Prenatal ultrasonographic gastrointestinal abnormalities in fetuses with gastroschisis do not correlate with postnatal outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
In the setting of gastroschisis, the clinical significance of prenatal ultrasound findings of secondary changes in bowel appearance remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to correlate prenatal identification of additional gastrointestinal sonographic abnormalities with postnatal clinical outcome.


METHODS
A retrospective review was conducted on 64 fetuses with a prenatal diagnosis of gastroschisis treated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from 2000 to 2007. Postnatal outcomes were compared between newborns with additional sonographic gastrointestinal abnormalities and those without secondary changes to the bowel appearance.


RESULTS
Thirty (47%) patients had at least one gastrointestinal abnormality (eg, bowel dilatation, echogenic bowel, thickened bowel, matted bowel, herniation of the stomach through the abdominal wall defect, or segmental loss of bowel peristalsis) on prenatal ultrasound. There were no significant differences between groups with respect to the time to initial and full enteral nutrition, total hospital stay, requirement for ventilator support, central line infection rates, reoperation rates, or mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
In the setting of gastroschisis, isolated findings of gastrointestinal abnormalities on prenatal ultrasound do not correlate with adverse postnatal outcome.
Badillo
Andrea T
AT
The Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Hedrick
Holly L
HL
Wilson
R Douglas
RD
Danzer
Enrico
E
Bebbington
Michael W
MW
Johnson
Mark P
MP
Liechty
Kenneth W
KW
Flake
Alan W
AW
Adzick
N Scott
NS
D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000151:congenital* / Q000196:embryology / Q000628:therapy; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D020139:Gastroschisis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015143:Philadelphia; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal