He remained without oral feedings for two weeks and was treated with prophylactic antibiotics. Nutrition was given through a central venous line. He started gastrostomy tube and oral feedings and did well, with good weight gain. He was discharged 25 days after birth and continues to do well. Abdominal radiograph demonstating a massive pneumoperitoneum mass compatable with a ruptured hollow viscus.
Patient is in the supine, anterior-posterior position.
Abdominal radiograph of same patient as in Figure 1. View is of the infant in the prone cross table position. The cause of this baby's spontaneous rupture is not known. In 1943, Herbert presented his theory that the predisposing factor, is a congenital absence of the muscle layer of the stomach. Eighty percent of his patients had experienced a significant episode of asphyxia or shock during the perinatal period.