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Crohn's disease in infancy: a case report
A Baldi1, M P Di Marino, G Vicidomini
1Institute of Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Second University of Naples, Italy.
International Surgery
|December 16, 1998
Insights
Pediatric Crohn
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research
- Infant Surgery
Background:
- Crohn's disease is rarely diagnosed in infants.
- Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for managing pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.
- Surgical intervention is sometimes necessary for intestinal complications in very young children.
Observation:
- A premature infant girl, born at 33 weeks gestation, presented with intestinal obstruction at 55 days old.
- Surgical exploration revealed stenosis in the right colonic flexure, involving the cecum, appendix, and terminal ileum.
- Histopathological analysis confirmed features indicative of Crohn's disease.
Findings:
- The infant's condition was diagnosed as infantile Crohn's disease.
- Post-surgery, the patient received cortisone therapy.
- Eleven years post-treatment, the patient exhibits normal growth and remains asymptomatic.
Implications:
- This case highlights the possibility of Crohn's disease presenting in early infancy.
- Successful surgical and medical management can lead to long-term positive outcomes in pediatric Crohn's disease.
- Further research into infantile Crohn's disease is warranted to improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Abstract:
Crohn's disease in infants is infrequent. We describe here the case of a baby girl born at the 33rd week of pregnancy, that underwent surgery at the age of 55 days for intestinal occlusion. This was found to be due to stenosis of the right colonic flexure associated with cecum, appendix and terminal ileum. Microscopic examination showed features consistent with Crohn's disease. Eleven years after surgery, followed by cortisone therapy, the patient shows normal growth and is asymptomatic.