[Intestinal obstruction following necrotizing enterocolitis (author's transl)]

The increase in survival from necrotizing enterocolitis results in an increased rate of late sequelae. We would like to take the opportunity to emphasize these new complications by a review of our patient material. 11 (23.9%) patients from a total number of 46 showed signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction at different points in the course of the disease. In two surviving patients out of this group of 11, a resection of postinflammatory gut stenosis had to be performed within the first year. In the 9 children who died, particular emphasis is being paid in the autopsy reports to obstructive lesions in the gastrointestinal tract. Due to this rather frequent event (23.9%) of postinflammatory formation of strictures and stenoses in the recovery from NEC a functional radiographic study of the intestinal patency seems mandatory before discharge of any patient with NEC with operative or conservative treatment.