Intestinal damage in gastroschisis correlates with the concentration of intraamniotic meconium

Background/Purpose: Contact with amniotic fluid (AF) causes intestinal dama ge in gastroschisis, which has been shown to be caused by intraamniotic mec onium. However, whether this intraamniotic meconium-induced intestinal dama ge is concentration dependent has not been investigated previously. The pur pose of this study is to investigate the effects of intraamniotic human mec onium at various concentrations on the intestines of chick embryo with gast roschisis. Methods: Five-clay-old fertilized chick eggs were used. Gastroschisis was c reated through the amniotic cavity without opening the allantoic cavity. St erile meconium was obtained from newborn humans. Meconium suspensions at va rious concentrations were prepared using saline and instilled into the amni otic cavity. Results: Intraamniotic 1:200 and 1:400 meconium was found to cause intestin al damage. Meconium concentrations lower than 1:400 did not cause intestina l damage. Histopathologic examination of the intestines of the 1:200 and 1: 400 meconium groups showed serosal thickening, inflammation, focal fibrin, and collagen deposits. Histopathologic features of the intestines of the 1: 600 and 1:800 meconium groups did not differ from the intestines of the con trol group. Conclusion: Intraamniotic meconium, which is responsible for intestinal dam age in gastroschisis, must reach a threshold level to induce intestinal dam age. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.