History of Necrotising Enterocolitis

Necrotising enterocolitis emerged as a disease entity as neonatal care became established as a sub-specialty of paediatrics. By the mid-1980s, the key features of this disease were identified and broadly accepted. Management with antibiotics and surgery for the most severe cases became routine. The introduction of routine surfactant use revolutionised neonatal care in the 1990s and many smaller, more premature babies survived than had done previously. In this context, NEC became both more common and more significant; fewer babies dying from respiratory problems has meant that NEC is now responsible for a higher proportion of deaths. In the early part of the twentieth century, outcomes for neonates across the board have continued to improve but NEC treatment and prognosis has hardly changed at all.