title: Total absence of the small bowel in a premature neonate.
abstract: We report here an interesting unique case of total loss of small bowel in the absence of associated malrotation or gastroschisis. Total loss of small bowel, acquired in utero in the absence of associated anomalies such as malrotation or gastroschisis, has not been previously reported. Several reports of congenital short bowel exist. However, this uncommon finding is typically associated with malrotation. Babies with this condition often present with functional intestinal obstruction. Several cases in which infarction of gastroschisis and autolysis of the bowel, followed by in utero resolution of the abdominal wall defect, have been reported as a cause of congenital absence of the small bowel. We present here the first report, to our knowledge, of an infant with total absence of the small bowel without gastroschisis or malrotation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University, College of Medicine and Public Health, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA. besnerg@chi.osu.edu
authors.forename: Gail E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Besner
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: Carl P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Boesel
authors.forename: Vivekanand
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Stephen E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Welty
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Corpron
mesh_terms: D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007409:Intestinal Atresia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000002:abnormalities*