[CONGENITAL ILEAL STENOSIS: LATE CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF EARLY PRENATAL SUSPICION]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Neonatal Gastroenterology

Background:

• Congenital small intestine stenosis is a rare condition, often presenting later than complete obstruction (atresia).
• Delayed clinical manifestations can complicate diagnosis in neonates.

Observation:

• A neonate presented with prenatal ultrasound findings suggestive of small bowel obstruction.
• Postnatal clinical presentation and imaging were atypical, delaying surgical intervention for ileal stenosis.

Findings:

• Surgical resection of the stenotic ileum resolved vomiting but was followed by persistent diarrhea.
• Transitioning infant formula from long-chain triglycerides to medium-chain triglycerides effectively managed post-operative diarrhea.

Implications:

• Highlights the importance of considering congenital intestinal obstruction in neonates with vomiting, even with atypical symptoms like diarrhea.
• Emphasizes the need for prompt diagnosis and surgical management of small intestine stenosis, despite non-classic imaging findings.
• Demonstrates the therapeutic role of medium-chain triglyceride formulas in managing post-surgical malabsorption in infants.