Gastroschisis repair

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Gastroschisis repair - series

Gastroschisis repair is surgery to correct a congenital (present at birth) defect of the abdominal wall (gastroschisis). The surgery places a bulging part of the small intestine and other internal organs back into the abdominal area.

See also: Abdominal wall defect

Abdominal wall defect repair

Gastroschisis is rarely associated with other birth defects. Gastroschisis and omphalocele (a similar defect) are frequently diagnosed by ultrasound examinations before birth. See also omphalocele repair.

Immediately after delivery, any organs outside of the baby's body are covered with warm, moist, sterile bandages. A nasogastric (NG) tube is inserted through the baby's nose or mouth into the stomach to keep the stomach empty and to prevent choking on or breathing stomach contents into the lungs. This surgery is done as soon as the infant is stable.

The baby will be under general anesthesia (unconscious and pain-free) during the surgery. The surgeon examines the intestine closely for signs of damage or additional birth defects. Damaged or defective parts are removed and the healthy edges are stitched together.

The abdominal organs are placed back into the abdomen through defective opening and the opening is repaired, if possible. If this can't be done right away, a pouch is created to protect the intestines, which are slowly pushed back into the abdomen over a period of time. Surgery may be necessary to repair the abdominal muscles at a later time.

Gastroschisis is a life-threatening birth defect that requires immediate attention at birth.

Review Date: 07/14/2006
Reviewed By: J.A. Lee, M.D., Division of Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.