Bowel sounds in the chest of a 7-day-old baby: what’s going on?

Abstract

A 7-day-old female neonate presented with feeding difficulties and respiratory distress. She was born at term by vaginal delivery, weighed 2625 gr, with Apgar scores 9 and 10 in the first and fifth minutes of her life. Her mother did make complete prenatal care, and she reported smoking 10 cigarettes a day during the pregnancy. The baby was born well and evolved without respiratory distress, with good reactivity, a positive neonatal reflex, the emission of meconium in the first 24 hours, and breastfeeding with valid suckling. The baby was discharged at home in good condition. Three days later, she presented with feeding difficulties, and she was admitted to our institute. At admission, the heart rate was 180 bpm, the respiratory rate was 70/minute, and the oxygen saturation was 93% in room air. At the clinical examination, subcoastal retractions and inspiratory stridor with cyanosis were evident. A right-sided heart auscultation and bowel sounds in the chest were detected. We decided to perform an X-ray of the chest and abdomen.