[Segmental dilatation of the small intestine in a 10-year-old child].

Segmental dilatation of the small bowel is a rare disease. Formed during the first year of life, it could be due to a malformation or a subacute intestinal ischemia sometimes accompanying a deterioration of the myenteric plexus. The discovery of a dilated ileum in a 10 year old healthy child suggests that the anterior pathogenic hypothesis are invalid, especially because the anatomical study does not find any muscular or neurological deterioration. We may regret not to have measured the tissular V.I.P. which could perhaps have helped in the comprehension of the etiology of this disease.