Document Detail


Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. Clinical and radiological features.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  4813793     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Necrotizing enterocolitis is an uncommon but dangerous disease in premature infants. Ten cases, seen over a three-year period at the Stanford University Medical Center, represented an incidence of 0.4 percent. The patients, six of whom died, derived from a general population, in contrast to the large series of patients reported in the literature in which the incidence was from 0.9 percent to 3.7 percent.(3-6)The initial symptoms-rapid respiration, periodic breathing, lethargy and irritability-were identical to those which occurred in numerous infants who had respiratory disease. Subsequent symptoms (abdominal distension, in 100 percent; vomiting, 80 percent; apneic spells, 70 percent; jaundice, 70 percent; guaic-positive stools, 60 percent) were those of nonspecific acute abdominal disease. The radiologist first made the diagnosis in 90 percent of cases. Interstitial air in the wall of the gut and the retroperitoneum, and portal vein gas were the most diagnostic radiographic features. Barium contrast studies were not helpful, and in one case led to the erroneous diagnosis of small bowel volvulus. Plain abdominal radiographs must be taken of all premature infants with symptoms of nonspecific acute abdominal disease. If the radiographs are negative, but symptoms continue, they should be repeated at frequent intervals, for early diagnosis is critical to institution of proper therapy.
Authors:
S A Holt; G W Friedland
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Western journal of medicine     Volume:  120     ISSN:  0093-0415     ISO Abbreviation:  West. J. Med.     Publication Date:  1974 Feb 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1974-04-17     Completed Date:  1974-04-17     Revised Date:  2009-11-18    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0410504     Medline TA:  West J Med     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  110-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Diagnosis, Differential
Diseases in Twins
Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / complications,  pathology,  radiography*
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature, Diseases / radiography*
Intestinal Obstruction / radiography
Male
Necrosis
Prognosis
Comments/Corrections

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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