IL NEONATO E LA GASTROENTEROLOGIA
Nutritional strategies in necrotizing enterocolitis
Teresa Capriati, Daniela Marino, Domenica Elia, Giulia Bolasco, Maria Chiara Trovato, Antonella Diamanti
UO di Gastroenterologia e Riabilitazione Nutrizionale, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Roma, Italia
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an acquired severe disease of the digestive system affecting mostly premature babies with possible very important long-term consequences on the child’s development. There are many studies about strategies for preventing and treat NEC by modifying or manipulating the diet (breast milk versus formula) and/or the feeding pattern (time for initiation after birth, continuous versus bolus feeding, modulation of intake according clinical events). However, currently well-established and shared clinical nutritional practices are not clearly available in NEC. In selected cases surgery is a therapeutic option of NEC, requiring sometimes partial intestinal resection responsible for short bowel syndrome that’s susceptible of nutritional treatment in a very complex program of intestinal rehabilitation. In this paper we resume the available options for treating and preventing NEC focusing on feeding practices.