[Experiences with the Stamm gastrostomy in children]

This paper is a retrospective analysis of 280 children, who were treated with a gastrostomy by the technique of Stamm in the Pediatric Surgical Clinic at Dr. v. Haunersches Kinderspital of the University of Munich from 1st January 1978 until 31st December 1989. Points of interest were epidemiological data such as the age and the original illness of the patients and the duration of gastrostomy. In 229 children the gastrostomy was performed within the first week of life. The most frequent indication was the diagnosis of an esophageal atresia in 80 cases. 94 of the patients had further malformations, in 30% as a syndrome. In 50% of all cases the gastrostomy could be removed within 40 days after operation, in further 40% between the 40. and 90. postoperative day and in the last 10% later. Heavy complications could be diagnosed in 2.9% without any mortality, easy complications in 10%.