Clinical cases: acute appendicitis in newbons

Aim. The goal of this study is to describe the clinical observations of acute appendicitis in two newborn infants.

This study was a retrospective analysis performed using data obtained from medical records. Two preterm infants had a gestational age of 33 weeks, a threat of pregnancy termination, rapid childbirth in one case, and a cesarean section in another. At birth, their body weights were low, 2340 and 2420 g, respectively. The condition of the babies was evaluated on the Apgar scale, and both scored 7/8 points. We studied the data of clinical, laboratory, and instrumental study data and surgical intervention protocols.

In the presented newborns, neonatal jaundice, respiratory failure of the I–II degree, and hypoxic perinatal damage to the central nervous system occurred from birth. On the first child’s twelfth day and the second child’s ninth day, they experienced a clinically acute inflammatory process in the abdominal cavity, confirmed by inflammation markers (high white blood cell counts and levels of C-reactive protein). According to the sonography of the abdominal organs, the absence of intestinal motility in the right abdominal cavity, the presence of intestinal wall pneumatosis, signs of conglomerate formation from the intestinal loops were revealed. The surgical interventions performed were a laparoscopy and a conversion to laparotomy. In both cases, inflammatory bowel changes corresponded to the course of necrotic enterocolitis, diagnosed with gangrenous-perforated appendicitis and purulent-fibrinous peritonitis. In the section, the mucous appendix was not changed.

Conclusion. The aggravated premorbid background in premature infants predisposes them to necrotic enterocolitis, which can occur in children of this age with isolated perforation of the appendix. The course of necrotic enterocolitis is complicated by the formation of purulent-fibrinous peritonitis due to the destruction of the appendix with minimal changes in its walls.