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  • Original Article
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Real-time bowel ultrasound to characterize intestinal motility in the preterm neonate

Abstract

Objective:

To characterize normal patterns of intestinal motility by ultrasound (US) in the preterm neonate during the first 5 days of life.

Study Design:

Bowel US examinations were performed with an US machine (Vivid-i, General Electric) equipped with a 13-MHz linear and 7 MHz sector transducer. Still images and clips were taken from all abdominal quadrants along with Doppler of the superior mesenteric artery. Cumulative motility (CM) was quantified for each patient. Comparisons were made between CM for each day of life. Inter-observer correlations were made using the intra-class correlation coefficient. Notation was made of feeding status, bowel sounds and clinical demographics.

Result:

Twenty infants were enrolled in the study. Seventeen infants had 5 days of complete US results available. Mean CM visualized on day of life (DOL) 1 was 28±12. By DOL 4 (38±17, P=0.006) and DOL 5 (41±20, P=0.008) mean CM increased. There was no difference in the resistance index on days imaged. Mean CM correlated with days to reach full feeds and gestational age, but gestational age was a stronger predictor of days to reach full feeds. Intra-observer correlation coefficient was 0.84.

Conclusion:

Real-time US provides a quantitative measure of intestinal motility in the preterm infant. Further studies are needed to establish the link between bowel US findings and feeding tolerance.

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Acknowledgements

JHK received consultant fees and research grant support for US development in an industry-sponsored study from GE Healthcare unrelated to this study.

Author Contribution

The first author, Delene Richburg, wrote the first draft of this manuscript.

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Correspondence to J H Kim.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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The Journal of Perinatology is the only publication receiving the submission of this manuscript and the authors will not submit this work to any other journal while under consideration. Both authors have seen the final submission version of and take full responsibility for the manuscript.

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Richburg, D., Kim, J. Real-time bowel ultrasound to characterize intestinal motility in the preterm neonate. J Perinatol 33, 605–608 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2013.17

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