Case Report: Delayed Perforation after Definitive Treatment of Focal Intestinal Perforation with a Peritoneal Drain

Focal intestinal perforation (FIP) has long been described in the pediatric literature. Peritoneal drainage (PD) is widely used as treatment for focal intestinal perforation. Here we report a premature infant that underwent PD on day of life 9 for a FIP. The infant recovered well from this episode and was discharged home without known sequelae. Subsequently, the same patient presented 16 months later with peritonitis. A perforation was discovered at laparotomy without evidence of surrounding necrosis. Given this finding, we believe this second episode of perforation was at the same site as the initial episode of FIP. The finding of FIP has been described without findings of surrounding necrosis. However, we believe this to be the first report of delayed perforation greater than 1 year from initial presentation after FIP treated definitively with peritoneal drain.