ACUTE APPENDICITIS IN A NEWBORN

Abstract

Background. Appendicitis in newborns is generally considered to be a rare inflammatory pathology of the abdominal cavity, occurring in 0.04% of cases in children. Its rarity is associated with the following factors: the funnel-shaped form
of the appendix, its wide base; soft, milky food; the predominance of the supine position in infants; and rare infections. The current mortality rate is as high as 22%, its main contributing factor being late diagnosis. Objective. To demonstrate a rare case of complicated appendicitis diagnosis and treatment in a newborn. Material and methods. Clinical observation data of patient L., aged 8 days, who was treated in the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care for Newborns at the Grodno Regional Children's Clinical Hospital in February 2024. Results. The child was admitted to the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care for Newborns bypassing the emergency department at the age of 8 days of life with the following diagnosis: Infection specific for the perinatal period, unspecified. Intestinal paresis. Necrotizing enterocolitis stage 1 a. Neonatal jaundice. The child was under the dynamic supervision of a surgeon. On the 3rd day, the child's condition worsened, with severe abdominal distension, vomiting, and difficulty passing stool. The child underwent contrast radiography of the digestive tract. X-ray images showed signs of intestinal obstruction. Laparotomy, adhesiolysis, abscess opening, appendectomy, cecostomy, ileal splinting, abdominal lavage as well as drainage were performed. The postoperative period was without complications. Conclusion. The reported case is the first of its kind for the surgeons at our hospital. Based on literature data, we believe this complication arose during the course of necrotizing enterocolitis. Despite the complexity of the disease, the patient made a full recovery and was discharged from the hospital.