Pyloric and antral webs in infants and children: underestimated entity?

ABSTRACT

The true incidence of pyloric and antral webs in infancy and childhood is debatable. Some authors claim to be rare, others present it as a condition occurring in epidemic form. Form 1992 through 1994, 10 patients with pyloric and antral webs were managed at Ain Shams University Hospitals. There were 5 girls and 5 boys with ages ranging firm 5 days to 5 years. The main presenting symptom was repeated non-bilious vomiting, Upper gastrointestinal barium study confirmed the presence of gastric outlet obstruction in all cases but typical signs of pyloric and antral webs were identified in only 6 patients. All patients underwent incision of the web and pyloroplasty with eventual recovery postoperatively. The finding of these 10 patients within this period suggests that the condition is not as rare as previously thought. Though some authors believe the value of conservative management on the assumption that the condition is self limiting, in all our patients treatment was basically surgical due to severity and persistence of symptoms that failed to respond to conservative management