Exomphalos major: Conservative management using Manuka honey dressings and an outreach surgical nursing team.

INTRODUCTION: Controversy exists over the best dressing for conservative management of exomphalos major. Here we describe our experience of using Manuka Honey. METHODS: Our regimen involved covering the sac with Manuka honey (Advancis Medical™) wrapped with gauze and crepe bandage. Initially, dressings were changed 3 times a week and then twice weekly until full epithelialisation. Babies went home after reaching full feeds, with our outreach nurses continuing dressings in clinic until the parents were trained to do them alone. Only patients needing management of co-morbidities were transferred to our unit. Patients would be reviewed by video consultation. Data was prospectively collected. RESULTS: From 2011-2019, 24 consecutive patients (11:13 M:F; median gestation 37 weeks, birth weight 3.1 kg) with exomphalos major were managed with honey dressings. Fourteen babies had significant associated anomalies of which 10 died of problems unrelated to the exomphalos. Time to full feeds 6 (2-58) days; time to discharge 21(7-66) days if no associated anomalies; time to epithelialisation 73 (27-199) days. Dressings were well tolerated. Definitive closure occurred at 17(11-38) months and was uneventful. No patient required fundoplication and all patients were orally fed. Only one patient developed a clinically significant infection. CONCLUSION: This is the largest report of using Manuka honey for the management of exomphalos major. Benefits include early feeding, early discharge and a 'normalisation' of the neonatal period. Key to our success was the surgical outreach service supporting parents doing the dressings, first at the local hospital and then at home.

Medicated Manuka honey in conservative management of exomphalos major.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Manuka honey ointment and dressings in the conservative management of exomphalos major (EM). METHODS: A retrospective review of five patients with EM who underwent non-operative management with Manuka honey ointments and dressings was carried out to assess the time to complete epithelialisation, time to full feeds, hospital stay, adverse effects, complications and outcome. RESULTS: The skin epithelialisation over the EM sac was achieved in a median of 63 days (48-119). The median time to full enteral feed was 13 days (3-29). The median hospital stay was 66 days (21-121). No adverse effects were noted related to Manuka honey. Three patients had pulmonary hypoplasia requiring prolonged hospitalization; one of those died with respiratory complications at home after achieving complete epithelialisation. The follow-up was a median 16 months (6-22). Two patients did not require repair of the ventral hernia. One patient had ventral hernia repair at 16 months with excellent cosmesis. The remaining patient is awaiting repair. CONCLUSION: This is the first description of the use of medicated Manuka honey ointment and impregnated dressings in the conservative management of EM. This treatment is safe, efficacious and promotes wound healing with favorable outcome.