The antenatal diagnosis and management of abdominal wall defects: the northern region experience

One hundred and twenty abdominal wall defects were notified to the Northern Region Fetal Abnormality Survey in the five years 1988 to 1992. Gastroschisis occurred in 56, exomphalos in 43, amnion rupture in 11, ectopia vesicae in seven and ectopia cordis in three. Ultrasound failed to identify gastroschisis in 14 and incorrectly diagnosed exomphalos in eight. There was no associated chromosome abnormality and the survival rate, excluding first trimester loss, was 87%. Ultrasound failed to identify exomphalos in ten and incorrectly diagnosed gastroschisis in two. Another structural abnormality was present in 40% and a chromosome anomaly in 28%. Excluding spontaneous first trimester loss, the survival rate was 34%. Delivery of babies away from the regional paediatric surgical centre did not adversely affect the outcome in gastroschisis or exomphalos although closure was delayed, on average, by 2 h. There was one survivor of 11 fetuses with amnion rupture sequence. Six of the seven babies with ectopia vesicae and two of the three with ectopia cordis survived.