Lactobezoar: a rare cause of ileal obstruction.

A five-week-old male child weighing 2950 g was admitted with history of loose stools of four days duration. The child was being given formula feed. This was followed by marked abdominal distension. Plain X-ray abdomen revealed grossly dilated bowel loops and mottled soft tissue density appearance in the region of right iliac fossa (Fig. 1). Barium enema study done did not contribute further. As the general condition of the child was getting worse with progressive abdominal distension, laparotomy was done after rapid resuscitation. The small bowel loops were found greatly distended and dilated up to terminal ileum where there was a white thick curd for a length of six cm causing obstruction. It was kneaded into the caecum and the obstruction got relieved. Postoperative period was uneventful and the child progressed well.