For a "large" omphalocele (most of the abdominal organs, including intestine, liver, and spleen are present outside the abdominal cavity), the repair is done in "stages" and may include the following:
Initially, sterile, protective sheeting is placed over the abdominal organs.
Because the abdomen may be small and underdeveloped, it may not be able to hold all of the organs at once. Therefore, the exposed organs are gradually moved back into the abdomen over several days or weeks.
The abdominal wall is closed surgically once the organs have been returned to the abdominal cavity. |