[Congenital duodenal obstruction: mortality pattern in the last 30 years]

Data of 57 newborns and infants who underwent on operations having duodenal obstruction were analyzed in a 30 year period between 1955-1986. The patients were classified into 3 prognostic groups regarding to Waterson and the mortality was examined in decades. The mortality showed a continuous decrease during the 30 years, in the last decade this was considerable. Improving operation technique, the advanced peri- and postoperative intensive care are playing role in the decrease of the mortality. In the late follow up, most of the patients were found to be without complaints, however, regarding to some other authors this finding is not precluding the possibility of organic changes, such as delayed gastric passing, gastroesophageal reflux, etc.