title: Spontaneous Perforation of Colon in Previously Healthy Infants and Children: Its Clinical Implication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Spontaneous colon perforations are usually encountered as necrotizing enterocolitis in the neonatal period, but occur rarely in infants and children without pathological conditions. This study was conducted to describe its clinical implication beyond the neonatal period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases of spontaneous colon perforation confirmed after the operation were reviewed retrospectively and the clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. Clinical data were compared according to the presence of pneumoperitoneum as initial findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven patients were included in the study period and showed a history of hospitalization before transfer due to management for fever, respiratory or gastrointestinal problems. Six patients showed a sudden onset of abdominal distention and only seven patients showed a pneumoperitoneum as initial radiologic findings, however there were no significant clinicopathological differences. Perforation was found evenly in all segments of the colon, most commonly at the sigmoid colon in four cases. There were no specific pathologic or serologic causes of perforation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When previously healthy infants and children manifest a sustained fever with a sudden onset of abdominal distention during management for fever associated with respiratory or gastrointestinal problems, there is a great likelihood of colon perforation with no pathological condition. Prompt surgical management as timely decision-making is necessary in order to achieve a good progress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pusan National University Children's Hospital, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pusan National University Children's Hospital, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pusan National University Children's Hospital, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hae-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Child; Colon; Infant; Perforation; Spontaneous