Surgeons and neonatologists views about surgical decision making in necrotising enterocolitis
Surgeons and neonatologists views about surgical decision making in necrotising enterocolitis
Objective: to understand why surgical decision-making in necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is challenging and to explore what is required to optimise this.
Design: three semi-structured in-person focus groups exploring surgical decision-making in NEC. Reflexive thematic analysis of the focus group transcript was undertaken.
Participants: 22 consultant participants (15 paediatric surgeons and 7 neonatologists).
Main outcome measures: themes addressing what informs, the challenges of and how to improve surgical decision-making in NEC.
Results: 10 themes addressed what informs decision-making in NEC, 6 themes addressed why this is challenging and 5 themes explained what is required to address the challenges of decision-making. Themes regarding challenges of decision-making were: diagnostic uncertainty, variable threshold for referral/transfer, lack of continuity of care, absence of clear criteria for surgery, uncertainty surrounding surgery and fear. Subthemes regarding fear were fear of (1) poor clinical outcome, (2) criticism from colleagues and (3) undertaking unnecessary surgery.
Themes: in all three areas were related to infant, clinician and system-based factors. These included themes regarding indications for surgical intervention, indications for referral and transfer of infants, and reducing variability in practice.
Conclusions: this study identified themes that illuminate the difficulties experienced by neonatologists and surgeons regarding surgical decision-making in NEC. Clinicians of both specialties would welcome changes to current practice focused particularly around standardisation of practice and greater objectivity around several aspects of surgical decision-making. These insights can be used to focus further research and implement practice change around surgical decision-making in NEC with the ultimate aim of facilitating early and accurate decision-making.
Gastroenterology, Neonatology
Bethell, George S.
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Hall, Nigel J.
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Battersby, Cheryl
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Knight, Marian
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Darlington, Anne-Sophie
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17 October 2025
Bethell, George S.
c7a62cc1-5573-41f6-ae00-3c11e8219dd4
Hall, Nigel J.
6919e8af-3890-42c1-98a7-c110791957cf
Battersby, Cheryl
6cb01b33-f481-4f44-93c9-faaa29c29afc
Knight, Marian
6496fd31-ef02-47e6-88d0-989f4bc0f425
Darlington, Anne-Sophie
472fcfc9-160b-4344-8113-8dd8760ff962
Bethell, George S., Hall, Nigel J., Battersby, Cheryl, Knight, Marian and Darlington, Anne-Sophie
(2025)
Surgeons and neonatologists views about surgical decision making in necrotising enterocolitis.
Archives of Disease in Childhood, [e328480].
(doi:10.1136/archdischild-2025-328480).
Abstract
Objective: to understand why surgical decision-making in necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is challenging and to explore what is required to optimise this.
Design: three semi-structured in-person focus groups exploring surgical decision-making in NEC. Reflexive thematic analysis of the focus group transcript was undertaken.
Participants: 22 consultant participants (15 paediatric surgeons and 7 neonatologists).
Main outcome measures: themes addressing what informs, the challenges of and how to improve surgical decision-making in NEC.
Results: 10 themes addressed what informs decision-making in NEC, 6 themes addressed why this is challenging and 5 themes explained what is required to address the challenges of decision-making. Themes regarding challenges of decision-making were: diagnostic uncertainty, variable threshold for referral/transfer, lack of continuity of care, absence of clear criteria for surgery, uncertainty surrounding surgery and fear. Subthemes regarding fear were fear of (1) poor clinical outcome, (2) criticism from colleagues and (3) undertaking unnecessary surgery.
Themes: in all three areas were related to infant, clinician and system-based factors. These included themes regarding indications for surgical intervention, indications for referral and transfer of infants, and reducing variability in practice.
Conclusions: this study identified themes that illuminate the difficulties experienced by neonatologists and surgeons regarding surgical decision-making in NEC. Clinicians of both specialties would welcome changes to current practice focused particularly around standardisation of practice and greater objectivity around several aspects of surgical decision-making. These insights can be used to focus further research and implement practice change around surgical decision-making in NEC with the ultimate aim of facilitating early and accurate decision-making.
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NEC focus groups ADC F&N - final accepted version
- Accepted Manuscript
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archdischild-2025-328480.full
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Accepted/In Press date: 2 April 2025
e-pub ahead of print date: 25 April 2025
Published date: 17 October 2025
Keywords:
Gastroenterology, Neonatology
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 500898
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/500898
ISSN: 0003-9888
PURE UUID: c9b00056-d049-4913-ae89-fbf485d26fc8
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Date deposited: 15 May 2025 16:57
Last modified: 18 Oct 2025 02:09
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Author:
George S. Bethell
Author:
Cheryl Battersby
Author:
Marian Knight
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