Necrotizing Entercolitis

  INTRODUCTION  Infrared thermal imaging (thermography) is a non-invasive method to measure skin temperature. The primary aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of thermography for the assessment of abdominal skin temperature in extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants, with secondary aims to compare abdominal and thoracic skin temperature, and to explore potential relationships between abdominal skin temperature and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).

  preterm infant, whose course was complicated by sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis with jejunal perforation, intraventricular hemorrhage and cerebellar hemorrhage, suffered permanent and total paralysis below the neck from extravasation of parenteral nutrition fluids through a femoral venous catheter. MRI imaging revealed extravasation of fluid into the paraspinus musculature with extension into the spinal canal. This fluid was identified as hyperalimentation and intralipid.