Abstract
Over the last ten years advances in neonatal intensive care, such as the advent of parenteral nutrition, have led to a significant decrease in the mortality rates of neonates with intestinal obstruction. Nevertheless, surgical short-term complications associated with the intestinal anastomosis performed, such as stenosis or leakage, and long-term nutritional complications due to extensive resections are still responsible for mortality and for a high morbidity rate. 39 newborns referred to our hospital in the past 3 years for intestinal obstruction were retrospectively evaluated with particular attention to the surgical management, surgical techniques and subsequent complications. Age on admission was from 1 hour to 24 days; weight from 1.4 to 3.8 kg; 41% of newborns had a prenatal diagnosis, 57 surgical procedures were performed: among them 44 intestinal anastomoses. Short-term surgical complications, namely perforation and stenosis, were observed in 18.1% of anastomoses. The complication rate after simple end-to-end anastomosis was as high as 30%. However, certain technical refinements such as tailoring the dilated upper pouch, positioning a transanastomotic feeding tube and an intubated lateral stoma resulted in a much lower complication rate (3.7%). Thus, in our experience these technical refinements are effective in reducing the incidence of short-term surgical complications.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 354-357 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | European Journal of Pediatric Surgery |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 6 |
Publication status | Published - Dec 1996 |
Keywords
- intestinal obstruction
- neonatal surgery
- short-bowel syndrome
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health