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Necrotizing enterocolitis is a severe gastrointestinal condition that primarily affects premature infants. It occurs when tissue in a part of the intestines becomes inflamed, leading to serious damage. A hole (perforation) may form as a result.
Treatment involves resting and healing the baby's digestive system. A nasogastric tube (thin tube inserted in the nose) may be used to suck out the air and contents of the stomach. Antibiotics may be given to fight infections. In some cases, the baby may need surgery to remove the dead intestinal tissue and repair a hole.
Reviewed By:
Samantha Nazareth, MD (Gastroenterology)
Board-certified gastroenterologist. Experience managing gastrointestinal conditions (GERD, IBS, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s, celiac disease, NASH) within healthcare organizations (three ambulatory surgical centers, single-specialty practice, multi-specialty practice and solo practice).
Aiko Yoshioka, MD (Gastroenterology)
Dr. Yoshioka graduated from the Niigata University School of Medicine. He worked as a gastroenterologist at Saiseikai Niigata Hospital and Niigata University Medical & Dental Hospital before serving as the Deputy Chief of Gastroenterology at Tsubame Rosai Hospital and Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital. Dr. Yoshioka joined Saitama Saiseikai Kawaguchi General Hospital as Chief of Gastroenterology in April 2018.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1Meister AL, Doheny KK, Travagli RA. Necrotizing enterocolitis: It's not all in the gut. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2020 Jan;245(2):85-95. doi: 10.1177/1535370219891971. Epub 2019 Dec 6. PMID: 31810384; PMCID: PMC7016421.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1535370219891971Neu J. Necrotizing Enterocolitis: The Future. Neonatology. 2020;117(2):240-244. doi: 10.1159/000506866. Epub 2020 Mar 10. PMID: 32155645.
https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/506866Alganabi M, Lee C, Bindi E, Li B, Pierro A. Recent advances in understanding necrotizing enterocolitis. F1000Res. 2019 Jan 25;8:F1000 Faculty Rev-107. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.17228.1. PMID: 30740215; PMCID: PMC6348433.
https://f1000research.com/articles/8-107/v1Cleveland Clinic
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10026-necrotizing-enterocolitis#management-and-treatment