Bile Peritonitis in Infancy

Abstract

So far as I have been able to ascertain this is the first case of bile peritonitis in infancy occurring without trauma to be reported in this country. Caulfield (1936) published two similar cases in America, and stated that severe trauma had caused rupture to the gall-bladder or common duct in all the reported cases he could find.

Spontaneous perforation of common bile duct in infants.

“…Infants usually present between 1 week and 2 months but some cases have been reported as late as 30 months (Hindmarsh, 1947;Lees and Mitchell, 1966). Initial signs may include mild fluctuating jaundice accompanied by pale stools and dark urine but this is not consistent, and there may be a nonspecific picture of poor weight gain, repeated vomiting, and irritability.…”