Question
Our neighbor Aunt Li, whose son had a baby last year and this year she welcomed her grandchild, was terrified when her grandson developed neonatal gastric perforation a few days after birth. Can newborns with gastric perforation drink milk?
Answer
Once diagnosed, emergency surgery should be performed. Preoperative preparation includes decompression of the stomach tube and aspiration of the stomach contents. Sometimes, the stomach tube passes through the perforated hole in the stomach into the abdominal cavity to reduce abdominal distension and correct fluid and acid-base imbalances. During the treatment process, supportive therapies such as oxygen administration can be used to correct respiratory dysfunction without increasing abdominal pressure. Milk is stimulating, and its dehydration promotes lung moisture, leading to increased gastrointestinal burden, which is not conducive to the repair of damaged ground. Therefore, for newborns with gastric perforation, non-spicy and non-irritating foods should be chosen as dietary options.