[Cow's milk protein intolerance as a cause of small bowel occlusion].

Two one- and three-month-old infants were admitted with clinical and radiologic signs of acute small bowel occlusion. They had been fed since the first day of life with a formula containing cow's milk proteins. The withdrawal of the allergen alone without surgical intervention led to normalization of bowel function within one day. At a new challenge with cow's milk protein the infants had an immediate clinical and biochemical response. The precocious introduction of formula containing cow's milk proteins was responsible for the allergic reaction.