A Systematic Review of Intra-abdominal Tissue Expansion for the Treatment of Exomphalos Major and a Case Report Describing a Refinement of the Technique.

Abstract

The management of complex exomphalos major is difficult, and traditional techniques fail to address the visceroabdominal disproportion in the most severe cases. Intra-abdominal tissue expansion is a novel technique and has been used in a small number of patients to safely increase the intra-abdominal volume and allow the reduction of viscera and subsequent closure of the abdominal domain. We review 7 published reports of this technique and add a case report describing our refinement of the technique. We propose that the use of multiple expanders placed in the intra-abdominal preperitoneal space, when expanded slowly, can allow safe reduction of viscera and immediate direct closure of the musculofascial layer of the abdomen.