[Surgical treatment of ulcerative-necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants. Indications and results; apropos of 50 cases].

From 1984 to 1991, 50 premature infants needed surgery for necrotizing enterocolitis. In 36 cases, surgery was necessary in emergency (weight 700 to 3,000 g, mean term: 29 weeks). Surgical treatment consisted either in intestinal resection associated with enterostomy (n = 26, or enterostomy alone (n = 10). The results were as follows: 5 early deaths, 4 late deaths (3 due to extra-digestive causes), 22 good results with nutritional recovery after closure of enterostomy. At the present time, 5 children need parenteral nutrition or are waiting for closure of enterostomy. 14 infants needed a surgical treatment for late intestinal stricture (3 to 6 weeks) by resection with enterostomy (n = 7) or with immediate anastomosis (n = 7). 13 are alive without digestive sequelae and 1 died of neurological disease. According to our experience, early surgical treatment consists in enterostomy associated whenever possible with resection of necrotic intestine. Late strictures are at best managed by resection with immediate anastomosis.