Gastric perforation ocurred in the second day of life in an apparently healthy newborn of 36 weeks gcstational age and was succesfully repaired, but recurred eight days later. At the second surgical intervention a previously inadverted intestinal mairotation was detected and corrected obtaining normal intestinal transit. At 60 days of life he was submited to surgical intervention for intestinal obstruction caused by peritoneal adhesions without evidence of perforation. The patient died later from secondary peritonitis, that was confirmed at authopsy. Gastrointestinal perforations were not found in this later examination. (