The Long-Term Outcome of Abdominal Wall Defects Exomphalos & Gastroschisis Retrospective Single Centre Study Children Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia

Objective: To examine the natural history and detailed outcome of diagnosed cases of abdominal wall defects that admitted to The Children`s Hospital at Westmead. Methods: This was A retrospective single centre study of all cases of abdominal wall defects admitted between the 1st of October 1998 and the 1st of January 2007 to The Children`s Hospital at Westmead. The study had been conducted through a retrospective review of the neonatal, pediatric surgery records and subsequent follow-up information of all cases of Omphalocele and Gastroschisis diagnosed. Results: Ninety cases with anterior abdominal wall defects were admitted. Majority of the cases were born at Westmead Hospital. There were 25 neonates with Gastroschisis (27 females, 28 males), and 35 neonates with Exomphalos (15 females, 20 males). Eighty-one neonates had prenatal ultrasound diagnosis. Some neonates had associated congenital anomalies which results in five deaths (4 Exomphalos, 1 Gastroschisis). Post operative complications were common and the postoperative hospital stay was often lengthy. Twenty-five patients out of the ninety (15 Gastroschisis, 10 exomphalos) required further operations which were related to their primary diagnosis of Gastroschisis or Exomphalos, mostly for abdominal wall hernias. Conclusions: Long-term outcome was favourable in majority of cases with abdominal wall defects and mortality substantially happened in neonates with associated anomalies. Reoperations were necessary in those patients who had postoperative hernias.