Successful laparotomy in a 432 g extremely low-birth-weight infant with focal intestinal perforations

Acute intra-abdominal abnormalities requiring emergency laparotomy in extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants may increase morbidity and mortality. Focal intestinal perforations (FIPs) not due to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are increasingly recognized in ELBW infants. We present an ELBW preterm male infant (24 weeks' gestation) with FIP who underwent successful abdominal surgery when the patient weighed 432 g. Three isolated intestinal perforations without any NEC were identified. The patient was stable and weighed 1142 g on the 100th day after surgery. Common morbidities associated with ELBW do not appear to be adversely affected by surgical intervention; however, long-term follow-up is essential to enhance future developmental outcomes upon survival.