Home

For Patients/Families

Glossary of Terms

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
Swelling, tenderness and redness of the intestine caused by an infection or decreased blood supply to the intestine. NEC may injure or destroy parts of the bowel. The seriousness of NEC varies. It may affect only the innermost lining or the entire thickness of the bowel. Premature babies, especially those who are born small for gestational age or who are twins, are at greater risk for NEC than babies who are born at full-term.
This is Children's Glossary of Medical Terms - and much more. You'll find the basic definitions and, for many medical subjects, a larger medical context written by an experienced Children's pediatrician. All the definitions are in an easy-to-print format.

Glossary Index

Search Glossary

Date Last Modified: 08/25/2003 09:35