Medical Services

Necrotising enterocolitis is a serious disorder that can be life-threatening. It mostly affects babies who are born too early or too small. It is characterised by inflammation and bacterial infiltration of the intestinal wall, possibly resulting in tissue necrosis. There are many reasons why this condition happens, such as the gut not being fully developed, bacteria growing in the wrong way, formula feeding, and less blood flow to the gut.

Clinically, NEC frequently manifests within the initial weeks of life. Some early indicators are not being able to eat, a swollen stomach, vomiting (often with bile), and feeling worn out. As the sickness gets worse, babies may have bloody stools, unstable temperatures, apnoea (pauses in breathing), and symptoms of an infection throughout the body. Abdominal X-rays that show typical signs, like pneumatosis intestinalis (gas within the intestine wall), usually help make the diagnosis.
Management necessitates immediate intervention, encompassing the cessation of enteral feeding, gastric decompression, intravenous fluids, antibiotics, and meticulous monitoring within a newborn intensive care unit (NICU). In extreme circumstances, surgery may be needed to remove parts of the bowel that have died. Strategies for prevention include encouraging breastfeeding and slowly moving up in feeding. Even though newborn care has gotten better, NEC is still a major cause of death and illness in premature babies.