T. Aktug et al., AMNIO-ALLANTOIC FLUID EXCHANGE FOR THE PREVENTION OF INTESTINAL DAMAGE IN GASTROSCHISIS - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY ON CHICK-EMBRYOS, Journal of pediatric surgery, 30(3), 1995, pp. 384-387
In gastroschisis, the protruding intestine is usually shortened, thick
ened, and covered with a fibrous peel. Urine components, which are inc
reased in the amniotic fluid with the onset of renal function, are res
ponsible for these changes. In the chick embryo model of gastroschisis
, the authors performed amnio-allantoic fluid exchange to reduce the e
ffect of urinary products. There were three study groups: control, gas
troschisis only, and gastroschisis plus exchange. There was a signific
ant decrease in creatinine (P < .05) and a slight decrease in urea con
centrations in the gastroschisis-plus-exchange group compared with the
gastroschisis only group. Whereas macroscopic and microscopic studies
showed severe fibrosis and bowel-wall thickening in the latter group,
the bowel was normal or slightly oedematous in the former. On the bas
is of this study, the authors suggest that antenatal amniotic fluid ex
change might reduce the bowel damage in human foetuses. Copyright (C)
1995 by W.B. Saunders Company