Long-term investigations after pyloromyotomy for infantile pyloric stenosis.

Between 1919 and 1941, 71 infants suffering from pyloric hypertrophy were operated on by Ramstedt performing an extramucosal pyloromyotomy. Of these patients, we could identify and investigate 41. Four out of 31 long-term surviving patients have been Billroth II-resected (BII). One of these needed re-resection because of an anastomotic ulcer. None of all the long-term survivors developed a carcinoma. Two patients were treated conservatively because of gastritis and one because of esophagitis. All patients, except the one requiring re-resection and one suffering from maldigestion, were absolutely free of complaints. The average time between operation and re-checking was 57 years. The oldest patient was examined 72 years after the operation.