title: Prophylactic gastropexy in the asplenia syndrome.
abstract: The asplenia [Ivemark] syndrome (AS) is the association of congenital absence of the spleen with a variety of visceral abnormalities, predominantly of the cardiovascular system. Varying degrees of malrotation and malfixation of the bowel are common in this condition, and the occurrence of catastrophic gastric volvulus due to malfixation of the bowel has been reported. With the improvement in long-term outlook for these patients with modern cardiac surgery and prophylactic antibiotics, the intra-abdominal anomalies have become increasingly significant. This paper draws attention to the prophylactic treatment of gastric malfixation in the AS through the presentation of two cases in which gastropexy was performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children, UK.
authors.forename: B O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Okoye
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Cusick
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Spicer
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013154:Spleen / Q000002:abnormalities*; D013270:Stomach / Q000601:surgery*; D013277:Stomach Volvulus / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013577:Syndrome