[Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis: surgical treatment]

Since December 1984 to July 1987, 18 patients with NEC were studied. Vásquez-Estévez's protocol, was applied in order to define the surgical indication, taking in to account ten different clinical and laboratory parameters, each one scored 0 to 3 points. Only patients with score 15 or more should be operated and this was the case in 30% of our NEC. In all surgically treated patients intestinal necrosis was a constant finding, two of them had also bowel perforations. No patients died in the conservative management group (score under 15). Lethality among operated subjects was 16%.