The clinical and radiological evaluation of neonatal necrotising enterocolitis in Benin City, Nigeria.

Twenty four cases of neonatal necrotising enterocolitis seen at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital over a two year period are analysed. The clinical features of this entity were characterised by abdominal distension, apnoeic attacks, refusal to feed, bloody diarrhoea and fever. Seventeen infants (71%) were preterm. The important radiologic findings on plain abdominal films were pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumoperitoneum, abdominal distension and gas in the portal venous system. Twenty two of the 24 infants were treated conservatively. There was an overall mortality of 75%. The main pathologic findings were coagulation necrosis, mucosal ulceration and pneumatosis intestinalis. The roles of asphyxia, umbilical venous catherisation and septicaemia are stressed.