title: Failure to pass meconium.
abstract: Failure to pass meconium during the first twenty-hours of life is a cardinal sign of a congenital low alimentary tract obstruction. This review article discusses a systematic approach when confronting such problem to help clinicians arrive to a correct diagnosis. Prenatal and postnatal diagnosis, imaging investigation, differential diagnosis and management of the more common causes of failure to pass meconium are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: UPR School of Medicine, San Juan, PR 00922.
authors.forename: Luis Lizardo
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Sanchéz
authors.forename: Humberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lugo-Vicente
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008470:Meconium