title: Identifying strategies to decrease infectious complications of gastroschisis repair.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We describe the infectious complications of gastroschisis in order to identify modifiable factors to decrease these complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 155 gastroschisis patients (2001-2013) were reviewed. Complicated gastroschisis (intestinal atresia, necrotic bowel, or perforation) were excluded, leaving 129 patients for review. Patient demographics, surgical details, postoperative infections and complications, and length of stay were reviewed. We used CDC definitions of infectious complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average gestational age of patients was 35.97weeks. Silos were used in 46% of patients (n=59) for an average of 7.4days. Thirty-one patients (24%) acquired an infection within the first 60days of life. Patients who developed an infection were born earlier in gestation (P=0.02), weighed less (P=0.01), required silos more often (P=0.01), and received a sutured repair (P=0.04). Length of stay of patients with an infection was longer than in patients without infection (P=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infectious complications following gastroschisis repair are common. Subsets of gastroschisis patients at increased risk of infection include patients with silos, preterm delivery, low birth weight, and sutured repair. Based on our findings, our recommendation would be to carry gastroschisis patients to term and advocate against the routine use of silos, reserving their use for those cases when primary closure is not possible.
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center and Children's Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Schlueter
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center and Children's Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA; Oregon Health Sciences University Department of Surgery, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Azarow
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center and Children's Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea Green
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Hines
authors.affiliation: Creighton University Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Meera
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varman
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center and Children's Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Shahab F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Abdessalam
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center and Children's Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Raynor
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska Medical Center and Children's Hospital, Omaha, NE, USA. Electronic address: rcusick@childrensomaha.org.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Cusick
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D020139:Gastroschisis / Q000601:surgery*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: Gastroschisis; Infection; Silo; Sutureless repair