Pyloric stenosis, also called infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, is a condition diagnosed within the first weeks or months of a baby’s life. The baby’s stomach empties into the intestines through a muscular area called the pylorus. In pyloric stenosis, this muscle is enlarged and the stomach cannot empty properly. Babies who have pyloric stenosis may have forceful or projectile vomiting, especially after feeding, when the stomach has filled but cannot effectively empty. If left untreated, these children may become dehydrated with severe electrolyte imbalances. Surgery for treatment of pyloric stenosis is not performed until the child is adequately rehydrated and the electrolyte levels are normalized. This surgery, called a pyloromyotomy, consists of a division of the muscle of the pylorus, which relieves the obstruction between the stomach and the small intestines. Surgery is performed either through one incision or through a laparoscopic approach using several smaller incisions and a tiny camera. Children are generally able to resume nutrition and are often discharged from the hospital within a day or two after surgery. |