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Pseudoweb of the gastric antrum in infants
Insights
Radiographic findings suggesting gastric antral webs in infants can be misleading. Fiberoptic endoscopy can confirm or rule out these obstructions, preventing unnecessary infant surgery.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Infant gastric outlet obstruction presents with concerning symptoms.
- Upper gastrointestinal fluororadiography is a common diagnostic tool.
Observation:
- Two infant boys presented with symptoms suggestive of gastric outlet obstruction.
- Fluororadiographic examinations revealed signs consistent with gastric antral webs.
Findings:
- Neither infant actually had gastric antral webs.
- Surgical and endoscopic evaluations confirmed the absence of webs.
- Radiographic findings can be falsely positive for gastric antral webs.
Implications:
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial to avoid unnecessary surgical interventions in infants.
- Fiberoptic endoscopy serves as a valuable tool to corroborate or refute fluororadiographic findings.
- This approach can prevent iatrogenic complications and reduce healthcare costs.
Abstract:
Two infant boys, one 3 months of age and the other 8 weeks of age, with symptoms suggesting gastric outlet obstruction had upper gastrointestinal fluororadiographic examinations which showed typical signs for gastric antral webs (diaphragms or membranes), but neither had actual webs as proven by surgery in one and by endoscopy in the other. The report emphasizes the possibility of falsely positive radiographic findings, which can be tested by potentially corroborative fiberoptic endoscopy, thus avoiding unnecessary surgery.