Neurodevelopmental Outcome of Infants with Gastroschisis at One-Year Follow-Up

Objective: Gastroschisis is a congenital malformation of the abdominal wall and may be associated with significant neonatal mortality and morbidity. The primary objective of this study was to describe the neurodevelopmental outcomes of neonates with this condition. Methods: Medical records of all neonates admitted with a diagnosis of gastroschisis to a tertiary surgical unit from October 2006 to August 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic and clinical variables were collated along with developmental assessment results at one-year follow-up. Developmental assessment results were compared with case matched healthy control neonates of similar gestational age and birth weight. Results: Of 20 patients in the study, 16 had simple and four had complex gastroschisis. Mean birth weight was 2.29 kg with a mean gestational age of 35.7 weeks. The majority of neonates underwent primary surgical repair, while 15% had a silo followed by surgical repair. Neonates with gastroschisis did not significantly differ from the control group in neurodevelopmental outcomes. Receptive and expressive language delay was found in gastroschisis is attributable to small for gestational age rather than the malformation per se. Conclusions: These data suggest that neurodevelopmental outcomes at one year of age in children with gastroschisis were associated with being small for gestational age rather than the malformation.