Payne et al reported findings associated with a prolonged length of stay for a newborn with gastroschisis. The presence or absence of these findings can help the parents to better understand what to expect. The authors are from Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Aurora Health Care and Pediatric Surgical Associates in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Patient selection: newborn with gastroschisis
Risk factors for a longer length of stay in the hospital:
(1) prematurity
(2) nonelective silo (performed when the abdominal cavity is too small to permit primary repair)
(3) non-GI anomalies
(4) gastrointestinal complications (intestinal atresia, perforation or resection)
Non-GI complications may include:
(1) skeletal (supernumerary digit, arthrogryposis, absent radius, talipes)
(2) cardiac (bicuspid aortic valve, ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect)
(3) renal (left ureteropelvic obstruction with hydronephrosis, pyelectasis)
(4) microcephaly
(5) cerebral dysgenesis
An ultrasound examination can help to identify gastrointestinal complications.
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Dilated Bowel Seen on Ultrasound
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Percent GI Complications
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absent
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3%
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present
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22%
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