Emesis and regurgitation of feedings are common problems in pediatric practice. Vomiting, by history frequently indistinguishable from simple regurgitation, may be the presenting complaint in a wide range of diseases including food allergies, behavior problems, viral enteridites, more serious infections such as pyelonephritis and meningitis, and partial or complete obstruction of the alimentary tract. Common causes of the latter include hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, volvulus, intussusception, intestinal atresia, Meckel's diverticulum of the ileum, and disorders of the esophagus of a variable type.
Material
The records of the Saint Louis Children's Hospital for a 25-year period (1938-1962 inclusive) were reviewed. Admissions, limited to children 14 years of age and less, totaled 98,194. During this period, the most frequent esophageal lesions seen were tracheo-esophageal fistula, of which there were 111, and corrosive stricture, most commonly secondary to lye ingestion. Tracheo-esophageal fistula and lye stricture will not be discussed.Five disorders of the distal