[Surgical aspects of necrotizing enterocolitis]

Between January 1980 and December 1981 13 babies were admitted to the Pediatric Surgical Department of Nijmegen, The Netherlands because of necrotizing enterocolitis or its complications. Two patients underwent surgical exploration, but had no bowel necrosis. One of them recovered and the other had to be operated later on because of ileal stenosis. Two patients had resection of necrotic bowel and a primary anastomosis. One survived and one died. Five patients with perforation of the gut underwent resection and ileostomy. Two of them developed a colonic stricture later on that had to be resected. In all five the ileostomy was closed after recovery. Four patients, who were treated conservatively elsewhere, developed bowel stricture. In three of them after resection a primary anastomosis was done. One had a colostomy after resection, that was closed later on.