Gastrointestinal complications of gastroschisis.

The mortality of infants with gastroschisis has been reduced markedly in the last decade with the application of new surgical techniques, improved metabolic monitoring, and total parenteral nutrition. The late complications of repaired gastroschisis are now emerging. In this series of 30 infants with gastroschisis (20% mortality) significant gastroesophageal reflux was identified in seven of 10 infants with the appropriate barium study. The clinical symptom complexes of dysmotility, a recognized problem in gastroschisis, and gastroesophageal reflux can be easily confused. In addition, 11 episodes of necrotizing enterocolitis were identified in seven infants, four with perforations. The children with necrotizing enterocolitis had a deceptively benign clinical presentation, which was easily misinterpreted in these ill infants. Awareness of these two significant gastrointestinal complications and close cooperation of clinicians and radiologists to detect them should insure better survival in the infant with gastroschisis.