Treatment of Pylorus Obstruction
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Pyloric obstruction is a condition that is characterized by an obstruction of the pylorus, hence the name. The pylorus is the furthest part of the stomach and connects to the duodenum. When this is blocked, food cannot pass through into the intestines and therefore the nutrients from the food cannot be absorbed into the body.
According to Health Foxx.com, 65% of all cases of pyloric obstruction are caused by peptic ulcer disease, which develops if the lining of the stomach has been damaged. Pyloric obstruction can also be caused by tumors in the stomach or other conditions that affect the normal digestion of food, including Crohn's disease and tuberculosis.
If not treated in time, pyloric obstruction can cause serious complications. Since food cannot easily be processed, the sufferer will start to lose weight and experience symptoms of malnutrition. Moreover, the stomach will become stretched by the food that is unable to pass through into the duodenum. In turn, this may cause chronic vomiting and constipation.
- Pain in the abdomen
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Weight loss
- Pain when swallowing
- Immediate feeling of being full after just a few bites of food
- Enlargement of the stomach area
- During a general examination, the doctor will ask the patient if they are having any problems digesting food, whether they are able to eat a normal amount of food.
- The doctor will also ask the patient whether they often feel the need to vomit or have been suffering from constipation.
- The doctor will palpate the patient’s stomach area, to check for swelling and pain.
- Imaging tests, such as a barium swallow test and stomach endoscopy, help doctors to locate an obstruction in the digestive tract. These imaging tests can also determine the cause of the obstruction, for example a peptic ulcer or a tumor.
- Pyloroplasty is a surgical procedure to widen the pylorus, thereby allowing food to pass from the stomach into the duodenum.
- If pyloric obstruction was caused by ulcers or tumors, those conditions would require separate treatment.
Authors: Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Farrukh Ahmed