Pyloric Stenosis: Diagnosis and Treatment
September 14th 2005This obstruction results from hypertrophy of the circular and longitudinal muscularis of the pylorus and the distal antrum of the stomach. It occurs in approximately 3 of every 1000 live births and is 4 times more common in boys. Pyloric stenosis (PS) is relatively uncommon in African American and Asian infants. The observation that it occurs primarily in first-born infants has been disputed.
When a Patient's Weight Exceeds Your Scale
September 14th 2005This condition is characterized by a localized narrowing of the jejunum without a disruption of continuity or defect in the mesentery. At the stenotic site, there is often a short, narrow segment with a minute lumen where the muscularis is irregular and the submucosa is thickened. The resultant intestinal obstruction is incomplete.
Capillary (Strawberry) Hemangioma
September 14th 2005A 6-month-old girl presented with a reddish mass on the abdomen that was not apparent at birth and was first noted when the child was 1 month old. The lesion-which was asymptomatic-started to shrink and fade when the child was 3 years old. A year later, the color was very faint. When the child was 6 years old, the lesion was hardly visible.
Meconium Ileus: Causes and Complications
September 14th 2005This condition, which accounts for about 30% of cases of intestinal obstruction among neonates, is characterized by the inspissation of thick, tenacious meconium in the bowel. The most common cause is cystic fibrosis; approximately 6% to 20% of infants with cystic fibrosis have meconium ileus. Hyperviscous mucus secreted by abnormal intestinal glands, an abnormal concentrating process in the proximal small intestine, and a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes have been implicated in the pathogenesis. The histologic hallmark is distention of the goblet cells in the intestinal mucosa.
Purpuric Rash After Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
Two 7-year-olds show the purpuric rash of the lower body and legs that is typical of Henoch-Schönlein purpura. This disease is a vasculitis that chiefly affects small vessels of the skin, joints, gastrointestinal tract, and kidney.
Ectrodactyly-Ectodermal Dysplasia-Clefting Syndrome
September 14th 2005An 11-year-old girl presented with central clefting and syndactyly of the third and fourth digits of the right hand; sparse, fine blond scalp hair; sparse eyebrows; and numerous dental caries. Past health was unremarkable except that she had stenosis of the nasolacrimal ducts, which required probing when she was 1 year old. Her mother also had somewhat sparse and fine scalp hair and similar hand malformations with ridged and slow-growing nails, as well as mild conductive hearing loss.
Clitoral Hypertrophy From Maternal Medication
September 14th 2005A female infant was born vaginally to a gravida 4, para 1, 24-year-old woman at term. The child's birth weight was 2,800 g; her length was 51 cm. The mother had a history of three spontaneous abortions. The present pregnancy was complicated by threatened abortion at 15 weeks. The mother was given hydroxyprogesterone hexanoate, 500 mg IM weekly for 6 weeks.
Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita
September 14th 2005A 3120-g male infant was born to a 31-year-old gravida II para I mother at 37 weeks' gestation following an uncomplicated pregnancy. There was no history of oligohydramnios, but diminished fetal movements were noted. The infant was born vaginally with complete breech presentation and Apgar scores of 7 and 8 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively.
In-flight Clotting: Is It Something in the Air?
September 14th 2005During the last few weeks of gestation or shortly after birth, the layers of the processus vaginalis normally fuse together and obliterate the entrance to the inguinal canal in the vicinity of the internal inguinal ring. An indirect hernia results from a failure of fusion of the processus vaginalis; the bowel subsequently descends through the inguinal canal.