The management of giant omphalocele (GO) is a major challenge in pediatric surgery and there are many different surgical strategies described. Here we report a complicated case in which the abdominal wall in a premature neonate (gestational age 33 þ 2 weeks and 1700 g) with GO was reconstructed with a non-cross-linked acellular porcine dermal matrix (Strattice ) combined with vacuum therapy. Th...

Congenital/fetal malformations are structural, functional, and/or biochemical molecular defects present at birth. Prevalence of congenital fetal anomalies in developing countries 2 to 3% newborns and about 94% severe birth defects. Acrania is a lethal malformation characterized by partial or complete absence flat bones cranial vault. Another anomaly, omphalocele, ventral defect the umbilical ri...

To the Editor: Omphalocele is not an uncommon malformation; however, it usually occurs sporadically with less than a 1% recurrence risk (Winter & Baraitser 1991 ). We present recurrence of omphalocele in siblings with partial trisomy 3q and partial monosomy 1 lq as the unbalanced product of a t (3; 1 1 ) (q21;q23)mat. This was the fourth pregnancy of an unrelated couple. The mother had one heal...

BACKGROUND An omphalocele is one of the major ventral body wall malformations and is characterized by abnormally herniated viscera from the body trunk. It has been frequently found to be associated with other structural malformations, such as genitourinary malformations and digit abnormalities. In spite of its clinical importance, the etiology of omphalocele formation is still controversial. He...

BACKGROUND Racial/ethnic variations in the occurrence of abdominal wall defects have been previously noted but it remains poorly understood whether race/ethnicity is a determinant of survival among affected infants. METHODS Study was conducted on cases of gastroschisis and omphalocele recorded for the years 1983-1999 at the New York Congenital Malformation Registry. Adjusted and unadjusted ha...

Doctors have no ethical obligation to provide futile treatment. This has been true since the time of Hippocrates who warned physicians not to treat patients who were "overmastered by their disease." This principle remains valid today but, as the Society for Critical Care Medicine notes, it is difficult to identify treatment as absolutely futile in all but a few clinical situations. Far more com...