Acute inflammatory condition of the intestine, occurring in premature or low-birth-weight infants; believed due to a defect or immaturity of natural defenses, microorganisms normally present in the gastrointestinal tract producing infection. Symptoms include abdominal distension, decreased bowel sounds, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, lethargy, poor feeding, and often low body temperature. Necrosis of intestinal tissue due to inadequate blood supply, hyperbilirubinemia, edema, abdominal tenderness, and other abnormalities may follow, sometimes leading to perforation of the gastrointestinal lining, peritonitis, respiratory failure, and death. Treatment depends on the severity of the disease but includes nasogastric feeding, antibiotics, and, if perforation of the intestinal wall occurs, surgery.
A life-threatening intestinal disease in infants. Necrotizing enterocolitis can cause the death of intestinal tissue and can lead to scarring, narrowing, or rupture of the bowel. The disease is most common in low-birth- weight and premature infants. Its symptoms include intolerance to baby formula, a distended abdomen, and gas in the muscular layers of the intestinal wall. Some infants experience vomiting, diarrhea, blood in the stool, lethargy, and fluctuations in temperature. Severe enterocolitis can create a hole in the intestine. When that happens, an infant may develop peritonitis (a painful inflammation of the lining of the abdominal cavity), go into shock, and possibly die.
Severe damage to the intestinal mucosa of the preterm infant due to ischemia resulting from asphyxia or prolonged hypoxemia.
A medical condition characterized by the destruction of a section of the intestines due to a bacterial infection.