Normal and Abnormal Small Bowel Lengths

THE LENGTH of the small intestine in infants and children has received little attention in the literature. Our interest was aroused by an error in radiographic diagnosis. A film of the abdomen of a 1-day-old infant was interpreted as atresia of the jejunum because only two gasfilled intestinal loops were seen. At operation, the atresia was almost at the ileocecal valve, but the total bowel length was only 50 cm, thereby accounting for the misinterpretation. Standards of small intestinal length in normal infants are few. Benson¹mentions 248 cm as the average length for the term newborn infant and a 230 cm length of jejunum and ileum in a single 3 lb 11 oz (1,673 gm) premature infant. Benson et al²state that the proportionately shortened length of small intestines in the premature infant varies from 160-240 cm. Potts³states only that the infant's intestine is 305