Use of Cadaveric Skin Graft for Staged Gastroschisis Repair in a Premature Infant.

Gastroschisis is a congenital abdominal wall defect that, when simple, has excellent overall outcomes. However, morbidity increases with prematurity. A staged approach to closure is often needed until the infant can tolerate definitive repair. We demonstrate the novel use of cadaveric skin allograft as a defect patch, exploiting a tolerant neonatal immune system for long-term durable coverage. A 580-g, 26-week-gestation boy was born with gastroschisis. Primary closure was not possible, necessitating staged closure. After initial silo placement, neither the fascia nor the skin could be closed. Therefore, cadaveric skin was utilized for coverage: there was 100% take, no wound care needs, and no acute rejection. He was discharged at 4 months tolerating full feeds. At 6 months signs of rejection ultimately manifested, and he underwent uneventful elective graft excision and fascial closure. We offer this as a useful option for management of staged gastroschisis closure in an extremely premature infant.