Transient bowel ischaemia of the fetus

• Published in: Fetal diagnosis and therapy Vol. 20; no. 1; p. 54
• Main Authors: Ghi, Tullio, Tani, Giovanni, Carletti, Angela, Basile, Barbara, Rizzo, Nicola, Pilu, Gianluigi, Bovicelli, Luciano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 01-01-2005
• Subjects: Embryo, Mammalian - blood supply; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Intestines - embryology; Ischemia - diagnosis; Ischemia - embryology; Ischemia - physiopathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Prenatal Diagnosis; Recovery of Function; Ultrasonography, Prenatal
• ISSN: 1015-3837
• DOI: 10.1159/000081370

To discover the different underlying conditions in 2 fetuses suffering from temporary bowel ischaemia.
Abnormal bowel findings were detected using antenatal sonography.
The abnormal bowel findings disappeared postnatally. Transient ischaemia of the fetal bowel due to different causes has been advocated antenatally to explain the abnormal findings. When a normal blood supply to the bowel has been restored, either in utero or after birth, the abnormal findings disappear.
Whenever gut dilatation is detected in a fetus at risk of bowel ischaemia the possibility of a transient functional finding must be considered.