Necrotizing enterocolitis report of ۲۰ cases

Necrotizing enterocolitis is a disease of unknown origin. Epidemiological observations emphasize the potential roles of  infection, enteric feeding and local vascular compromise of the Gastrointestinal tract in the pathogenesis of this disease. Clinical findings include signs of sepsis , plus abdominal distention , vomiting, bloody stool and occasionally , signs of intestinal perforation and peritonitis. Serial plain abdominal films necessary to confirm the diagnosis, although, distention of intestinal loops could be the only radiological finding, pneumatosis intestinalis with or without portal air are pathognomonic. In this report, ۲۰ cases of NEC over a period of ۸ years (۱۹۸۴-۱۹۹۲) are reported. Four out of ۲۰ were below one month and ۱۶ between one month to ۳ years of age. Fourteen cases followed an episode of acute gastroenteritis. Among our patients ۳ developed NEC after using diphenoxylate for diarrhea prior to admission. In ۹ patients moderate to severe malnutrition was notable . Seventeen patients were formula fed, only ۳ cases were surgically treated. Mortality rate among our patients was ۳۰℅.