Stapled gastroplasty for antral stricture after repair of neonatal gastric rupture: Report of a case

The patient was the second of twin girls born at 32 weeks' gestation, weighing 1736 g. Abdominal distention was noted the day after birth, and abdominal x-ray showed free air in the abdomen. An emergent laparotomy with debridement and primary closure were performed for spontaneous gastric rupture. From the age of 8 months, the infant sometimes vomited after meals and was unable to gain weight. She was diagnosed, by upper gastrointestinal series and gastroscopy, with antral stricture with a normal prepyloric area and pylorus. The presence of an antral web, ulcers, or ectopic pancreatic tissue was excluded. There was sufficient distance between the stricture area and the pylorus. Stapled gastroplasty using an Endopath linear cutter stapler and a Proximate linear stapler was performed safely and quickly without injury to the normal pylorus or branches of the vagal nerve at the lesser curvature. The child's postoperative course was uneventful.