Prepyloric Diaphragm, An Unusual Abnormality

THE STOMACH possesses an unexplained freedom from congenital malformations which afflict the remainder of the gastrointestinal tract with moderate frequency. Among the rarer of these abnormalities must be placed the prepyloric diaphragm and pyloric atresia. In the entire gastrointestinal tract, atresia is said to occur once in 10,000 births. Of all the atresias, pyloric or prepyloric accounts for less than 1%.¹⁵Bennett³reported the first case of pyloric atresia in 1937 and a total of six examples of atresia or discontinuity involving the pylorus or antral region has been recorded. Forty-six prepyloric or antral mucosal diaphragms, however, have been recorded although it was not recognized in an adult until 1949.¹In 12 of these, a complete diaphragm was present and, in the other 34 times, an aperture within the diaphragm was noted. Twenty-nine were in adults and the remaining five in infants and young children. The mucosal