Necrotising enterocolitis: a management protocol for developing countries.
28 cases of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) comprising 11 term and 17 preterm patients were diagnosed between January 1990 and December 1995 at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). Treatment was in accordance with a management protocol which emphasised aggressive screening of potential cases, early laparotomy for bowel perforation and primary anastomosis after small bowel resection. There were three deaths among the 13 cases of bowel perforation. Centres in developing countries can achieve rates of survival comparable to those in the developed world in babies with NEC weighing over 1000 grams by adopting the UHWI management protocol.
Duncan
N D
ND
Department of Surgery, Radiology, Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica.
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D002423:Cause of Death; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D020345:Enterocolitis, Necrotizing / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000601:surgery; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014900:West Indies