A newborn boy develops abdominal distention and fails to pass meconium. Explore a case of Neonatal Bowel Obstruction leading to an urgent laparotomy.
A full-term baby boy was transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at 30 hours of age owing to abdominal distention and failure to pass meconium. Before the transfer, the baby had fed poorly and regurgitated colostrum. A nasogastric tube had drained yellow fluid. An abdominal radiograph had shown dilated loops of small intestine. At the NICU, a bedside abdominal ultrasonogram showed possible reversal of the superior mesenteric vessels, and an urgent laparotomy was performed. Considerable distention of the small bowel by thick meconium was identified. Which of the following is the most likely underlying cause of this patient’s symptoms?
