Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the death of tissue in the intestine. It occurs most often in premature or sick babies.
NEC occurs when the lining of the intestinal wall dies. This problem nearly always develops in an infant who is ill or premature. It is likely to occur while the infant is still in the hospital.
The exact cause of this disorder is unknown. A drop in blood flow to the bowel can damage the tissue. Bacteria in the intestine may also add to the problem. Also, premature infants have an undeveloped immune response to factors such as bacteria or low blood flow. An imbalance in immune regulation appears to be involved in NEC.
Babies at higher risk for the condition include:
Symptoms may come on slowly or suddenly, and may include:
Treatment for a baby who may have NEC most often includes:
The infant will need surgery if there is a hole in the intestines or inflammation of the abdominal wall (peritonitis).
In this surgery, the doctor will:
The bowel may be reconnected after several weeks or months when the infection has healed.
Neeraja Thathagari is an Internal Medicine doctor in South Riding, Virginia. Dr. Thathagari has been practicing medicine for over 26 years and is rated as an Experienced doctor by MediFind in the treatment of Necrotizing Enterocolitis. She is also highly rated in 12 other conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Retroperitoneal Inflammation, Pneumonia, Familial Neurocardiogenic Syncope, Endoscopy, and Colonoscopy. Dr. Thathagari is currently accepting new patients.
Sandhya Chanda is an Internal Medicine doctor in Lansdowne, Virginia. Dr. Chanda has been practicing medicine for over 33 years and is rated as an Experienced doctor by MediFind in the treatment of Necrotizing Enterocolitis. She is also highly rated in 7 other conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Folliculitis, Kidney Stones, Peptic Ulcer, Hip Replacement, and Prostatectomy. Dr. Chanda is currently accepting new patients.
Vandana Palagiri is an Internal Medicine doctor in Ashburn, Virginia. Dr. Palagiri has been practicing medicine for over 21 years and is rated as an Experienced doctor by MediFind in the treatment of Necrotizing Enterocolitis. She is also highly rated in 8 other conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Dementia, Decerebrate Posture, Decorticate Posture, Nephrectomy, and Reconstructive Urology Surgery. Dr. Palagiri is currently accepting new patients.
Necrotizing enterocolitis is a serious disease. Up to 40% of infants with NEC die from it. Early, aggressive treatment can help improve the outcome.
Complications may include:
Get emergency medical care if any symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis develop. Infants who are hospitalized for illness or prematurity are at higher risk for NEC. They are watched closely for this problem before they are sent home.
Methods: Participants: Extremely preterm infants (<29 weeks gestational age) with an echocardiography confirmed PDA who will be treated according to attending team Interventions: Standard dose ibuprofen [10-5-5 regimen, i.e., 10mg/kg followed by 2 doses of 5mg/kg at 24h intervals] Adjustable dose ibuprofen [10-5-5 regimen if treated within the first week. Higher doses of ibuprofen up to a 20-10-10 regimen ...
Summary: The purpose of this study is to determine if sequence variations in genes involved in the development and function of vulnerable organs increases susceptibility to chronic lung disease (CLD) and other diseases affecting premature infants, such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), sepsis, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). The study will also determine whether meas...
Published Date: April 14, 2021
Published By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Greenberg JM, Haberman B, Narendran V, Nathan AT, Schibler K. Neonatal morbidities of prenatal and perinatal origin. In: Resnik R, Lockwood CJ, Moore TR, Greene MF, Copel JA, Silver RM, eds. Creasy and Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 73.
Kudin O, Neu J. Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. In: Martin RJ, Fanaroff AA, Walsh MC, eds. Fanaroff and Martin's Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 85.
Seed PC. The microbiome and pediatric health. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 196.