i) Omphalocele. This anomaly, also called exomphalos, results from failure of the intestines to return to the abdominal cavity during the 10th week of development. The infant is born with abdominal contents protruding into the proximal part of the umbilical cord. The protrusion is covered by a translucent membranous sac composed of amnion externally and parietal peritoneum internally. The umbilical cord is attached to the apex of the sac and the umbilical arteries and vein run in the wall of the sac. The size of the abdominal wall defect varies from a small opening (which allows only one or two loops of small intestine to pass through) to a very large defect through which small and large intestines, stomach, spleen, liver and gallbladder may protrude. The incidence of the omphalocele is 2.5 per 10,000 births. This condition is usually associated with other malformations especially cardiac and neural tube defects and it has been found that nearly 50% of the live born children with omphalocele have chromosomal abnormalities. Hence, chances of survival of the infant even after surgical correction of the defect are not good. Surgical ex-
cision of the amniotic sac and the return of the protruding viscera into the abdominal cavity, followed by closure of the abdominal wall defect is the" treatment of choice.