A long-term gastrointestinal follow-up in patients operated on for congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.

A gastrointestinal follow-up of 91 patients operated on for congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (CHPS) between 1942 and 1964, using the Fredet-Ramstedt method, is presented. Among 85 patients available for follow-up, 72 responded to a request for reexamination. These patients were interviewed personally by one of the authors. Thirty-four patients (47%) consented to have a Roentgen examination done, performed as a double contrast study, investigating the structure and function of the stomach and duodenum. Forty-two patients (58%) had varying minor gastrointestinal complaints. Only two patients had severe symptoms. X-ray examination in 34 patients (47%) showed only three with pathological changes, i.e. one with mild deformation of the duodenal bulb, another with slight duodenal reflux. The third X-ray showed massive gastric retention with duodenal bulb deformation. The patient suffered from severe dyspepsia and vomitus. No correlation was found between the severity of the CHPS and the presence of later gastrointestinal symptoms. It is concluded that the Fredet-Ramstedt's operation for CHPS is an efficious operation with few perioperative complications and good long-term results.