Gastroschisis
Gastroschisis
- Cover exposed bowel with saline-soaked gauze.
- Monitor CBC to check for infection (↑ WBC)
- Keep baby warm
- NPO, of course
- NG to decompress stomach
Gastroschisis is a congenital abnormality where a defect in the abdominal wall allows the intestines to protrude through the opening. The condition is typically diagnosed prenatally using ultrasound. The priority interventions for this baby are: cover the bowel outside the body with a saline-soaked with sterile gauze and keep the baby warm. Treatment: Firt, surgeons hang a “silo” of plastic material above the baby’s bed and attach it to the baby’s belly wall. The silo is a bag that protects the bowels. then the bowel is reduced and closure of abdominal defect occurs within 1 week. Complications are bowel obstruction (abdominal distention, ↓ bowel sounds), infection (areas of ischemic bowel, fever, ↑ WBC), and short bowel syndrome if necrosis occur and some of the bowel needs to be removed.
Let's do a case study
A newborn was brought to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with a diagnosis of gastroschisis. The baby had been diagnosed with gastroschisis in utero. The baby was born with his intestines and other abdominal organs protruding from a hole in the abdominal wall to the right of the umbilicus.
Gastroschisis