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Measurement of gastric emptying in infants with pyloric stenosis using applied potential tomography
S Nour1, Y Mangnall, J A Dickson
1Children's Hospital, Western Bank, Sheffield.
Insights
Infants with infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) show delayed gastric emptying, which normalizes by seven days post-operation. Applied potential tomography is a safe method for assessing infant gastric emptying.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Medical Imaging
- Physiology
Background:
- Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) is a common cause of vomiting in infants.
- Delayed gastric emptying is a characteristic symptom of IHPS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gastric emptying in infants with IHPS using applied potential tomography.
- To compare gastric emptying between IHPS infants and asymptomatic controls.
Main Methods:
- Applied potential tomography was used to measure gastric emptying in 49 infants with IHPS and 14 controls.
- Studies were conducted before and at 2, 4, and 7 days after surgery for IHPS infants.
Main Results:
- Infants with IHPS exhibited minimal gastric emptying before surgery.
- Gastric emptying gradually normalized by postoperative day 7.
- Significant differences in gastric emptying were observed between IHPS and control infants preoperatively and up to 4 days postoperatively.
Conclusions:
- Applied potential tomography is a safe and effective method for studying gastric emptying in infants.
- The study demonstrates the temporal recovery of gastric emptying following IHPS surgery.
Abstract:
Gastric emptying in a group of 49 vomiting infants with infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) was investigated using applied potential tomography. Fourteen asymptomatic infants were also studied as a control group. A Dioralyte test feed (25 ml/kg/feed) was used for all the studies. The infants with IHPS were investigated before and at two, four, and seven days after an operation; the other infants were investigated once. The results show that the infants with IHPS have no or little gastric emptying before the operation and gradually return to normal emptying by the seventh day after the operation. A significant difference in gastric emptying was noted between the control infants and the infants with IHPS before and at two and four days after the operation. The applied potential tomography method is suitable for studying gastric emptying in infants, with no morbidity nor complications. It also allows multiple studies to be performed without upset or discomfort.