Peritoneal drainage under local anesthesia for perforations from necrotizing enterocolitis

doi:10.1016/0022-3468(77)90607-8

Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Volume 12, Issue 6, December 1977, Pages 963-967

https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3468(77)90607-8 Get rights and content

Abstract

During 1974 and 1975, five newborn infants weighing between 760 and 1600 g developed severe intraabdominal complications of NEC due to necrotic bowel with perforation and peritonitis. Because these tiny neonates were very ill with sepsis and other severe medical problems, no attempt at laparotomy under general anesthesia was carried out. Instead, using local anesthesia, the contaminated peritoneal cavity was drained via a small incision, usually in the right lower quadrant. This permitted evacuation of air, pus, and stool. In all babies there was improvement evident in the abdomen within one wk, although two of the five newborns died from other causes. The three survivors are well and have normally functioning intestinal tracts 1–2 yr following surgery. One of these surviving babies developed a bowel stricture which subsequently required resection. We feel this method is preferable in the handling of the tiny sick neonate with a bowel perforation from NEC.

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Cited by (163)

Percutaneous Pigtail Catheter Drainage of Spontaneous Intestinal Perforation in Premature Infants
2023, Journal of Surgical Research
Peritoneal drainage is an established management strategy for spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) in premature infants. We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous pigtail catheter placement as an alternative to drain insertion via a lower quadrant incision.
Patients less than 32 weeks gestational age who underwent peritoneal drain placement for SIP at two neonatal intensive care units between 2011 and 2022 were identified. Incisional drainage (ID) or percutaneous pigtail catheter drainage (PD) was used based upon the usual practices of the surgeons. ID (n = 19) was performed via a 5-mm right lower quadrant incision into which a one-fourth–inch Penrose or red rubber catheter was placed. PD (n = 18) was accomplished using a Seldinger technique by which a 6.0 or 8.5 F pigtail catheter was passed through the left lower quadrant. Demographics and physiological parameters at the time of drainage were recorded and short-term and long-term outcomes were evaluated.
Thirty seven infants were identified. There were no differences in demographics or physiological derangement between the groups. Patients who underwent ID had more frequent stool drainage, a greater transfusion requirement, and a longer time to full feedings (60.6 v 37.7 d, P = 0.04). Incisional hernias (n = 3, 16%) only developed after ID. The duration of drain placement, length of stay, and time to resolution of pneumoperitoneum were similar with ID and PD as was the incidence of premature drain dislodgement and subsequent laparotomy.
Percutaneous drain placement provided effective drainage in infants with SIP and was associated with more rapid feeding advancement and no incidence of incisional hernia.
Early laparoscopic-assisted surgery is associated with decreased post-operative inflammation and intestinal strictures in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis
2023, Journal of Pediatric Surgery
In 2015, a protocol including early laparoscopy-assisted surgery in the treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was implemented at our institution. Carbon dioxide insufflation during laparoscopy may have an anti-inflammatory effect. We aimed to compare post-operative outcome after early laparoscopy-assisted surgery and classical laparotomy for NEC.
Charts of premature infants undergoing surgery for NEC (2012–2021) were reviewed. Cases operated by early laparoscopy-assisted surgery (2015–2021) were compared to infants operated for NEC between 2012 and 2015 (laparotomy-NEC). Outcomes were post-operative CRP, need for reintervention, mortality, and the occurrence of post-NEC intestinal strictures. CRP was measured on the day of surgery (POD-0), 2 days (POD-2), and 7 days after surgery (POD-7). Data were compared using contingency tables for categorical variables and Student t-test or Mann–Whitney test for continuous variables.
Infants with NEC operated by early laparoscopy (n = 48) and laparotomy (n = 29) were similar in terms of perforation (60% vs 58%, p = 0.99) and POD-0 CRP (139 vs 124 mg/L, p = 0.94). Delay between first signs of NEC and surgery was shorter in the laparoscopy group (3 vs 6 days, p = 0.004). Early laparoscopy was associated with a lower CRP on POD-2 (108 vs 170, p = 0.005) and POD-7 (37 vs 68, p = 0.002), as well as a lower rate of post-operative intestinal stricture (34% vs 61%, p = 0.04).
In addition to being safe and feasible in premature infants, early laparoscopic-assisted surgery was associated with decreased NEC-related post-operative inflammation and strictures. A prospective, randomized study is needed in order to evaluate short and long-term effects of laparoscopy in infants with NEC.
Level III.
Updates and recommendations on the surgical management of NEC
2023, Seminars in Perinatology
Necrotizing enterocolitis is a severe gastrointestinal disease of the infant. It most commonly targets those that are born prematurely. NEC has been associated with initiation of feeds and in most cases, it can be managed with antibiotics and bowel rest. However, in up to half of the cases, intestinal perforation, peritonitis, and failure of medical treatment will require surgical intervention. The following review will discuss the surgical approach to managing NEC, based on an updated review of practice patterns and recently published literature.
Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Short Bowel Syndrome
2023, Avery's Diseases of the Newborn
Special considerations in randomized trials investigating neonatal surgical treatments
2022, Seminars in Perinatology
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are challenging, but are the studies most likely to change practice and benefit patients. RCTs investigating neonatal surgical therapies are rare. The Necrotizing Enterocolitis Surgery Trial (NEST) was the first surgical RCT conducted by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Neonatal Research Network (NRN), and multiple lessons were learned. NEST was conducted over a 7.25-year enrollment period and the primary outcome was death or neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) at 18-22 months corrected age. Surgical investigators designing clinical trials involving neonatal surgical treatments have many considerations to include, including how to study eligible but non-randomized patients, heterogeneity of treatment effect, use of frequentist and Bayesian analyses, assessment of generalizability, and anticipating criticisms during peer review. Surgeons are encouraged to embrace these challenges and seek innovative methods to acquire evidence that will be used to improve patient outcomes.
Multicenter retrospective comparison of spontaneous intestinal perforation outcomes between primary peritoneal drain and primary laparotomy
2020, Journal of Pediatric Surgery
The purpose of our study was to compare outcomes of infants with spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) treated with primary peritoneal drain versus primary laparotomy.
We performed a multi-institution retrospective review of infants with diagnosis of SIP from 2012 to 2016. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between infants treated with primary peritoneal drain vs infants treated with laparotomy.
We identified 171 patients treated for SIP (drain n = 110 vs. laparotomy n = 61). There were no differences in maternal or prenatal characteristics. There were no clinically significant differences in vital signs, white blood cell or platelet measures, up to 48 h after intervention. Patients who were treated primarily with a drain were more premature (24.9 vs. 27.2 weeks, p < 0.001) and had lower median birth weight (710 g vs. 896 g, p < 0.001). No significant differences were found in complications, time to full feeds, length of stay (LOS) or mortality between the groups. Primary laparotomy group had more procedures (median number 1 vs. 2, p = 0.002). There were 32 (29%) primary drain failures whereby a laparotomy was ultimately needed.
SIP treated with primary drain is successful in the majority of patients with no significant differences in outcomes when compared to laparotomy with stoma.
III.

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^☆: Presented before the 8th Annual Meeting of the American Pediatric Surgical Association. Acapulco, Mexico, April 20–23, 1977.

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Peritoneal drainage under local anesthesia for perforations from necrotizing enterocolitis☆

Abstract

Am J Surg

Am J Surg

J Pediatr Surg

J Pediatr Surg

J Pediatr Surg

J Pediatr Surg

J Pediatr