Alternative Names
Abdominal wall defect repair
Definition of Gastroschisis repair:
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:
Description:
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.
Indications:
This procedure is used to repair gastroschisis, a life-threatening birth defect that requires immediate attention at birth.
