Intestinal obstruction in the newborn.

Any newborn who continues to vomit in the first few days of life, particularly if the vomitus contains bile and if the abdomen is distended, should have immediate investigation because intestinal obstruction in the newborn is a fatal condition unless promptly recognized and surgically corrected. The most common cause of obstruction at this age is atresia and the simplest possible surgical procedure which adequately corrects this deformity should be done. It is also possible to successfully correct the obstruction caused by other congenital deformities such as annular pancreas and meconium ileus. Although prematurity is a definite factor in the outcome, intestinal obstruction in the newborn can be corrected with a surprisingly low mortality. Occasionally unusual methods are needed to tide these infants over the critical period of postoperative care.