Infantile hypertropic pyloric stenosis in a children's hospital a retrospective study.

A total of 40 patients with a diagnosis of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis were admitted to Ethio-Swedish Children's Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia over a period of 6 years (1981-1986). The clinical records of 34 patients could be retrieved and analysed. The incidence rose from 2.7 per thousand admissions in 1981 to 3.6 in 1986. The male to female ratio was 4.7:1. Patients started to vomit at a mean age of 21.5 days with age range from birth to three months. In 26 (76.4%) patients, vomiting started before the first month of life. Their distribution showed a bias towards term infants 97%, males 83.2%, first borns 26.5%, and higher socio-economic class 23.5%. No seasonal variations were observed. A palpable tumor was present in 35.3%. [Each of hematemesis with melena and jaundice were seen in 2.9%]. The treatment was pyloromyotomy; seven patients developed complications but none died.