Bowel resection in the neonatal phase of life: short-term and long-term consequences

Bowel resection during the neonatal phase of life may be associated with considerable morbidity, both short- and long-term. A retrospective evaluation is reported, concerning 74 patients who underwent bowel resection over a ten-year-period, due to necrotising enterocolitis, atresia, volvulus or Hirschsprung's disease. The cause of death of 15 non-survivors was investigated and the pattern of morbidity of 59 surviving patients was evaluated regarding growth, nutrition and defaecation. It was concluded that the ultimate prognosis for most patients is good, despite considerable morbidity during the first year of life, involving serious losses of fluids and electrolytes, cholestasis, and recurrent sepsis due to central venous catheters.