Mesentric oxygen saturations in premature twins with and without necrotizing enterocolitis.

OBJECTIVE: To report the use of near-infrared spectroscopic monitoring to recognize mesenteric oxygen desaturations in a preterm neonate with necrotizing enterocolitis as well as the demonstration of reassuring mesenteric tissue perfusion in a twin sibling with an uncomplicated course. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Neonatal intensive care unit in a tertiary care children's hospital. PATIENTS: A 12-day-old growth-restricted preterm female twin with necrotizing enterocolitis and her twin who did not develop disease. INTERVENTIONS: In the twin with symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis, reduction in the mesenteric saturations was recorded in the injured bowel tissue as later confirmed during surgery. After resection of the ischemic bowel, mesenteric saturations returned to values comparable to those measured in the healthy twin. Reduced saturations were not observed in the asymptomatic twin. CONCLUSIONS: The use of optical oximetry to monitor mesenteric tissue saturation may provide a measure of bowel perfusion that could enhance clinical management in at-risk preterm neonates.