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Ency. home > Disease > N > Necrotizing enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment

Alternative names:

NEC

Definition:

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

Causes and Risks

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.

Ency. home > Disease > N > Necrotizing enterocolitis

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