Acute intussusception, a rare cause of small bowel obstruction in premature neonates: The advantages of early diagnosis

We report a case of intussusception,ion in a premature neonate who presented with early signs of upper gastrointestinal tract obstruction. Diagnosing acute intussusception in premature infants is difficult because of its infrequency relative to other neonatal abdominal problems and because the clinical symptomatology shows similarities with that of necrotizing enterocolitis. In the reported case, the diagnosis was made by sonography. Unlike full-term neonates, the presence of a pathological lead point is very infrequent. The intussuscept ion is predominantly located in the small bowel and is most often associated with bowel compromise. This disease should be considered in all neonates with signs of intestinal obstruction to permit a better prognosis via prompt surgical intervention. (C) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.