title: Intestinal damage in gastroschisis correlates with the concentration of intraamniotic meconium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Contact with amniotic fluid (AF) causes intestinal damage in gastroschisis, which has been shown to be caused by intraamniotic meconium. However, whether this intraamniotic meconium-induced intestinal damage is concentration dependent has not been investigated previously. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of intraamniotic human meconium at various concentrations on the intestines of chick embryo with gastroschisis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five-day-old fertilized chick eggs were used. Gastroschisis was created through the amniotic cavity without opening the allantoic cavity. Sterile meconium was obtained from newborn humans. Meconium suspensions at various concentrations were prepared using saline and instilled into the amniotic cavity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intraamniotic 1:200 and 1:400 meconium was found to cause intestinal damage. Meconium concentrations lower than 1:400 did not cause intestinal damage. Histopathologic examination of the intestines of the 1:200 and 1:400 meconium groups showed serosal thickening, inflammation, focal fibrin, and collagen deposits. Histopathologic features of the intestines of the 1:600 and 1:800 meconium groups did not differ from the intestines of the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intraamniotic meconium, which is responsible for intestinal damage in gastroschisis, must reach a threshold level to induce intestinal damage. J Pediatr Surg 36:1811-1815.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatric Surgery and Pathology, Dokuz Eylül University Medical School, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Api
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olguner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hakgüder
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ateş
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Akgür
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D020139:Gastroschisis / Q000150:complications* / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000196:embryology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000196:embryology*; D008470:Meconium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*