[Laparoschisis. Hypotrophy and intestinal lesions]

37 cases of gastroschisis were operated on at Saint-Vincent-de-Paul's Hospital from january 1983 to july 1987. They were more frequently premature by birth weights (70% below the 10 th percentile), than by period of gestation (40%). The comparison of their weights plotted on the centile charts with 28 neonates with omphaloceles and 25 neonates with upper intestinal atresia (esophageal atresia without tracheoesophageal fistula and complete duodenal and proximal jejunal atresia) shows that the 2 groups of laparoschisis and anomalies of the alimentary tract are quite similar. The authors suggest that the amniotic fluid may play a role in the fetal growth so that the alteration of the herniated bowel is responsible of the fetal growth retardation observed in gastroschisis.