The small and large intestines are contiguous and occupy most of the abdominal cavity. Working in concert, and with remarkable efficiency, they are responsible for several complex functions including digestion…
Gastric Motor Physiology The stomach is a muscular hollow organ that is functionally divided into proximal and distal regions, each serving a distinct purpose. The fundus and a portion of…
Embryology A general understanding of the embryologic development of the stomach is essential to the management of congenital and acquired surgical disorders of the stomach. The primordial stomach is a…
Gastritis, gastropathy, and peptic ulcer diseases in children are a spectrum of acid-related disorders that can affect the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. This chapter focuses on gastroduodenal acid–related peptic diseases…
The gastrointestinal tract begins as a primitive tubular system and is one of the first organs to polarize the embryo by forming an entry and exit with an anterior and…
Esophageal Symptoms Pathologic processes in the pediatric esophagus can result in a variety of symptoms. These range from the classic esophageal symptoms of heartburn, odynophagia, dysphagia, chest pain, and regurgitation…
The term esophageal motor disorder is commonly used to describe abnormal motility patterns demonstrated during esophageal manometry studies. Some of these disorders, such as esophageal achalasia, have well-defined abnormalities of…
Introduction Gastroesophageal reflux (GER), the involuntary passage of gastric contents into the esophagus, occurs several times per day in every human, particularly after meals, and is a completely normal physiologic…
The ingestion of caustic substances and/or foreign bodies is a common medical problem encountered in the pediatric population. The severity of both caustic and foreign body ingestion ranges from very…
