2.1. Data analyses

We compared the incidence of simple gastroschisis (defined as gastroschisis with intact bowel that is not compromised) and complex gastroschisis (defined as gastroschisis with presence of one or more of the following criteria: intestinal atresia, perforation or intestinal necrosis or strictures), in fetuses with gastroschisis with and without evidence of bowel dilatation.

Also, we compared outcomes in infants with simple gastroschisis and those with complex gastroschisis using nonparametric methods. An outcome analysis was performed regarding antenatal bowel dilatation (bowel diameter ≥ 18 mm) and in particular intra-abdominal bowel dilatation (IABD), birth weight, gestational age, sex, mode of the closure of the defect, presence of intestinal necrosis or perforation, pseudoobstruction, reoperation, duration of mechanical ventilation, and total parenteral nutrition. Outcome data included presence of sepsis, total length of hospital stay, and mortality rates. We used χ<sup>2</sup> test and Mann-Whitney U test for data analysis; p values <0.05 were considered significant. SPSS version 12 was used for carrying out all analyses.

> Antenatal IABD (including stomach dilatation) was detected at any time during pregnancy in 55 patients, resolving in 4 after 1 ultrasound scan. In 27 patients IABD persisted until the last ultrasound scan in 32% of simple and 73% of complex cases. In these 27 patients, there were cases in both groups (simple and complex) where IABD was present earlier than 30 gestational weeks. All intra-abdominal bowel dilatation (IABD) are summarized in Tables 2 and 3. IABD was never present in seven simple cases and in three complex cases (2 atresia

> TPN duration (d) 13.64 10.8 53.1 42.6 p = 0.000019; p < 0.001 Ventilation support duration (d) 7 6.54 24 14.2 p = 0.000003; p < 0.001 Hospital stay (d) 32 15 91 64 p = 0.000198; p < 0.001

> Pseudoobstruction (n) 9 (18%) 12 (80%) p = 0.00067; p < 0.001

N Gender Simple; n (%) Complex; n (%) p

Female 23 (46%) 3 (20%)

Performed spring-loaded silo 21 (42%) 0

Table 1. Patient characteristics of simple and complex gastroschisis groups.

Male 27 (54%) 12 (80%) p = 0.071

Gestational age (wk) 36.1 1.4 36.16 1.6 p = 0.173 Birth weight (g) 2248.4 507.6 2351.33 633.8 p = 0.319 Primary closure 29 (58%) 15 (100%) p = 0.0032

Sepsis (n) 19 (38%) 12 (80%) p = 0.0043 Reoperation (n) 10 (20%) 10 (66.7%) p = 0.00122

Neonatal death (n) 4 (8%) 3 (20%) p = 0.338

Mean SD (n = 50) Mean SD (n = 15)

Gastroschisis: Prenatal Diagnosis and Outcome http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.74270 237

All extra-abdominal bowel dilatation (EABD) are summarized in Table 4. There were 55 patients with extra-abdominal bowel dilatation (with precise EABD diameter). We have not identified statistically significant difference in EABD between the group of patients with complex gastroschisis [15 (15–31) mm] and the group of patients with simple gastroschisis [40 (13–50) mm], p = 0.91. EABD with the diameter ≥ 18 mm was documented in 72% of patients with simple gastroschisis as well as in 82% of patients with complex gastroschisis.

Patients with simple gastroschisis were put on enteral feeding earlier than patients with complex gastroschisis and received less parenteral nutrition: [(13.64 10) vs. (53.1 42.6) days; p = 0.000019 (p < 0.001)]. Also, they had shorter duration of ventilation support: [(7 6.54) vs. (24 14.2) days; p = 0.000003 (p < 0.001)]. Patients with simple gastroschisis had a shorter

In complex gastroschisis group, the finding always dictated the method of closure, and all of these patients (n = 15) were closed primarily. In the simple gastroschisis group primary fascial closure was performed in 29 patients (58%). Our data show that the way of treatment of these

hospital stay: [(32 15) vs. (91 64) days; p = 0.000198 (p < 0.001)].

and 1 perforation).
