OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical characteristics of neonatal intestinal perforation and to provide a theoretical basis for improving the prognosis of this disease.

METHODSThe clinical data of 101 patients with neonatal intestinal perforation who were hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit between January 2000 and June 2014 were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTSThe main causes of neonatal intestinal perforation were neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC, 41 cases, 40.6%), idiopathic intestinal perforation (17 cases, 16.8%), and congenital megacolon (10 cases, 9.9%). The average birth weight and average gestational age of the idiopathic intestinal perforation group were significantly higher than those of the NEC group (P<0.05). The main pathogen of the NEC group was enterococci, which accounted for 57% (13/23), while in the idiopathic intestinal perforation group Gram-negative bacteria became the major pathogen; the distribution of pathogens were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis found that acidosis, multi-site intestinal perforation, and prolonged perforation-operation interval were independent risk factors for death due to neonatal intestinal perforation.

CONCLUSIONSMultiple causes contribute to neonatal intestinal perforation, and NEC is the major one. Neonatal intestinal perforation caused by NEC has different pathogens compared with idiopathic intestinal perforation, and the two diseases may be mutually independent. Early diagnosis and timely operation is the main measure to rescue the lives of patients with neonatal intestinal perforation.