Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Necrotizing enterocolitis in the extremely low birth weight infant

M I Rowe1, K K Reblock, A G Kurkchubasche

  • 1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2583.

Journal of Pediatric Surgery
|August 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

Extremely low birth weight infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) have higher mortality rates and more severe disease compared to standard premature infants. Pan involvement in ELBW infants with portal vein air indicates a critical condition with a 93% mortality rate.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Diagnosis and outcome of Hirschsprung's disease: does age really matter?

Pediatric surgery international·2004
Same author

Open and laparoscopic appendectomy are equally safe and acceptable in children.

Surgical endoscopy·2003
Same author

Rescue of acute portal vein thrombosis after liver transplantation using a cavoportal shunt at re-transplantation.

American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons·2002
Same author

Clinical features of a human Rac2 mutation: a complex neutrophil dysfunction disease.

The Journal of pediatrics·2001
Same author

The fetus with an abdominal wall defect.

Medicine and health, Rhode Island·2001
Same author

Macrophage phenotype during cholestatic injury and repair: the persistent inflammatory response.

Journal of pediatric surgery·2001

Area of Science:

  • Neonatalogy
  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Improved neonatal care increases survival of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants.
  • Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in ELBW infants.
  • Comparison of NEC in ELBW versus standard premature infants is crucial for understanding disease variations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare clinical, radiological, pathological, and bacteriologic findings, management, and outcomes of NEC in ELBW infants versus standard premature infants.
  • To analyze the impact of disease extent (focal, diffuse, pan involvement) on NEC outcomes in different infant groups.
  • To identify risk factors and differences in NEC presentation and progression between ELBW and standard premature infants.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Retrospective analysis of NEC patients categorized into ELBW (<1000g or <=28 weeks gestation) and standard premature (29-36 weeks gestation) groups.
  • Classification of NEC based on bowel involvement: focal, diffuse, or pan necrosis.
  • Evaluation of clinical, laboratory, radiological, pathological, and bacteriologic data, alongside management strategies and mortality rates.

Main Results:

  • ELBW infants presented later with NEC signs and first feedings compared to standard premature infants.
  • Pneumatosis was a common initial finding in both groups; portal vein air (PVA) was present in 29% of both.
  • ELBW infants with PVA showed significantly higher rates of pan involvement (71% vs 40%) and a wider variety of microorganisms, with a 93% mortality rate in this subgroup.
  • Survival rates were significantly lower in the ELBW group (55%) compared to the standard premature group (84%).

Conclusions:

  • NEC in ELBW infants is associated with more severe disease, diverse microbial profiles, and significantly higher mortality, particularly when pan involvement is present.
  • Portal vein air in ELBW infants with NEC is a strong indicator of extensive disease and carries a grave prognosis.
  • Further research into targeted interventions for NEC in ELBW infants is warranted to improve outcomes.