Gastroschisis: a national cohort study to describe contemporary surgical strategies and outcomes

Background: Information on adoption of newer surgical strategies for gastroschisis and their outcomes is largely limited to hospital-based studies. The aim of this study was to use a new UK national surveillance system to identify cases and thus to describe the contemporary surgical management and outcomes of gastroschisis.

Methods: We conducted a national cohort study using the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons Congenital Anomalies Surveillance System to identify cases between October 2006 and March 2008.

Results: All 28 surgical units in the United Kingdom and Ireland participated (100%). Data were received for 95% of notified cases of gastroschisis (n = 393). Three hundred thirty-six infants (85.5%) had simple gastroschisis; 45 infants (11.5%) had complex gastroschisis. For 12 infants (3.0%), the type of gastroschisis could not be categorized. Operative primary closure (n = 170, or 51%) and staged closure after a preformed silo (n = 120, or 36%) were the most commonly used intended techniques for simple gastroschisis. Outcomes for infants with complex gastroschisis were significantly poorer than for simple cases, although all deaths occurred in the simple group.

Conclusions: This study provides a comprehensive picture of current UK practice in the surgical management of gastroschisis. Further follow-up data will help to elucidate additional prognostic factors and guide future research.