IMPAIRED GASTRIC-EMPTYING IN CHILDREN WITH REPAIRED ESOPHAGEAL ATRESIA - A CONTROLLED-STUDY

Background: Scintigraphy is considered the ''gold standard'' for inves tigating gastric emptying, The lack of standards regarding registratio n technique and meal composition has been a problem especially in pedi atric patients. Methods: In this study, gastric emptying of a solid me al was assessed by scintigraphy in 10 patients with repaired esophagea l atresia (5 to 10 years old), and the results were compared with thos e in 11 healthy control children (5 to 11 years old). The meal consist ed of pancakes with a fixed energy composition labeled with Tc-99m, Fr actional meal retention values were plotted as a function of time. Res ults: Half-emptying time and lag phase values were longer in the patie nt group, whereas the emptying rate was slower and the retention value s at 60 and 90 minutes were higher than in the control group. Extremel y long lag phase and slow emptying rates were seen in two patients wit h reflux symptoms and abdominal complaints, Gastric emptying in health y children has not previously been studied by scintigraphy. The result s of this study show that values for gastric emptying of solids in hea lthy children correspond well to those reported in healthy adults. Con clusion: Scintigraphy is an easy and reliable method for gastric empty ing studies in children. The radioactive dose can be kept very low, wh ich makes it a safe method even for pediatric patients. Delayed gastri c emptying can occur in patients who have repaired esophageal atresia, and may be associated with reflux symptoms and abdominal complaints. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.