Necrotizing enterocolitis in premature babies; Laparotomy versus peritoneal drainage

ABSTRACT

Premature infants with necrotizing enterocolitis [NEC] or intestinal perforation [IP] are treated either surgically with laprotomy or peritoneal drain placement. [1] To develop a hypothesis about the relative effect of these 2 therapies on risk adjusted outcomes through 18 months in premature infants. [2] To obtain data that would be useful in designing and conducting a successful trial of this hypothesis. A prospective, observational study. In pediatric surgical departments of Military Hospital Rawalpindi and Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi. From Nov 2005 to April 2007. To assist in risk adjustment, the attending pediatric surgeon recorded the preoperative diagnosis and intraoperative diagnosis and identified infants who were considered to be too ill for laprotomy. Severe NEC or IP in 156 of 2987 premature infants; 80 were treated with initial drainage and 76 were treated with initial laprotomy. By 16 months, 76 [50%] had died; outcome remained worse in subgroup with NEC. Laprotomy was not performed in 76% [28 of 36] of drain treated survivors. Drainage was commonly used, and outcome was poor. Our findings, particularly the risk adjusted odds ratio favoring laparotomy, indicate the need for a large, multicenter clinical trial to assess the effect of initial surgery therapy on out come at > 16 months