Infantile Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis(IHPS), which occurs three of 1,000 live births, is a major cause of nonbilious vomiting of early infancy but its etiology and pathogenesis are still obscure. The operation of pyloromyotomy as described by Ramstedt in 1912 remains the standard of care for the treatment of IHPS. From January 1993 to October 1996, 35 infants with IHPS were surgically treated and the following results were obtained. 1. Thirty-five patients comprised 32 males and 3 females, and the ratio of male to female was 10.7:1. 2. The most prevalent age group was between 2 weeks and 8 weeks. 3. Of 35 infants, first born babies were 23 cases(65.7%). 4. Breast feeding was in 23 cases(65.7%). 5. The body weight percentile at admission was lower than 50 percentile in all 35 cases. 6. Onset of symptoms was predominantly between 1week and 2 weeks in 11 cases(31.4%). 7. All had a history of nonbilious vomting, generally projectile in nature. 8. In the measured serum electrolytes, hypokalemia was noted in 9 cases(25.7%), hypochloremia was observed in 14 cases(40.0%). 9. In the preoperative ultrasonography, the average muscle thickness, diameter, and length of the pylorus were 6.2mm, 12.1mm, and 17.9mm, respectively. 10. Among 35 cases, significant sonographic criteria of IHPS, muscle thickness of 5mm or more, were noted in 26 cases(83.9%). 11. A total of seven associated anomalies were noted in six patients. 12. All 35 cases were treated with Fredet-Ramstedt pyloromyotomy. 13. There were postoperative complications of wound infection in 2 cases. Intermittent nonprojectile vomiting was presented in 8 cases(22.9%) after operation, but one of them was relieved in 13 days and the rest were relieved within one week by adjustment of oral intake.