article_snippet.sent: Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious illness in which tissues in the intestine (gut) become inflamed and start to die.
article_snippet.sent: NEC is the most common surgical emergency in newborn babies and tends to affect more babies born prematurely than those born full-term.
article_snippet.sent: In many cases, NEC can be treated without surgery, by resting the bowel by using intravenous feeding and treating any infection with antibiotics.
article_snippet.sent: an operation is carried out under a general anaesthetic and can last between 30 minutes and four hours, depending on the severity of NEC.
article_snippet.sent: Source: Great Ormond Street Hospital . ' was diagnosed with necrotising enterocolitis, a condition where tissue in some portions of the bowel die.