Patient's question:
My friend's child is only a few months old. Lately, they have been refusing to drink milk, which has been causing me great concern. I took them for a check-up, and surprisingly, they were diagnosed with a newborn stomach perforation. Could you please tell me what are the symptoms of a newborn stomach perforation?Doctor's answer:
Neonatal gastric perforation is a rare surgical emergency in pediatric surgery. It primarily occurs in premature infants in the first few days of life. It is usually caused by congenital developmental defects, such as weakened or defective gastric muscle walls. It can also be secondary to other primary diseases or perinatal factors, such as infection, malnutrition, etc. The mortality rate is high. In recent years, with the advancement of surgical and anesthetic techniques, the rational use of antibiotics and supportive therapy has led to a significant decrease in mortality. Preoperative preparation should be completed within a short period, including fasting, gastric tube decompression, correction of dehydration, shock control, anti-infection, and abdominal puncture. Under general anesthesia, the surgery should be as simple as possible, repairing the perforation and cleaning necrotic tissue.