1. Initial Treatment After Birth
Initial treatment for your baby's omphalocele depends on how severe the condition is and whether there are any other associated conditions that take priority. If your child also has a cardiac defect or poor lung development, these conditions may be addressed before the omphalocele. Your child will likely need a ventilator to breathe if he has underdeveloped lungs. An intact omphalocele, one in which the outer sac covering the organs is not ruptured, poses minimal risk to your baby's health in the short term. Your child's heart and lungs will need to be stabilized before any surgical treatment for the omphalocele can be attempted. If your child has no additional conditions in play, however, treatment for the omphalocele may begin right away.
2. Omphalocele Reduction Treatment
The ultimate goal of any treatment for an omphalocele is reduction of the internal organs and closure of the abdomen. This can be accomplished in several different ways. If your child has a mild omphalocele and an abdominal cavity that is large enough to accommodate his organs, one surgery may be enough to replace the organs in the abdomen and close the muscle and skin of the abdominal wall. If your child's omphalocele is significant, however, this reduction process will likely be done in a staged approach. The most common type of staged approach involves placing a silo, a sterile covering, over the abdominal organs. Gradually, the organs are squeezed through the silo into the abdominal cavity over a period of 3 to 10 days, with the help of gravity. When the organs are returned to the abdominal cavity, the silo is removed.
3. Closing the Abdominal Wall
When the organs are back in the abdominal cavity, the next step in your child's treatment is closing the abdominal wall. This involves closing both skin and muscle. In some cases, the muscle cannot be closed, and only the skin is closed, leaving behind a hernia. Your child will require an additional surgery to repair the hernia at a later date if that is the case. Alternatively, a synthetic material like Gore-Tex may be used to close the hole in the muscle. Your child's doctor will determine the appropriate treatment, depending on how much space is in your child's abdominal cavity and other factors. A pediatric plastic surgeon will likely be called in for the final closure of the skin in order to minimize scarring and fabricate a belly button for your child.
