2022 Volume 58 Issue 2 Pages 359-363
The patient was a preterm, very low birth weight infant of 24 weeks and 596 grams. She was born with a 1-minute Apgar score of 1, a 5-minute score of 2, and a 10-minute score of 5, and was immediately placed in intensive care. Enteral feeding was started at day 4, but at day 8, bloody stools, stagnation of small intestinal contents and small intestinal dilatation were observed, and fecal-related intestinal obstruction was diagnosed. No perforation was observed, and medical treatment was chosen. The patient was treated with catecholamine to maintain blood pressure and antibiotics, and six gastrografin enterography was performed from day 15. In addition, hypothyroidism was diagnosed at day 17, and levothyroxine replacement was considered. Since enteral feeding was difficult due to fasting, levothyroxine injection was selected. Gastrointestinal gas peristalsis was observed from the age of 27 days, and regular defecation was observed thereafter. In the past, levothyroxine was only available as an oral treatment for hypothyroidism. However, from June 2020, the use of injectable levothyroxine will become available, which is expected to expand the range of treatment options in the neonatal field.
