A case series describing vacuum-assisted closure for complex congenital abdominal wall defects

Giant omphalocele and large gastroschisis remain challenging issues faced by pediatric surgeons and neonatal intensivists. In this report, we presented 3 neonatal cases with complex congenital abdo-minal wall defects that were successfully treated with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC). Case 1 had a ruptured giant omphalocele and was treated with VAC for 24 days. She was successfully discharged at 78 days old. Case 2 had large gastroschisis that was unretractable using silo reduction. She was treated with VAC for 19 days and was succes-sfully discharged at 69 days old. Case 3 had large gastroschisis, and his defect had been closed using Gore-tex after silo reduction. VAC was applied for 14 days, and the baby was discharged at 67 days old. The VAC system can be effectively used to assist with visceral reduction, promote granulation tissue development, and skin epithelialization. This method represents a life-saving treatment for neonates with giant omphalocele and large gastroschisis.