical course of peritonitis the timely performed diagnostics reduces risks of life-threatening complications.Results. Due to the newly developed ultrasound criteria which assess the pathology severity (meconium ascites, compression of the fetal chest cavity, edema and polyhydramnios), it became possible to predict the course of meconium peritonitis. Management of pregnancy, childbirth and neonatal period as well as therapeutic and surgical correction of this severe pathology with further early rehabilitation are described in details.Conclusion. Meconium peritonitis is a pathology in which a timely established prenatal diagnosis is extremely important because it significantly improves prognosis and allows to take adequate steps prenatally for stabilizing the condition of both a fetus and a pregnant woman.

Meconium peritonitis in a preterm infant: a surgical emergency

Meconium peritonitis is sterile chemical peritonitis that occurs after intestinal perforation resulting in meconium leakage and subsequent inflammatory cascade within the peritoneal cavity. The clinical presentations after birth can range from completely sealed-off peritonitis without any symptoms, to severe peritonitis requiring emergency surgical intervention. We describe a case of meconium peritonitis in a premature infant following intestinal perforation. In the immediate postnatal period, the patient was intubated and a peritoneal drain was placed. Laparotomy with bowel resection was performed the following day. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged home in good clinical condition.

Wavy Floating Greater Omentum Findings Are Useful for Differentiating the Etiology of Fetal Ascites

The greater omentum is an apron-like peritoneal mesothelial sheet that was described by ultrasound as a floating fluid-filled viscus in ascites during the fetal period. To examine the association between the etiology of fetal ascites and ultrasound findings of the greater omentum, a retrospective study was conducted. Ultrasound findings of fetal omentum were defined as follows: (1) a cyst-like shape with a thin membrane observed as wavy in the ascites, (2) beside the stomach and below the liver, and (3) no blood flow noted on color Doppler. Eleven pregnancies had fetal ascites. A fetal greater omentum was confirmed in eight cases in which ascites were caused by non-peritonitis: fetal hydrops (n = 4), congenital cytomegalovirus infection (n = 2), idiopathic chylous ascites (n = 1), and unknown cause (n = 1). Of these eight cases, no abdominal surgical management was required in three live babies. However, a fetal greater omentum was not confirmed in all three cases of meconium peritonitis. It was suggested that the finding of the greater omentum can be an important clue for estimating the pathophysiological etiology of fetal ascites and helping with postnatal management. It should be reasonable to add the finding of the greater omentum to the detailed ultrasound examination checklist.

The Prenatal Diagnosis~ What should we do? What can we do?

Purpose: Prenatal diagnostic accuracy has improved; however, the pediatric surgeon’s role remains unclear. This paper aimed to determine the prenatal diagnoses made and the role of pediatric surgeons. Methods: A 6-year retrospective review of 904 pregnancies managed at our institute was conducted. They were classified as a normal pregnancy (NP, n=194), abnormal pregnancy maternal factor (MF, n=449), or abnormal pregnancy fetal factor (FF, n=261). Results: In the FF group, the identified conditions were twin pregnancies (n=75), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) (n=49), breech presentation (n=26), arrested development (n=19), hypoamnion (n=42), fetal distress (n=16), hydramnios (n=10), abnormal heart sounds (n=5), meconium staining (n=5), surface anomaly (n=4), calcification (n=2), fetal hydrops (n=2), fetal death (n=2), bowel dilatation (n=2), abdominal mass (n=1) and diaphragmatic hernia (n=1). Case of twin pregnancies, breech presentation, arrested development, IUGR, hypoamnion, abnormal heart sounds, meconium staining and fetal hydrops did not require surgery. Of the 16 cases of fetal distress, 1 had biliary atresia. Of the 10 cases of hydramnios, 1 had meconium peritonitis. Of the 4 with surface anomalies, 3 had gastroschisis. Of the 2 with calcification, 1 had meconium peritonitis. Of the two fetal deaths, 1 had anal atresia suggesting a chromosomal abnormality. Of the 2 cases of bowel dilatation, 1 had bowel atresia. The abnormal mass was caused by adrenal bleeding. These diagnoses were made at an average of 27.4 gestational weeks; however, 2 cases of gastroschisis, suggesting a body stalk anomaly; diaphragmatic hernia; and brain cysts were diagnosed before 20 weeks and were aborted. After delivery, the mortality rate was 0% in neonates treated by pediatric surgeons and neonatologists. Conclusion: Fetal abnormalities are rare; however, early aggressive management with the cooperation of obstetricians and parents is crucial for pediatric surgeons to minimize the effects of anomalies.