Neonatal nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis.

Neonatal nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE), a rare disorder yet to be diagnosed antemortem, is described in two infants. The first infant was postmature and suffered from polycythemia and meconium aspiration. The meconium-stained placenta manifested evidence of ischemia and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). The second patient was delivered near term by cesarean section, and hyaline membrane disease developed. The pathogenesis of NBTE may relate to perinatal hypoxia with transient tricuspid insufficiency, polycythemia, and DIC.