Abstract
Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is a relatively common problem of infancy affecting about 4 of every 1000 live births. Currently, the accepted standard treatment is to perform an extramucosal pyloromyotomy, as described by Ramstedt in 1912. Although the technique with which the pyloric muscle is split has not changed significantly since the original description, the manner in which the pylorus is accessed has undergone several modifications. Recent advances in pediatric laparoscopic surgery have allowed yet another method of approaching this common problem. The following is a report of the first 22 laparoscopic pyloromyotomies performed by one pediatric surgeon in a children's hospital. No immediate or late complications occurred in this group. The operating time and total cost were comparable with those of a small series of open pyloromyotomies performed by the same surgeon in the same hospital. A much better cosmetic result was achieved in the patients who underwent laparoscopic pyloromyotomy.
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