Omphalocele and gastroschisis

Abstract

Omphalocele and gastroschisis are the most common major congenital abdominal wall defects. Routine prenatal screening and diagnosis of an abdominal wall defect and concurrent anomalies is important, as it allows for effective prenatal counselling and optimal perinatal management. Omphalocele can be classified as small, giant, or ruptured. The overall morbidity and mortality in omphalocele is dependent upon the size of the defect and the severity of the associated malformations. Gastroschisis, which is the commonest developmental defect of the anterior abdominal wall, has increased in frequency in recent decades. There is a variation in prevalence by ethnicity and several known maternal risk factors. Postnatal surgical management includes primary surgical closure or staged reduction with silo. Overall, prognosis in gastroschisis is good, with low long-term morbidity in the majority of cases, but approximately 15% of cases are associated with intestinal complications, such as atresia, necrosis, perforation, or volvulus, and can carry a high morbidity and mortality.