VERNIX CASEOSA PERITONITIS - REPORT OF 2 CASES WITH ANTENATAL ONSET

Maternal peritonitis secondary to fetal vernix caseosa is considered a n infrequent complication of cesarean section in which commonly spille d amniotic fluid is incompletely lavaged. Nine of the 10 reported case s have been diagnosed in the postpartum period after an uneventful ces arean section. Characteristically, vernix elicits granulomatous inflam mation, occasionally with a mass lesion simulating bowel perforation a nd leading to colectomy. One case of antenatal leakage of amniotic flu id has been reported, also with granulomatous inflammation. We report two additional cases of: antenatal leakage, both with acute inflammati on lacking granulomatous features or mass lesions. The interval betwee n amniotic fluid contamination and histopathologic evaluation is the b asis for variations in the inflammatory pattern.