Treatment of gastroschisis and omphalocele with biological dressings

Porcine skin grafts and human amniotic membranes have been used as biologicaldressings for the treatment of gastroschisis or omphalocele in 16 newborn infants. Eleven infants with gastroschisis were managed initially by the Silastic pouch technique but delayed healing resulted in separation of the Silastic sheeting from the wound margins and required use of biologic dressings to achieve complete closure. Biologic dressings were used in five patients with intact omphaloceles for all or part of their course. Average time to achieve complete closure was 55 days. Three patients died of associated anomalies. One patient developed an enteric fistula. Biologic dressings appear to be useful adjuncts in the management of some patients with gastroschisis or omphalocele.