Liver laceration in premature neonate: report of a case with successful surgical treatment.

Neonatal liver laceration is a relatively rare but probably fatal condition without prompt diagnosis and treatment. It should be considered in newborn infants who are presented with sudden onset of symptoms and signs of hemoperitoneum such as shock, pallor, abdominal distension, abdominal bruising, or scrotal ecchymosis. Roentgenogram may show free peritoneal fluid. Abdominal sonography is helpful in the detection of intraabdominal bleeding. Paracentesis is the most effective diagnostic procedure for the confirmation of hemoperitoneum. The rupture of the liver is the first priority to be considered, though other abdominal organs including adrenals, kidneys, and spleen are also prone to injury. Once liver laceration is highly suspected, resuscitation with blood transfusion, correction of coagulopathy, and then emergency surgical intervention must be performed if conservative treatment fails. Here we present a 1,662 gm premature male neonate who underwent successful surgical repair of the liver laceration.