Pyloric stenosis in the sick premature infant. Clinical and radiological findings

E. D. Tack, J. M. Perlman, R. J. Bower and W. H. McAlister
Division of Newborn Medicine, Children's Hospital at Washington University Medical Center, St Louis, MO 63110.

The clinical and radiographic features of five sick premature infants with idiopathic hypertrophic pyloric stenosis are presented. Clinical features were nonspecific, the common findings being recurrent nonbilious emesis, persistent abdominal distention, and the inability to place a nasojejunal feeding tube through the pylorus. Plain abdominal radiographs demonstrated persistent gastric dilatation in four of the infants. Idiopathic hypertrophic pyloric stenosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of premature infants with upper gastrointestinal tract symptoms.