General Information About Pyloric Stenosis
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is the condition where the muscle surrounding the gateway (pyloric canal) between the stomach and the duodenum becomes excessively thick and rigid (like an olive), closing the canal and preventing the stomach from emptying.
Everything is normal at birth. Symptoms generally begin 3 to 5 weeks after birth. It is 4-5 times more common in male infants, especially the first-born male child of a family, than in females.
It is different from reflux vomiting. Because of the blockage, pressure builds up in the stomach, and shortly after the baby feeds, they violently projectile vomit the milk meters away. There is never bile (green/yellow color) in the vomit, only milk.
Because food cannot pass into the intestine and is constantly vomited, the baby very quickly loses fluids, acid, and minerals (chlorine), entering a state of severe dehydration shock; therefore, it requires emergency intervention.
When the baby feeds, rippling contractions of the stomach can be seen from the outside. When the surgeon examines the abdomen, the pyloric muscle may feel like an olive. Definitive diagnosis is made by millimetric measurement of the thickened muscle using Abdominal Ultrasonography.
After the baby's fluid and salt balance is corrected with an IV, they are taken to surgery. Through laparoscopic or open methods, a small incision is made in that area of the stomach, and the thickened muscle is scored (cut) longitudinally to relax it. The baby can start feeding the same day and is fully cured.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
