Omphalocele (um-fal-o-seel) occurs when some of the organs that normally are located in a baby’s abdomen are pushed out into the base of the umbilical cord (see illustration).
The abdominal cavity itself may be small and underdeveloped because the organs normally contained in it developed outside of it. The organs in the defect may be covered by a membranous sac, or the sac may rupture before, during or after delivery.
Omphaloceles vary in size from very small to "giant." Small omphaloceles occur in 1 out of every 5,000 to 6,000 births. Large or "giant" omphaloceles occur in 1 out of every 10,000 live births.
A small omphalocele involves only a small portion of the intestine outside the body. A giant omphalocele is very large and may involve other organs, such as liver, spleen and intestines. Giant omphaloceles may have a more guarded prognosis than small omphaloceles.