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Updated: Jan 11, 2026

Author Spotlight: Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Gastric Content Assessment and Risk Stratification in Perioperative Care
Published on: September 22, 2023
Portal venous gas: A benign finding in pyloric stenosis?
Kelci Butler1, Tiffany Patton2
1Pediatric Hospital Medicine Advocate Children's Hospital Park Ridge Illinois USA.
None:
Pyloric stenosis is a condition of infancy characterized by hypertrophy of the pylorus, which can progress to significant narrowing and near-obstruction of the gastric outlet. We describe a case of a patient with pyloric stenosis who was incidentally found to have portal venous gas on ultrasound. While the presence of portal venous gas can be an ominous finding, this case demonstrates that in the setting of pyloric stenosis, portal venous gas may be benign in nature. Additionally, we compile information from previous studies to further promote general recognition of this association and propose potential future standardization of care for these patients with an apparent benign finding.
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