Causes of postoperative deaths in gastroschisis and omphalocele.

Improvement in treatment should reduce the mortality of infants with gastroschisis and omphalocele which is still high and is mainly due to septic complications. The mortality in infants who have additional severe malformations may be difficult to improve, and one should hesitate to treat such additional anomalies which are incompatible with life and which even when treated may cause permanent severe defects.