Gastroschisis: a 17-year experience.

From 1970 to 1987, 23 neonates with gastroschisis were treated at Kobe Children's Hospital. One patient died and 22 survived (96%). Seven patients were hypothermic upon arrival at the hospital, with body temperatures of 31.8 to 35.4 degrees C. Six patients were successfully managed by warm saline bathing (40 to 42 degrees C for one minute) to improve hypothermia. One patient who did not receive this rewarming procedure (body temperature, 31.8 degrees C) died of intractable metabolic disorders related to hypothermia. Ten patients were treated by primary fascial closure of the abdominal wall defect, eight by the skin flap method with secondary closure of the deliberately created abdominal hernia, and five by the silastic sac technique. Two patients required creation of intestinal stomas for ileal atresia. After surgery, 19 patients required ventilatory care with total paralysis (average 6.0 days). Nine patients required total parenteral nutrition (TPN), while 13 tolerated enteral feeding on days 3 to 11 (average, 6.0 days). In the latter 13 patients, intravenous fluid therapy was discontinued on day 11. Our experience suggests that (1) rewarming in a saline bath is effective treatment for hypothermia, (2) ventilatory assistance with total paralysis is mandatory, and (3) TPN can be avoided in 60% of the patients.