Surgical findings during exploratory laparotomy are closely related to mortality in premature infants with necrotising enterocolitis.

AIM: This study investigated whether a correlation existed between surgical findings during the first laparotomy for necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and death and, or, disease progression. METHODS: We included infants admitted within one day of birth to our tertiary neonatal department at Rigshospitalet, Denmark, from 2006 to 2015, who underwent a laparotomy for acute NEC. They were classified according to the locality and extent of intestinal necrosis by a paediatric surgeon, based on the surgical findings. We correlated the surgical findings with postoperative outcomes, namely death and, or, progression of NEC. RESULTS: The first laparotomy showed that 48 infants had NEC, including 21 who demonstrated postoperative progression. Of these, six died before undergoing another laparotomy and 14 of the 15 infants who underwent relaparotomy also died. There was a significant association between surgical findings and NEC-related mortality (p = 0.03). The association between surgical findings and the progression of NEC was also significant (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Surgical findings during laparotomy for NEC were strongly correlated with mortality, which was close to 100% after relaparotomy. Considering the discouraging outcome, further studies should focus on alternative surgical approaches, such as proximal diverting jejunostomy and the clip and drop technique for the treatment of severe NEC.

Poor validity of the routine diagnosis of necrotising enterocolitis in preterm infants at discharge.

AIM: Necrotising enterocolitis contributes considerably to the mortality of preterm infants, but most questions remain unsolved after decades of extensive research. This Danish study investigated the validity of necrotising enterocolitis diagnoses at discharge according to Bell's staging system. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective single-centre cohort study of 714 preterm infants with a gestational age of less than 30 weeks born in 2006-2013. The infants were diagnosed with necrotising enterocolitis according to Bell's stages 2-3 at discharge and in retrospect by an expert panel, which served as our gold standard. RESULTS: The sensitivity of necrotising enterocolitis diagnosed at discharge was 0.72-0.75 depending on whether spontaneous intestinal perforation was included as necrotising enterocolitis or not. The positive predictive value of the diagnosis was 0.49-0.61. The incidence was significantly higher when diagnosed at discharge than when diagnosed by the expert panel (11.1 versus 9.0%, p = 0.03). The mortality rate for infants who were underdiagnosed at discharge was 50.0%, and it was 25.8% for infants who were overdiagnosed (p = 0.10). CONCLUSION: We found poor validity for the discharge diagnosis of necrotising enterocolitis. In future, a better way of defining the disease is needed for large-scale epidemiologic research.

Attitudes among health care professionals on the ethics of assisted reproductive technologies and legal abortion.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to study the attitudes among Danish health care professionals likely to encounter ethical controversies of ART and related subjects. METHODS: Anonymous questionnaire study design. A total number of 993 were asked to participate from May-July 1994. RESULTS: There was a tendency towards a more liberal attitude among gynecologists than among nurses. There was a majority for legal abortion (before 12 weeks of gestation), for selective reduction in multiple pregnancies, and for donor anonymity. There was a majority against sex selection, artificial reproduction as to single women and lesbians, and against adoption by homosexuals. The multivariate analysis showed a strong correlation between attitude and background variables, especially as to religion and profession. CONCLUSION: Religion and profession are determinants for the attitude towards several of the ethical controversies of ART and related subjects asked for in this study. We found a discrepancy between recommendations by the Ethical Council of Denmark and the attitudes among health care professionals.

Gastroscopic treatment of gastric band penetrating the gastric wall.

Gastric wall penetration of a gastric band after operation for morbid obesity is a well known late complication. The treatment is usually reoperation. In this case report we show that a band penetrating the gastric wall can be successfully treated by gastroscopic operation. This technique is more simple than reoperation, especially in case of morbid obesity at the time of the complication.

[Gastroscopic removal of penetrating gastric band]. / Gastroskopisk behandling af penetrerende gastrisk bånd.

Gastric wall penetration of a gastric band after operation for morbid obesity is a well known late complication. The treatment is usually reoperation. In this case report we show that a band penetrating the gastric wall can be successfully treated by gastroscopic operation. This technique is more simple than reoperation, especially in case of morbid obesity at the time of the complication.

Neonatal herpes in Denmark 1977-1991.

BACKGROUND: To prevent neonatal herpes, women in labor with genital herpes infection are still delivered by Cesarean section. This policy is currently being debated. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of neonatal herpes in Denmark and to evaluate the prevention practice. METHODS: All newborns with perinatal herpes in Denmark 1977-1991 were identified from hospital-records. RESULTS: Of 862,298 deliveries 136 possible cases were found but only 30 (22%) fulfilled the criteria for neonatal herpes. The incidence increased from 2.36 to 4.56 per 100,000 live births during 1977-1984 through 1984-1991. Three mothers (10%) had recurrent herpes at delivery, three (10%) had primary herpes, and five (17%) had oral herpes. Seven infants (23%) were delivered by Cesarean section. Nine (30%) only had cutaneous herpes, four (13%) had CNS herpes, nine (30%) had disseminated disease. Six (20%) did not have any sequelae. Four (13%) died. Six (20%) had serious neurological sequelae. Seven (23%) only had cutaneous recurrences. In seven cases (23%) information was insufficient. CONCLUSIONS: During a 15 year period in Denmark only one neonate had serious sequelae following a recognized maternal herpes recurrence. Four infants had a serious infection in spite of Cesarean section. This study does not support a policy of Cesarean section in case of maternal recurrent herpes simplex infection at delivery.

[Experiences with microcomputer based registration of esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy]. / Erfaringerne med mikrocomputerbaseret registrering af øsofago-gastro-duodenoskopi.

The development of and the experience with a microcomputer based register of endoscopy is described. The paper work was reduced from nine forms to one. The register provides the information necessary for budgeting the resources for staff and new equipment. The system provides the opportunity for analysing existing and new principles for treatment and provides information about the pattern of diagnoses, thereby supporting the running of clinical controlled studies. During the first 29 months, data from 6,014 endoscopies were collected. The categories of patients and the distribution of diagnoses is presented.