Pyloric stenosis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Digestive system

Pyloric stenosis

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Pyloric stenosis

Alternative Names:

Congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis; Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis; Gastric outlet obstruction

Symptoms:

Symptoms generally appear several weeks after birth:

Vomiting
- Usually mild at first, becoming progressively more forceful within one half hour of feeding
- Projectile vomiting
Infant appears constantly hungry
Diarrhea (loose green stools)
Wave-like motion of the abdomen shortly after feeding and just before vomiting occurs
Dehydration (becoming more profound with the severity of the vomiting)
Failure to gain weight or weight loss

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this condition:

Signs and tests:

Physical examination may show signs of dehydration. The infant may have a distended abdomen. Palpation of the abdomen may reveal the abnormal pylorus, which feels like an olive-shaped mass.

A chemistry panel often reveals electrolyte imbalances.
An ultrasound of abdomen may be the first imaging test performed.
A barium X-ray reveals a distended stomach and narrowed pylorus.

Review Date: 6/18/2004
Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Editorial and Jonathan Fanaroff, M.D., Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (12/30/2002).

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