EMBRYOLOGICAL ABDOMINAL WALL ANOMALIES- GASTROSCHISIS & OMPHALOCELE

Abstract

Gastroschisis and omphalocele are the two forms of abdominal wall defects due to embryological anomalies mostly seen during 5th -10th week of intrauterine life which is the hallmark of physiological umbilical hernia . These rare congenital abnormalities reflect the underlying genetic defects or can be a part of syndromes like Beckwith Weidemann syndrome, pentology of Cantrell or Limb bodywall complex. The present study reports two cases of the abdominal wall defects- gastroschisis & omphalocele. The still born fetuses present in the department of Anatomy were thoroughly examined. Two fetuses with gestational age between 30-32 weeks (measured basing on crown-rump length) were found to present with these anomalies. Both the malformed fetuses were females. One fetus exhibited omphalocele with a complete sac containing the loops of intestine. The umbilical cord has been found to emerge from the center of the sac. The other female fetus had coils of intestine along with the liver exposed. No other external anomalies have been detected. The present study reports two cases of still born fetuses showing gastroschisis and omphalocele.