Podcast 645: Necrotizing Enterocolitis and More Emergency Medical Minute

Contributor:  Peter Bakes, MD
Educational Pearls:
Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) Presents in the first few days of life (often in the NICU) to 3 weeks old Risk factors include prematurity, excess feeding, neonatal sepsis Pneumatosis Intestinalisis on abdominal xray caused by bacterial translocation into the bowel wall Treated with NG tube, bowel rest and surgical resection Other causes of pediatric abdominal pain Malrotation with volvulus Malrotation is caused by failure of intestinal rotation in the 8th-12th week of development Presents with bilious vomiting, which is a surgical emergency in a neonate 90% of cases present in the first year of life, with most of these presenting in the first month Diagnosed with an upper GI series Pyloric Stenosis Typically in males Diagnosed with abdominal ultrasound and treated surgically Intussusception Typically presents between 2 months and 2 years with a palpable mass in the RUQ Diagnosed with abdominal ultrasound Duodenal atresia Congenital stricture in the duodenum Presents with bilious vomiting and a double-bubble on abdominal xray References
Alwan R, Drake M, Gurria Juarez J, Emery KH, Shaaban AF, Szabo S, Sobolewski B. A Newborn With Abdominal Pain. Pediatrics. 2017 Nov;140(5):e20164267. doi: 10.1542/peds.2016-4267. PMID: 29042421.
Hostetler MA, Schulman M. Necrotizing enterocolitis presenting in the Emergency Department: case report and review of differential considerations for vomiting in the neonate. J Emerg Med. 2001 Aug;21(2):165-70. doi: 10.1016/s0736-4679(01)00371-7. PMID: 11489407.
 
Summarized by John Spartz, MS3