Results of bowel plication in addition to primary anastomosis in patients with jejunal atresia.
OBJECTIVE
Disturbed intestinal transit (DIT) associated with bowel dilation occurs in some postoperative patients with jejunal atresia. Bowel plication (BP) has been introduced to prevent the DIT, but the long-term results of BP are unclear.


METHODS
The authors reviewed the preoperative and operative records and postoperative clinical courses (for 2.3 to 7.0 years; mean period, 3.7 years) of 19 jejunal atresia patients, 4 of whom had undergone additional BP with primary anastomosis after dilated bowel resection or tapering jejunoplasty at neonatal surgery. The degree of DIT was evaluated by the clinical symptoms, weight gain, whether reoperation was performed, and duration from the operation to receiving an oral feeding volume of at least 130 mL/kg/d. The patients then were assigned 4 grades (0 to 3). To determine the presence or absence of bowel dilation at the BP site, the plain abdominal x-rays were reviewed.


RESULTS
(1) Within 2 months after surgery, 4 patients without BP underwent operation because of severe DIT. The degree of postoperative DIT in patients who had received additional BP at neonatal surgery was less than that in patients without BP (mean grade, 0.50 v. 2.08). (2) The preoperative clinical features, operative method, and postoperative weight gain were almost similar in patients with and without BP. (3) On abdominal x-ray the bowel dilation remained 6 to 12 months after the operation, but was not observed over 1 year after the operation.


CONCLUSIONS
In this preliminary study, the addition of BP after tapering jejunoplasty or resection of dilated bowel may be effective in preventing early postoperative DIT. Further study is necessary to evaluate the long-term results of additional BP at neonatal surgery. J Pediatr Surg 36:1752-1756.
Takahashi
A
A
Department of Surgery I, Faculty of Medicine, Gunma University, Gunma, Japan.
Suzuki
N
N
Ikeda
H
H
Kuroiwa
M
M
Tomomasa
T
T
Tsuchida
Y
Y
Kuwano
H
H
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D002675:Child, Preschool; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000517:prevention & control; D007422:Intestines / Q000601:surgery*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome