Christopher P. Coppola, Alfred P. Kennedy, Jr. and Ronald J. Scorpio (eds.)Pediatric Surgery2014Diagnosis and Treatment10.1007/978-3-319-04340-1_31
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
Meconium Plug Syndrome and Meconium Ileus
(1)
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, 100 N. Academy Av. MC 21-70, Danville, PA 17822, USA
Abstract
Meconium plug syndrome, meconium ileus, and meconium ileus equivalent are conditions of gastrointestinal tract obstruction by thickened contents which will not pass.
Meconium plug syndrome, meconium ileus, and meconium ileus equivalent are conditions of gastrointestinal tract obstruction by thickened contents which will not pass.
1.
Pathophysiology:
(a)
In meconium plug syndrome, a newborn has obstruction of the colon with thickened plugs of mucus.
(b)
Other terms for meconium plug syndrome are colonic immaturity, small left colon syndrome, and functional colonic obstruction.
(c)
In meconium ileus, thickened meconium blocks the small bowel, rather than the colon, and results in a small diameter colon called microcolon. Meconium ileus can result in perforation, small bowel volvulus, intestinal atresia, and peritonitis. Prenatal perforation can result in formation of a meconium cyst, visible on x-ray as a mass stippled with opacities from calcification.
(d)
Incidence:
(i)
Meconium plug syndrome: one in 1,000 births.
(ii)
Meconium ileus: one in 3,000 births.
(e)
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Associated conditions:
(i)
The most common cause of meconium ileus is cystic fibrosis. The abnormally concentrated excretion of epithelial cells results in a dry thick succus. 80 % of infants with meconium ileus have cystic fibrosis.
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