Review Article
Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: A Systemic Review
Table 1
Clinical findings of NEC (Modified Bell Classification).
| (I) “Suspected” NEC: | | (i) Temperature instability, apnoea, bradycardia, lethargy | | (ii) Gastric retention, abdominal distention, emesis, blood in stool | | (iii) Normal or intestinal dilation and mild ileus on abdominal radiograph | |
| (II) “Definite” NEC: | | (i) As above plus | | (ii) Absent bowel sounds abdominal tenderness abdominal cellulitis or right lower quadrant mass | | (iii) Radiological evidence of intestinal dilation, ileus, or pneumatosis intestinalis ascites | |
| (III) “Advanced” NEC: | | (i) As above plus | | (ii) Hypotension, bradycardia, severe apnoea, respiratory and metabolic acidosis, coagulopathy, or neutropaenia | | (iii) Signs of peritonitis, marked tenderness, and abdominal distention radiological evidence | | of intestinal perforation (pneumoperitoneum) | |
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