Two children who had surgery for pyloric stenosis are presented. Each
had an unusual density discovered on an abdominal plain radiograph tak
en at least a year after surgery for pyloric stenosis. Subsequent inve
stigation showed that this density represented barium from the preoper
ative contrast studies that had apparently leaked into the soft tissue
s at the time of surgery but was not recognized at that time. This unu
sual complication has not been previously reported but could potential
ly be fairly common. Unnecessary diagnostic testing could be avoided b
y recognition that this complication does occur.