Repair of giant omphalocele in a premature neonate with non-cross-linked porcine acellular dermal matrix (Strattice Tissue Matrix)

Use of Cadaveric Skin Graft for Staged Gastroschisis Repair in a Premature Infant

Gastroschisis is a congenital abdominal wall defect that, when simple, has excellent overall outcomes. However, morbidity increases with prematurity. A staged approach to closure is often needed until the infant can tolerate definitive repair. We demonstrate the novel use of cadaveric skin allograft as a defect patch, exploiting a tolerant neonatal immune system for long-term durable coverage. A 580-g, 26-week-gestation boy was born with gastroschisis. Primary closure was not possible, necessitating staged closure. After initial silo placement, neither the fascia nor the skin could be closed. Therefore, cadaveric skin was utilized for coverage: there was 100% take, no wound care needs, and no acute rejection. He was discharged at 4 months tolerating full feeds. At 6 months signs of rejection ultimately manifested, and he underwent uneventful elective graft excision and fascial closure. We offer this as a useful option for management of staged gastroschisis closure in an extremely premature infant.

Repair of a Giant Omphalocele in an Infant With a Pericardial Implant Crosslinked With Oligourethane

The giant omphalocele (GO) represents a challenge for the pediatric surgeon in its management and wall abdominoplasty. Here, we report the outcome of a case in which a GO in a newborn patient was repaired with an implant derived from decellularized bovine pericardium crosslinked with oligourethane. The implantation time was extended for 6 months. This was then followed up by the retrieval of the implant and the subsequent reconstruction in a second surgical time by the closure of the abdominal wall fascia. A short hospital stay, early integration into the patient's family environment, as well as early onset of the oral route without special care of the implant or reconstructed wall nor food restrictions were observed. The reduced presence of the complications described in the literature after application of surgical meshes suggests that this implant can be an effective and safe alternative method in the treatment of abdominal wall defects such as GO.