Meconium Plug Syndrome

Excerpt

Meconium plug syndrome causes functional obstruction in the colon of neonates. It occurs relatively commonly in healthy infants (1 in 500 live births). There is a clinical similarity to distal intestinal obstruction presenting with an inability to pass meconium within 24 to 48 hours following delivery. However, several other clinical entities present similarly, both clinically and radiographically. It was initially reported in 1956 by Clatworty to describe colonic obstruction caused by inspissated meconium. There is an association with Hirschsprung disease of approximately 3% to 38%.