Feeding difficulty in an infant: an unusual cause

BMJ Case Rep. 2018 Aug 23:2018:bcr2018225289. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2018-225289.

Abstract

A 10-month-old girl, with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita and posterior cleft palate had presented at 23 days of life with history of feeding difficulties. A diagnosis of oropharyngeal dysphagia and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease was made, for which she was started on nasogastric tube feeding and oral ranitidine. However, she continued to have poor development of oropharyngeal skills, persistent reflux as well as poor growth and was planned for gastrostomy at 10 months of age. She underwent soluble upper gastrointestinal contrast study prior to gastrostomy placement to rule out anatomical causes of vomiting, which showed the greater curvature of the stomach to be lying above the lesser curvature, suggesting a diagnosis of gastric volvulus, likely chronic, given that she did not have a history of abdominal distension, irritability or recurrent vomiting. On diagnosis of gastric volvulus, our patient underwent laparoscopic gastrostomy creation and is doing well postoperatively.

Keywords: congenital disorders; failure to thrive; paediatrics.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Deglutition Disorders / complications
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Failure to Thrive / etiology
  • Female
  • Gastroesophageal Reflux / complications
  • Gastrostomy / methods*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Intubation, Gastrointestinal
  • Laparoscopy / methods*
  • Stomach / surgery
  • Stomach Volvulus / complications
  • Stomach Volvulus / diagnosis*
  • Stomach Volvulus / surgery