- Causes of Prune Belly Syndrome
- Treatment of Prune Belly Syndrome
- How is the diagnosis of Prune Belly Syndrome made
- Symptoms of Prune Belly Syndrome
Prune Belly Syndrome, also known as Prune Belly Syndrome, is a rare and serious disease in which the baby is born with a disability or even absence of the muscles in the abdomen wall, leaving the intestines and bladder only covered by the skin.. This disease is curable when diagnosed at an early age and the child can lead a normal life.
Prune Belly Syndrome is more common in male babies, and in these cases it can also prevent the descent or development of the testicles, which can be circumvented with hormonal therapy and surgery, as it will allow the testicles to occupy their correct place in the scrotum.
Causes of Prune Belly Syndrome
Prune Belly syndrome does not yet have a completely known cause, but it may be associated with the use of cocaine during pregnancy or simply with a genetic malformation.
Treatment of Prune Belly Syndrome
The treatment of Prune Belly Syndrome can be done through surgery that helps reshape the wall of the abdomen and urinary tract, creating a musculature in the abdomen to support the skin and protect the organs. In addition, to prevent the urinary infections that are common in babies born with this syndrome, the doctor will do a vesicostomy, which is the introduction of a catheter into the bladder for urine to escape through the abdomen.
Physiotherapy is also part of the treatment to cure Prune belly syndrome, being important to strengthen the muscles, increase breathing capacity and cardiovascular efficiency.
How is the diagnosis of Prune Belly Syndrome made
The doctor finds out that the baby has this syndrome on ultrasound during the prenatal examination. A classic sign that the baby has this disease is that the baby has a non-standard, very swollen and large belly.
However, when the diagnosis is not made when the baby is still in the mother's womb, it is usually made when the baby is born and has difficulty breathing and a soft, swollen belly with a different consistency than usual.
Symptoms of Prune Belly Syndrome
Prune Belly Syndrome can cause symptoms such as:
- Malformation in the bones and muscles of the abdomen; Malfunction of the kidneys; Respiratory problems; Problems in the functioning of the heart; Urinary infections and serious problems of the urinary tract; Urine output through the navel scar; No descent of the testicles;
These symptoms when left untreated can lead to the baby's death as soon as it is born, or a few months after it is born.
