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Surface electrogastrography in children with esophageal atresia

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Abstract

Surface electrogastrography was performed in 18 patients with esophageal atresia (EA) and 10 normal controls to investigate the possible role of a congenital enteric nerve defect as a cause of gastroesophageal reflux (GER), which is common after repair of EA. The means of the dominant frequencies and ranges of the frequency distribution were compared. The dominant frequencies (0.047+/-0.007 Hz) in the EA group did not differ significantly from those of the controls (0.050±0.007 Hz,P >0.1), although 2 patients had bradygastria and 2 had tachygastria in the EA group. The range of the frequency distribution was significantly wider in the EA group compared with normal children (P = 0.002). The wide frequency distribution in children with EA suggests disturbed electrical activity of the stomach, which could be associated with poor electromechanical coupling and, hence abnormal gastric contraction.

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Cheng, W., Spitz, L. & Milla, P. Surface electrogastrography in children with esophageal atresia. Pediatr Surg Int 12, 552–555 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01371898

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