Patient's question:
A child of my colleague felt slightly uncomfortable with their stomach the day before yesterday. They went to the hospital for a check-up, and the doctor said it was a mild case of umbilical hernia. I'm a bit panicked and can't sleep at night, afraid the child's condition will worsen. Is an abdominal wall defect more serious than an umbilical hernia?Doctor's answer:
Gastroschisis is a congenital defect of the abdominal wall development, leaving a full-thickness abdominal wall defect with viscera protruding from the defect, which is a rare malformation. It is more common in low-birth-weight infants. The intestines can be seen protruding from the abdominal wall defect near the umbilicus after birth. The mesentery is free, and the intestines are congested, edematous, and thickened, covered with fibrinous exudate, and the intestines are adhered to each other. The severity is the main consideration, and both of these conditions can be completely treated.