Postoperative gastric rupture in children with cerebral palsy

Bradley C. Register, Donna E. Hansel, Grover M. Hutchins, Eric B. Levey, Paul D. Sponseller, Arabella I. Leet

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) develop difficulties with swallowing and bowel motility, although the underlying etiology of these disorders is unclear. The authors identified three children treated at their institution in the past 6 years who developed severe gastrointestinal dysfunction leading to gastric rupture after orthopaedic surgery; all three had a history that included CP (subtype spastic quadriparesis), low cognitive function, and gastrointestinal motility disorders. All three cases were fatal; in two patients the diagnosis was made at autopsy. No case of postoperative gastric rupture has been identified in children undergoing orthopaedic surgery without concomitant CP at the authors' institution. In this case series, they describe the preoperative and postoperative course of these three children. Since the only cure for gastric rupture is prompt surgical attention, orthopaedists should consider gastric rupture in the differential diagnosis of a postsurgical CP patient who becomes acutely unstable.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)280-282
Number of pages3
JournalJournal of Pediatric Orthopaedics
Volume25
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2005
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Cerebral palsy
  • Gastric perforation
  • Gastric rupture
  • Surgical complication

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
  • Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

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