Gastric ulcer in the newborn and its association with antral spasm resulting in hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.

Abstract

A case, being the first on record, is described in which gastric ulcer craters in a neonatal infant were demonstrated radiographically and later at post-mortem were shown to be healed. It is also the first time that infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is reported with radiological evidence of pre-existing gastric ulcers associated with antral spasm. It is suggested that the clinical, radiological and post-mortem findings of this case support the view that the infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis may be the end result of severe and long-standing spasm of the distal portion of the pyloric antrum secondary to inflammatory conditions such as gastro-duodenal ulcerations. The literature of gastric ulcers in the newborn is discussed with emphasis on their relation with antral spasm and hypertrophic stenosis.