ReviewSurgery in practice and science2025
Outcomes of primary intestinal anastomosis versus stoma in necrotizing enterocolitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Review in Surgery in practice and science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Article
- Surgical Necrotising Enterocolitis (S-NEC): Where We Stand Today: A Narrative Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Approximately one-quarter of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) cases require surgical resection due to bowel perforation, necrosis, or failure to respond to conservative management. In such cases, the optimal method for restoring intestinal continuity remains debatable. Stoma is traditionally favored over primary anastomosis for its perceived safety, particularly in unstable infants, but it is associated with complications such as fluid and electrolyte imbalances, impaired growth, and the need for a second surgery. This study aims to systematically review and analyze the evidence comparing stoma versus primary anastomosis in neonates undergoing surgery for NEC. Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), the Cochrane Library, and Scopus for studies comparing the outcomes of stoma versus primary anastomosis in neonates with NEC. The primary outcomes included overall postoperative complications, intestinal perforation, stricture, mortality, wound infection, time to full enteral nutrition, time to end parenteral nutrition, and length of hospital stay. The meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager (RevMan) version 5.4. Results: Eighteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Primary anastomosis was associated with lower mortality risk: (risk ratios (RR) = 0.61; 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.42:0.88). No significant differences were observed between groups in overall complications, wound infection, duration of hospital stay, duration of parenteral nutrition, the need for a second operation (excluding stoma closure), strictures, and perforations. Conclusion: Primary anastomosis for neonates with NEC is associated with lower mortality and comparable complication rates compared to stoma formation in selected cases.
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