Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026

Effect of Hyaluronic Acid 35 kDa on an In Vitro Model of Preterm Small Intestinal Injury and Healing Using Enteroid-Derived Monolayers
Published on: July 28, 2022
Development of necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants receiving thickened feeds using SimplyThick®
1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Brenner Children's Hospital, Winston Salem, NC, USA.
Abstract:
SimplyThick(®)(ST) has been safely used as a thickener to treat adults who have dysphagia, but the safety of this product has not been studied in premature infants. Xanthan gum is the ingredient in ST that results in thickening and also is an effective laxative. We recently began using ST to treat premature infants with dysphagia and/or gastroesophageal reflux. We describe three cases of premature infants who developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) after they were fed ST. Unlike classic NEC, all three cases presented with late-onset colonic NEC.
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