Necrotising enterocolitis: A management protocol for developing countries

28 cases of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) comprising I I term and 17 pret erm patients were diagnosed between January 1990 and December 1995 at the U niversity Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). Treatment was in accordance w ith a management protocol which emphasised aggressive screening of potentia l cases, early laparotomy for bowel perforation and primary anastomosis aft er small bowel resection. There were three deaths among the 13 cases of bow el perforation. Centres in developing countries carl achieve rates of survi val comparable to those in the developed world in babies with NEC weighing over 1000 grams by adopting the UHWI management protocol.