title: Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis: Clinical challenges, pathophysiology and management.
abstract: NEC remains a major concern for neonatologists, surgeons, and gastroenterologists due to its high morbidity and mortality. These infants often have poor developmental outcome, and contribute to significant economic burden resulting in marked stress in these families. By developing and adhering to strict feeding protocols, encouraging human milk feeding preferably from the infant's mother, use of probiotics, judicious antibiotic use, instituting blood transfusion protocols, the occurrence of NEC may possibly be reduced. However, because of its multifactorial etiology, it cannot be completely eradicated in the NICUs, particularly in the extremely premature infants. Ongoing surveillance of NEC and quality improvement projects may be beneficial.
authors: Department of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States.
authors: Shehzad
authors: S
authors: Huda
authors: Department of Pathology, LSU-Health, Shreveport, LA, United States.
authors: Shabnum
authors: S
authors: Chaudhery
authors: Department of Pediatrics, LSU-Health, Shreveport, LA, United States.
authors: Hassan
authors: H
authors: Ibrahim
authors: Department of Pediatrics, LSU-Health, Shreveport, LA, United States. Electronic address: aprama@lsuhsc.edu.
authors: Arun
authors: A
authors: Pramanik
keywords: Necrotizing enterocolitis; Preterm infant; Prevention