Sonographic biometry of liver and spleen size long after closure of abdominal wall defects.
Little is known about the fate of the liver and spleen after closure of the abdominal cavity in patients with abdominal wall defects (AWD). Therefore, counselling families for long-term follow-up and in the case of surgery for acute disease, pregnancy or trauma may be difficult. A total of 18 patients ranging in age from 7 to 18 years, with AWD closed at birth, underwent ultrasound evaluation of liver and spleen size by determination of the index of liver size (ILS) and splenic volume (SV). These values were then correlated with some anthropometric parameters such as body mass index (BMI) and weight; correlation was also sought with some clinical features such as type of defect and direct or staged closure. Nearly all subjects exhibited weight above and BMI below the 50th percentile for age. ILS and SV were significantly above normal limits in all cases and no difference was found with regard to the type of defect.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients having undergone surgery for abdominal wall defects, liver and spleen usually regain their normal shape and position even though size and volume appear to be larger than in normal controls.
Zaccara
Antonio
A
Newborn Surgery Unit, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy. zaccara@opbg.net.
Iacobelli
Barbara D
BD
Newborn Surgery Unit, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy.
La Sala
Edoardo
E
Newborn Surgery Unit, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy.
Calzolari
Armando
A
Sports Medicine Unit, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Turchetta
Attilio
A
Sports Medicine Unit, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Orazi
Cinzia
C
Radiology Unit, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Schingo
Paolo
P
Radiology Unit, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Bagolan
Pietro
P
Newborn Surgery Unit, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165, Rome, Italy.
D000293:Adolescent; D001699:Biometry; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D020139:Gastroschisis / Q000601:surgery*; D006554:Hernia, Umbilical / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography