RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Infantile Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis (IHPS) is one of the most common surgical problems of early infancy and one for which an eminently successful surgical treatment has been available since the work of Ramstedt in 1912. A clinical study was begun to access further the accuracy of ultrasonography in identifying hypertrophic pylorus. METHODS: This study is a retrospective clinical analysis of 31 cases of IHPS treated at the Department of Surgery of Pohang St. Mary's Hospital from Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1997. RESULTS: (1) The most prevalent age group was between 3 weeks and 8 weeks in 24 cases (77.4%), and the ratio of males to females was 5.2:1. (2) Among the 31 cases, new born babies were 21 cases (67.7%). (3) In 30 cases (96.8%), the gestational age was between 37 weeks and 42 weeks, and the birth weight was more than 3.5 kg in 21 cases (67.7%). The body weight percentile at admission was lower than the 50 percentile in 31 cases. (4) Among the 31 cases, breast-fed infants were 15 cases (48.4%), milk-fed 13 cases (41.9%), and mixed-fed 3 cases (9.7%). B type blood group was 23 cases (74.2%), and O type was 4 cases (12.9%). (5) In 4 cases (12.9%), an inguinal hernia was noted as an associated anomaly. (6) The onset of symptoms was neonatal (1 week-12 weeks) in all 31 cases, and the duration of the symptoms was between 1 week and 2 weeks in 18 cases (58.1%). (7) Non-bile stained, projectile vomiting was noted in all 31 cases (100.0%), an olive-shaped mass in right upper quadrant of the abdomen was felt in 27 cases (87.1%), and visible peristalsis on the epigastrium was noted in 25 cases (80.6%). (8) On laboratory tests, 17 patients had leukocytosis, and anemia was observed in 2 cases. Hypokalemia was observed in 9 cases (29.0%), hypochloremia in 4 cases (12.9%), and moderate to severe alkalosis (CO2 content > 25 mEq) in 7 cases. (9) Among the 25 cases, for which an the ultrasonographic evaluation was performed, the length of the stenotic canal was from 16 mm to 20 mm in 23 cases (92.0%), and the thickness of the stenotic portion was from 5 mm to 6 mm in 21 cases (84.0%). (10) All 31 cases were surgically treated by using a Fredet-Ramstedt pyloromyotomy, and the mortality was nil. The average hospitalization was 9.4 days. (11) There was 1 case of duodenal perforation and 1 case of intermittent non-projectile vomiting after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that early accurate diagnosis, adequate preoperative preparation of the fluid & electrolyte imbalance, immediate surgical correction, and scheduled careful oral feeding are important in treatment of IHPS. Ultrasonographic determination of pyloric muscle length and thickness is the most accurate of the currently available techniques. A Fredet-Ramstedt pyloromyotomy is a safe and successful surgical procedure.