Femoral Artery Thrombosis: Rare Sequelae of a Common Entity

Neonatal hypernatremic dehydration (NHD) is a common complication in breastfed neonates which if not recognized early can lead to life-threatening complications. Only a few cases of NHD leading to peripheral gangrene have been reported in the literature. We report a case of a 14-day-old neonate with complaints of dyspnoea, poor oral intake, and gangrenous changes in the left leg. There was a 28% weight loss since birth due to inadequate feeding. The baby was diagnosed with severe hypernatremic dehydration with Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) stage 4 acute kidney injury requiring peritoneal dialysis. Ultrasonography of the left lower extremity revealed a distal femoral artery thrombus leading to dry gangrene requiring amputation. There were neurological signs like altered sensorium and drug-resistant seizures which were suspicious for intracranial pathology like cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Prevention and early diagnosis of NHD are essential to prevent the occurrences of such grave complications. It can be easily achieved by improving the vigilance regarding the adequacy of feeds subjectively by the mother if the baby is at home and objectively by physicians in the hospital setting. These simple interventions have the potential to prevent readmissions due to not only simple feeding complications but grave complications as mentioned above as well and save precious lives.