A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY ON THE INCIDENCE OF OMPHALOCELE AND GASTROSCHISIS IN NIGERIAN INFANTS USING UPTH AND BMSH AS STUDY POPULATION

Paul Chikwuogwo Wokpeogu, Edibamode Ezon- Ebidor I. and Paul John Nwolim*

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Omphalocele and gastrochisis are both birth defects of the abdominal wall at which there is protrusion of the intestines and other abdominal vicera through a defect at the navel or adjacent to it. In omphalocele such protrusion is entirely covered by a sac unlike that of gastrochisis. There is paucity of information of the incidence or prevalence of omphalocele and gastroschisis in the Nigerian population. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study with purposive convenient sampling technique was used for the study. This study was carried out with 3,615 infants to determine the incidence of omphalocele and gastroschisis in Nigerian infants using the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and Braithwaite Memorial Hospital (BMH) as study population within a 3 year period (2005-2007). Results & Discussions: 6 subjects had omphalocele while 4 subjects had gastroschisis with a percentage incidence of 0.16% and 0.11% respectively, with a combined percentage incidence of 0.27% for both defects. Conclusion: It has been observed that despite the low incidence of omphalocele and gastroschisis in Nigerian infants, none of the affected neonates survived. There was a combined incidence of 0.27% among neonates for a period of 3 years which may eventually increase with time.

Keywords: Incidence, Omphalocele, Gastroschisis, UPTH, BMSH.