Blood-Transfusion-Associated Necrotizing Enterocolitis (TANEC)

We are reporting here 3 cases of preterm babies who had severe fatal necrotizing enterocolitis in our NICU within 48 hours of packed RBCs transfusion. All the cases happened over one-month period. They were all relatively stable before blood transfusion. The transfusion was given for anemia of prematurity as hemoglobin and hematocrit were low. Within 48 hours of the transfusion, they started to have abdominal distension and hypoactivity and rapidly progressed to severe necrotizing enterocolitis and despite all supportive measures and pediatric surgeon involvement they died within one day. We report these cases to alert neonatologists about blood transfusion associated Necrotizing enterocolitis (TANEC) which is usually severe and can be fatal as in our cases