Mesenteric hernia causing bowel obstruction in very low-birthweight infants.

Internal hernia through a mesenteric defect, called mesenteric hernia, is an uncommon cause of acute intestinal obstruction in newborns. Strangulated mesenteric hernia results in intestinal necrosis or perforation and progressive deterioration with fatal outcome, especially when it occurs in low-birthweight infants. We report two very low-birthweight (VLBW) infants, who presented with acute intestinal obstruction related to mesenteric defect. The initial diagnosis was meconium obstruction in those cases, which is a common cause of bowel obstruction occurring in VLBW infants. Correct diagnosis of mesenteric hernia was difficult in these cases because of rapid deterioration and non-specific radiological findings. Awareness of the possibility of rare mesenteric hernia causing acute intestinal obstruction and surgical intervention in an appropriate timeframe are important for rescuing VLBW infants with such organic abnormalities.