Gastroschisis minor

Background: Since 1994 the author has seen a number of cases of what appear to be a minor variant of gastroschisis. Methods: The case files of all neonates with gastroschisis (GS) presenting to the neonatal ward of the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), a referral hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, from January 1995 to December 1998 were reviewed and the presentation and survival noted. Results: Twenty-one neonates were seen; only 2 of 15 with “normal” GS survived. The other patients had gastroschisis minor (GSM) and all left the hospital alive. Conclusion: In the context of the constraints and difficulties encountered in the treatment of gastroschisis in a developing country, this subgroup of patients with a more minor form of gastroschisis shows a distinct survival advantage. J Pediatr Surg 36:1540-1541. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.