Overview
Gastroschisis is a birth defect in which an infant's intestines stick out (protrude) through a hole in the abdominal wall. Sometimes, gastroschisis can be repaired surgically at birth. Most often, the infant's abdominal cavity is too small for the intestine to fit back in. So a mesh sack called a silo is stitched around the borders of the defect, and the end of the silo is hung above the baby. This allows gravity to help the intestine to slip back into the abdomen. Over time, the intestine returns into the abdominal cavity and the defect can then be closed.
Review Date 1/21/2025
Updated by: Jonas DeMuro, MD, Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery with added Qualifications in Surgical Critical Care, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.