Necrotizing enterocolitis in Qatif

ABSTRACT

All the cases of proven necrotizing enterocolitis, diagnosed in the neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Qatif Central Hospital over 3 years period [from Sept. 1988 through Oct. 1991] were registered and reviewed. There were twenty cases diagnosed to have N.E.C. During the same period, a total of 1154 neonates were admitted to the unit making an incidence of 1.73 percent. The mean gestational age was 33.5 weeks with a range of 24-40 weeks. The average age at diagnosis was 8.8 days. The most predisposing factors were sepsis in 17 patients [85 percent], prematurity in 14 patients [70 percent], and umbilical line insertion in 10 patients [50 percent]. Four patients required surgical intervention because of perforation [20 percent]. Six patients died making a mortality rate of 30 percent