Gastroschisis is a treatable congenital birth defect where the viscera protrude from the abdomen. It is usually diagnosed through ultrasound and requires special care during pregnancy and delivery. Surgery can correct the condition, and with proper care, there are usually no long-term effects. Young maternal age is a risk factor, and medication use in early pregnancy may be linked to gastroschisis. Parents should focus on getting the best care for their baby and not blame themselves for the condition.
Gastroschisis is a congenital birth defect in which the viscera protrude from the abdomen. Classically, gastroschisis involves a bulging bowel loop, but other organs such as the liver may also be involved. While this condition looks and sounds scary, it is actually very treatable, and the prognosis can be very good when pregnancy, delivery, and corrective surgery are managed properly.
An obstetrician can sometimes diagnose gastroschisis when blood work reveals abnormalities, but it most commonly shows up on an ultrasound. The patient is usually referred to an obstetrician who deals with high-risk pregnancies because the pregnancy and the baby require special care. In some cases, a cesarean section may be recommended to reduce complications during delivery. Parents should also speak to a neonatal surgeon, a doctor who specializes in caring for newborns, to ensure their babies are getting the best care possible.
Once a baby with gastroschisis is born, a surgeon can thread the loose viscera into the body, close the incision, and use a pressure bandage to promote healing. Sometimes, the viscera are swollen due to the infection and it may be necessary to keep some of the viscera out of the body in a bag called a silo, with the surgeon gradually pushing the viscera into the body over time.
Some children have difficulty breathing after surgery, due to the resulting increase in abdominal pressure. For this reason, they are sometimes placed on a ventilator early in their recovery to help them breathe. You must also use parental nutrition to feed the baby, as he will not be able to digest food until the site heals. Once the condition has been addressed and the child has recovered, it usually has no long-term effects.
This condition is also known as laparoschisis, abdominoschisis or paraomphalocele. It is caused by incomplete fetal development and there appears to be a hereditary component, but other cases can develop spontaneously. The biggest risk factor for gastroschisis is young maternal age, although there is some evidence to suggest that the use of some medications in early pregnancy is linked to gastroschisis. This condition does not appear to be the mother’s fault and parents should not blame themselves when a diagnosis of gastroschisis is made. Instead, they should focus on talking to the doctor about the best options for care and treatment so they can have a healthy baby.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
