Royal Australasia of Surgeons Guest Lecture. Necrotizing enterocolitis: prevention, treatment, and outcome

Abstract

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains a very serious disease, particularly in premature infants. This review describes various aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The pathogenesis of NEC is not completely understood, and risk factors include formula enteral feeding and bacterial involvement. Prevention of the disease is desirable, and the most robust evidence is linked to the protective effet of human milk and probiotics. The medical and surgical management has not changed significantly in the last 20 years. Insertions of peimary peritoneal drainage in comparison with laparotomy remain controversial, and this uncertainty stimulated the development of two randomized controlled trials. Neither definitely demonstrated an advantage of either periotneal drainage or laparotomy over the other. The advantage offered by a stoma compared to primary intestinal anastomosis is currently investigated in a multicenter randomized controlled trial (STAT Trial). The mortality of the disease remains high, and new therapeutic interventions are needed. Novel forms of treatment that can improve the outcome of this disease are currently under investigation. These include whole-body moderately controlled hypothermia and administration of amniotic fluid stem cells.

Keywords: Laparotomy; Necrotizing enterocoltis; Premature infant; Primary anastomosis; Resection.