Congenital Defects of the Abdominal WallSummary. Operative methods of treating congenital defects of the anterior abdominal wall are discussed, and new method of treating ruptured omphalocele or gastroschisis by using the infant's own amniotic membrane is reported. Since 1971, 66 children with gastroschisis were operated on the surgical clinic of the Cologne Children's Hospital. Of them, 61 ~ survived compared with 41 ~ in earlier years, which is attributed to the use of the child's own fetal membranes.