LAPAROSCOPIC PYLOROMYOTOMY FOR INFANTILE HYPERTROPHIC PYLORIC-STENOSIS - REPORT OF 11 CASES

Pyloromyotomy remains the standard of care for the treatment of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. Open pyloromyotomy is effective and is the gold-standard technique. The authors report on the technique of laparoscopic pyloromyotomy. The clinical courses of the first 11 infants treated with laparoscopic pyloromyotomy were compared with the courses of 14 infants treated recently with open pyloromyotomy. The average surgical time for the laparoscopic group was 25.4 minutes. The average time (postoperatively) until full feedings was 19.0 hours. In the open pyloromyotomy group the average surgical time was 26.1 minutes, and the time until full feedings was 23.2 hours. These results are not significantly different. When compared with open pyloromyotomy, the laparoscopic approach appears to be equally safe and effective, with superior cosmetic results. The authors believe that laparoscopic pyloromyotomy is an excellent alternative procedure for the management of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.