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Unexpected death due to intestinal obstruction by a duplication cyst in an infant

Kazuhiko Kibayashi1, Tomomi Sumida, Hideki Shojo

  • 1Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501, Japan. kibayash@post.saga-med.ac.jp

Forensic Science International
|January 24, 2007
PubMed

Insights

A duplication cyst caused intestinal obstruction and dehydration, leading to an infant

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric pathology
  • Gastrointestinal surgery

Background:

  • Gastroenteritis is a common diagnosis in infants.
  • Intestinal obstruction can present with non-specific symptoms.

Observation:

  • An 11-month-old infant with presumed gastroenteritis died unexpectedly.
  • Autopsy revealed a distended ileum and an ileocecal duplication cyst.

Findings:

  • The duplication cyst caused acute intestinal obstruction.
  • Dehydration secondary to obstruction was the cause of death.

Implications:

  • Duplication cysts should be considered in infant deaths with gastrointestinal symptoms.
  • Early diagnosis of intestinal obstruction is critical in infants.

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