Surgery

Within a few hours of birth, the baby will have an operation to attempt to replace the bowel back into the abdominal cavity. This may be straightforward to do, or it may be quite difficult because of the small cavity of the abdomen. If it is not possible to replace all the bowel in the abdomen at this first operation, a temporary envelope made of plastic sheeting, called a silo, will be constructed on the outside of the baby's abdomen to hold the bowel.

The silo would then be made smaller every day or so, so that the abdominal contents are gradually pushed back inside the abdomen over the next 10 -14 days. A second operation is needed to completely replace the bowel and repair the muscles and skin. If the closure is tight the baby may need help with breathing for a few days. The baby will be given analgesia (painkillers) to help alleviate any pain or distress they may feel.