OBJECTIVETo study the etiology and clinicopathological features of neonatal spontaneous gastric perforation.

METHODSThe clinical data of 15 cases with neonatal gastric perforation seen from 2001 to 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. Immunohistochemical staining was adopted for all the cases.

RESULTSThe typical clinical manifestations of this disease were vomiting, abdominal distention and respiratory distress. Abdominal orthostatic X-ray showed free gas under diaphragm and seroperitoneum. In most of the cases the stomach perforation occurred at the greater curvature. Eight of the cases died in this group, the mortality was 53.33%. Six of the deaths occurred within 1 day after birth with symptoms. There were thinning and defect of stomach wall muscle and interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) reduction as demonstrated by microscope.

CONCLUSIONSSpontaneous neonatal gastric perforation is associated with abnormal gastric wall structure and reduction of ICC. Prognosis is closely related to the time of onset and the timely surgical operation.