Peritoneal drainage versus laparotomy as initial treatment for surgical necrotising enterocolitis

For very low birth weight infants with surgical necrotising enterocolitis or spontaneous intestinal perforation, a review of three trials found that peritoneal drainage likely offers no significant mortality or overall neurodevelopmental advantage over laparotomy. However, it increases the risk of moderate-to-severe cerebral palsy and often necessitates subsequent surgery, influencing clinical decisions.