Neonatal gastrointestinal surgical emergencies: a 5- year review in a teaching hospital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Objective: A five year retrospective review of medical records of newborns admitted for gastrointestinal surgical emergencies was done. This study was intended to see the pattern of presentation, mode of intervention and surgical outcome of these cases and for provision of feed-back to the surgeon-pediatrician team who are involved in the care of such newborns.

Methods: The study included cases admitted to the Neonatal Unit of the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, during the period of January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2001.

Results: A total of 60 cases admitted during the above-mentioned period were reviewed. Thirty-six (60%) were males, 23 (38%) were females, while one newborn had ambiguous genitalia. Imperforate anus has accounted for 27 (45%) of the 60 cases; jejunoileal atresia and esophageal atresia with or without tracheoesophageal each accounted for 12 (20%) cases; while 9 (15%) had other lesions. Of the 60 cases surgical intervention was performed on 43 (72%) newborns. Of the 12 newborns with esophageal atresia with or with out tracheoesophageal fistula. only one newborn was discharged alive; 7 out of 12 newborns with jejunoileal atresia died, 4 cases discharged improved while the outcome for 1 newborn was not known. Of the newborns with imperforate anus, 8 (47%) of the 17 with the high type and 1 (10%) of the 10 with low-type died

Conclusion: Early diagnosis, availability of diagnostic service and prompt surgical intervention with optimal pre- and post-operative care are necessary to increase survival of newborns with such problems.