SPONTANEOUS INTESTINAL PERFORATION RADIOLOGICALLY MIMICKING DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA IN A PRETERM INFANT

A-17-year old woman gave birth to a male infant with a birth weight of 1250 g at the gestational 30th week via a normal spontaneous vaginal delivery route. The patient was admitted due to the diagnosis of respiratory distress syndrome and received surfactant therapy. On the chest X-ray graphy on the postnatal 2nd day, there was an appearance resembling intestinal gas in the right lower zone (Figure 1). On the thorax tomography ordered due to the pre-diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia, it was thought to be Bochdalek hernia or subdiaphragmatic abscess (Figure 2). On the explorative laparotomy, a spontaneous perforation was observed at the ileal region, which extended toward the upper part of the liver, forming a closed perforation. The operation was completed with end-to-end anastomosis to the ileal region. Eventually, the patient was discharged on postnatal 45 day and followed up as out patient without any complication.