Abstract
Eighteen operations were performed for 15 premature infants with low birth weight (less than 1, 500 grams) during the past 5 years from 1979. There were 7 male and 8 female patients. The average period of gestation was 27.5 weeks ranging from 25 to 35 weeks, and the average birth weight was 966 grams ranging from 725 to 1, 208 grams. In this series, there were 11 cases of ligation of ductus arteriosus for PDA (including 2 cases of bowel resections for necrotizing enterocolitis and intestinal volvulus), 2 bowel resections for necrotizing enterocolitis and each case of esophageal atresia and meconium plug syndrome (including one case of reoperation). Eight cases survived after the operation (survival rate was 53.3 per cent). There were many difficulties in the man-agement of pre- and postoperative periods due to prematurity, but it is suggested that the early diagnosis and the early operation can contribute to an increase in the operative survival rate even in those with severely premature infants.
