Radiology, Vol 121, 693-696, Copyright © 1976 by Radiological Society of North America
Possible adverse effect of methylglucamine diatrizoate compounds on the bowel of newborn infants with meconium ileus
JC Leonidas, VF Burry, RA Fellows and EC Beatty
Gastrografin (methylglucamine diatrizoate) enemas were carried out in 2
newborn infants with meconium ileus. Evacuation was slow and incomplete.
Both patients died within 72 hours following enemas from bowel necrosis,
perforation and peritonitis. Although it is not possible to implicate
Gastrografin directly as the cause, it is suggested that it may have
contributed substantially to bowel necrosis. Recent experimental evidence
of colonic inflammation and occasionally necrosis caused by Gastrografin
lends support to this hypothesis. Caution should be exercised to prevent
not only the systemic osmotic effects of Gastrografin, but also potential
local injury to the bowel, especially when underlying disease interferes
with intestinal viability.
