Antenatally diagnosed right-sided stomach (dextrogastria): A rare rotational anomaly

Antenatal detection of right-sided stomach (dextrogastria) is rare, and its significance in regards to intestinal rotation is unclear. We aimed to review all cases of antenatally-diagnosed dextrogastria in our regional fetal medicine unit over 10years.

A retrospective case-note review of patients identified from a prospectively-maintained database was performed.

Twenty cases of antenatally-diagnosed dextrogastria were identified from 2004 to 2014. There were 8 terminations and 1 intra-uterine death. One patient has no post-natal information obtainable. Ten infants were live-born, and 2 died secondary to cardiac disease in the neonatal period. All had significant cardiac/vascular anomaly on postnatal assessment, including the 3 neonates in whom dextrogastria was the only antenatal finding. Two neonates developed bilious vomiting and underwent Ladd's procedure. Operative findings were dextrogastria/malrotation in both. A third child had gastro-oesophageal reflux, and contrast demonstrated stable duodenal/midgut position. This child has not developed symptoms attributable to malrotation and not undergone surgery. All 3 of these infants had asplenia or polysplenia and were managed with antibiotic prophylaxis/immunisation. Five children in the series were not investigated for malrotation and have not come to surgical attention (one is known to be asplenic).

Antenatally-detected dextrogastria, even if apparently isolated, was always associated with postnatal significant cardiovascular anomaly, splenic abnormality or situs inversus. This may be important for antenatal counselling. We currently recommend postnatal echocardiography and splenic assessment, but reserve GI investigation/intervention for symptomatic malrotation owing to potential significant cardiac comorbidity.