title: Enterostomy closure timing for minimizing postoperative complications in premature infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For premature infants with advanced acute abdomen, creating a temporary enterostomy is believed to be an appropriate surgical management. However, there is no consensus regarding the timing of enterostomy reversal. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal timing for enterostomy closure (EC) by analyzing EC-related complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study of preterm infants who underwent enterostomy for suspected acute abdomens and subsequent closure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EC-related complications occurred in 35 of 54 infants (65%). A univariate analysis determined the following risk factors for EC-related complications: lower weight and younger age at the time of EC and a shorter stoma duration. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, the only significant risk factor was a weight under 2660 g at the time of the closure operation. Infants with EC-related complications were ventilated longer, were administered more vasopressors, and were more likely to undergo reoperation. Additionally, these infants required parenteral nutrition for a longer duration, had a longer length of hospital stay after EC, and had a significantly lower weight and height at a corrected age of 7-10 months than infants without EC-related complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Body weight may be one of the most important factors to consider for minimizing EC-related complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Juyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kimhans@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Han-Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Han
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ee-Kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000628:therapy*; D000367:Age Factors; D004766:Enterostomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: acute abdomen; preterm infants; surgical stomas