NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS

Course overview

NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS (NEC) IS A LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY AFFECTING NEONATES WITH A MORTALITY RATE AS HIGH AS 50 PERCENT. THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF NEC IS INFLAMMATION OF THE INTESTINE LEADING TO BACTERIAL INVASION CAUSING CELLULAR DAMAGE AND CELLULAR DEATH AND NECROSIS OF THE COLON AND INTESTINE. AS NEC PROGRESSES, IT CAN LEAD TO INTESTINAL PERFORATION CAUSING PERITONITIS, SEPSIS, AND DEATH. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF NEC ARE NON-SPECIFIC AND MAY INCLUDE POOR FEEDING, VOMITING, LETHARGY, ABDOMINAL TENDERNESS. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES THE PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS AND STRESSES THE ROLE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM APPROACH TO THE CARE OF AFFECTED PATIENTS.