Gastroschisis minor.

BACKGROUND

Since 1994 the author has seen a number of cases of what appear to be a minor variant of gastroschisis.

METHODS

The case files of all neonates with gastroschisis (GS) presenting to the neonatal ward of the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), a referral hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, from January 1995 to December 1998 were reviewed and the presentation and survival noted.

RESULTS

Twenty-one neonates were seen; only 2 of 15 with "normal" GS survived. The other patients had gastroschisis minor (GSM) and all left the hospital alive.

CONCLUSION

In the context of the constraints and difficulties encountered in the treatment of gastroschisis in a developing country, this subgroup of patients with a more minor form of gastroschisis shows a distinct survival advantage.