[Ovarian cyst. A predisposing factor for ileus in the neonatal period and early infancy]

Cystic and solid tumors of the ovary are rare during the new born period and infancy and usually become clinically apparent only during childhood adolescence. Any cystic ovarian enlargement is almost always benign but can cause signs of an acute abdomen because torsion of the ovarian cyst can lead to small bowel obstruction. This may be the first clinical sign of the cyst if it had not yet been detected by prenatal or postnatal ultrasonography. On the basis of our own observations and a review of the literature it appears that ovarian cysts predispose to mechanical small bowel obstruction in new borns and infants.