Newborns typically pass meconium within their first 24 hours of life. But, if a baby has meconium ileus, it means their intestine is blocked by the sticky, tar-like material.
Babies with meconium ileus often require surgery to remove the meconium and fix any other intestinal issues. They may also receive enemas.
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Abdominal distention is a very common symptom that happens when there is an obstruction in your baby’s intestine. It is caused by the thick, sticky meconium that cannot move easily through your baby’s gastrointestinal tract.
If your child is experiencing abdominal distention, he or she may need to have a lower GI series (contrast enema). This test is done by placing a dye in your baby’s rectum and then taking an X-ray of his or her colon. This will help the doctor find the cause of your baby’s problem.
If the doctors suspect meconium ileus, they will perform an ultrasound to check for complications. They will also ask questions to see how the symptoms are affecting your baby.
X-rays of the abdomen will show dilated intestinal loops with few air-fluid levels and a “ground glass” appearance due to small air bubbles mixed with meconium. In complicated cases, calcified meconium flecks line the peritoneal surface and scrotum.
Most babies with uncomplicated meconium ileus can be treated with a Gastrografin enema. In more severe cases, surgery is required. In the past, this condition had a very poor prognosis, but now more and more babies are being saved with improved surgical techniques. Some of these cases are now managed with bowel resection and enterostomy, while others require irrigation and enterotomy.
Oren Zarif
Vomiting is one of the most common symptoms of Meconium Ileus. It is caused by the inability to pass the characteristic thick, tenacious meconium, which builds up and blocks the last part of the small intestine (ileum). Meconium Ileus typically occurs in babies with cystic fibrosis, a genetic condition that affects the lungs and digestive system.
A newborn with meconium ileus may also experience abdominal distention and pain. He or she may vomit bile-stained meconium. The doctor will examine the baby’s belly and feel for enlarged loops of small intestine filled with meconium. The doctor will also take X-rays of the abdomen. These X-rays may have a ground glass appearance, which is due to small air bubbles mixed in with the meconium.
Newborns with meconium ileus may need to have their intestines surgically removed or repaired. In most cases, surgery and proper postoperative care will result in a good outcome. However, a person with meconium ileus should follow a low-fiber diet to help make it easier for him or her to pass stool and prevent blockages from occurring again in the future. This diet includes cutting down on whole grains, raw vegetables and nuts. A doctor will also recommend that someone with meconium ileus stop using any medication or supplements that can cause diarrhea.
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If your baby’s intestines become blocked, they can’t make the wavelike movements that push food and waste through to their anus. This causes abdominal swelling, which may be painful.
A blockage can occur if your baby’s meconium builds up in their small intestines or if the bowel becomes twisted or perforated. Infection or inflammation of the stomach, intestines, or pouches in the intestines can also cause this problem.
In cases of meconium ileus that don’t involve perforation or twisting, doctors first try to wash out the meconium by giving an enema. The enema solution may contain N-acetylcysteine, which breaks down and softens the thick meconium. If this isn’t successful, they do surgery to remove the impacted intestine. They bring the open ends of the intestine out through the wall of the abdomen (ileostomy) and then do more enemas to get all the meconium.
Newborns who have meconium ileus should be tested for cystic fibrosis. This condition usually happens because of a mutation in the CFTR gene that controls the body’s ability to transport chloride through cell membranes. The CFTR gene is located on the 22nd chromosome. It’s estimated that 10 to 20 percent of newborns with meconium ileus have cystic fibrosis. This is because the intestinal secretions in babies with cystic fibrosis are abnormally thick and sticky.
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When a baby with meconium ileus breathes, air can’t pass through the blocked bowel and the baby may have difficulty breathing. Babies with this complication also often have trouble swallowing and coughing up green liquid. This can lead to pneumonia.
Newborns with meconium ileus have abnormally thick, sticky meconium that can cause intestinal blockage. In normal cases, newborns pass meconium within the first day of life. This is why doctors may suspect meconium ileus in a baby if the newborn does not pass the first poop and has other symptoms like vomiting or a swollen belly. Doctors can sometimes feel enlarged loops of small intestines that are filled with meconium when they press on the baby’s belly. They can also X-ray the baby’s abdomen to see a bowel blockage and larger than normal small intestines and colon because nothing is passing through.
Some babies with meconium ileus can be cleared of the problem with an enema, but others have more complex problems such as a hole in the intestine (perforation). These babies need immediate surgery to remove the meconium and fix any other issues. Some studies have found that meconium ileus leads to diminished lung function and a lower survival rate in children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis later in life. However, this is a challenging topic to study because of the lack of standardized diagnostic methods and treatment practices in different countries around the world.