Necrotizing enterocolitis

Alternative names:

NEC

Definition:

An acquired disease, primarily in premature infants or sick newborns, in which intestinal tissue dies.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

In necrotizing enterocolitis, the lining of the intestinal wall dies and the tissue sloughs off. The cause for this disorder is unknown, but it is thought that a decreased blood flow to the bowel keeps the bowel from producing the normal protective mucus. Bacteria in the intestine may also be a causative factor. Risk factors include small, premature infants, outbreaks among other infants in a nursery (suggesting an infectious cause), the feeding of concentrated formulas, and infants who have received blood exchange transfusions.