Necrotizing enterocolitis

Abstract

In the neonatal period, the most frequent urgency of the digestive is the Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), which predominantly affects the preterm with very low birth weights. The reported incidence varies globally from 6 to 7 percent. The pathogenesis of NEC remains unknown, although it is considered a multifactorial disease, being prematurity the main risk factor. This has been related to the immaturity of the mucosa in the gastrointestinal tract and the decrease in its motility, allowing a greater permeability and favoring bacterial translocation. Its diagnosis can be complex and sometimes late, keeping mortality on a high rate (10-30%) despite efforts made by caring the premature infants at the neonatal intensive care units. The preventive measures applied have shown an advance on the incidence and morbidity of NEC, however, there is still uncertainty about their potential benefits. Patients treated either by medical treatment or surgeries can have short and long-term sequelae complications, such as sepsis, extrauterine malnutrition, short bowel syndrome and alterations in growth.