NICU
Neonates, Infant, Newborn, Baby, Preemie
Gastroschisis
What is Gastroschisis?
Gastroschisis refers to when a baby is born with his or her intestines on the outside of the body. There is usually a very small opening in the adbdominal wall that allows the intestines to grow outside the infant's body, while in the uterus.
There is no known cause for gastroschisis, but a baby born with this condition will be admitted to the NICU promptly, with the intestines wrapped in a sterile gauze and kept moist until surgery can be done.
Treatment
Gastroschisis usually requires immediate surgery once the baby is stabilized. There are two types of surgery, both reliant upon how severe the condition is.
If there is a small amount of intestine on the outside of the stomach, then it can be placed back into its normal position inside the abdominal cavity. The opening in the abdominal wall also be closed.
If the amount of intestine is too large to fit back into the baby, then it will have to be placed in a sac that will be tightened over several days to force the intestine back into its normal position. After this is successful, the opening in the abdominal wall can then be closed.
For more information on gastroschisis, please visit the links below.
See Also:
• Cincinnati Children's - Gastroschisis
• Medline Plus - Gastroschisis