Effects of Gastroschisis Reduction on Pulmonary Function

Neonates who have gastroschisis may be at risk of a deterioration in their pulmonary function as the lesion is reduced. Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive tool that can be used to examine respiratory function. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of bowel reduction in gastroschisis on respiratory function. We hypothesized that as the gastroschisis was reduced, End-Expiratory Lung Impedance (EELI) would also be reduced.

A Sentec LuMon EIT monitor was used to measure End-Expiratory Lung Impedance (EELI) pre and post bowel reduction.

Eight patients, four female and four male, with an average gestational age of 36 + 6 weeks, and average birth weight of 2710 g were studied. Of the six patients that received a primary reduction, there was an average decrease in EELI of 17% in the first 48 h post reduction. The two patients that received staged silo reduction also saw a drop in EELI over the course of their reductions. Five patients took more than 2 days for their pulmonary function to return to their prereduction baseline.

This data are consistent with a decrease in lung function with bowel reduction in gastroschisis. It also adds to the growing body of evidence of the utility of EIT in neonatal research.