Pre and Post-gastrostomy Evaluation of Gastroesophageal Reflux in Children Using 24-hour pH Monitoring

Gastrointestinal (GI) problems causing malnutrition may develop quite frequently in patients with neuromotor developmental delay. Diagnosis of GERD in patients with neurological impairment (NI) might be more difficult due to the absence of characteristic features in many cases. One of the best methods for the diagnosis of GER is the 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring.Even though there are some statements in the literature advocating that gastroesophageal reflux may develop in the late period in patients undergoing only gastrostomy, there are also reports supporting that gastrostomy does not contribute to the development of reflux.Regardless of whether the patient received anti-reflux surgery or not, the long-term follow-up is necessary in patients feeding with gastrostomy.The aim of this study is to compare the results of pre- and postoperative 24-hour pH monitoring in patients who underwent gastrostomy only and who underwent fundoplication concurrently with gastrostomy and to evaluate influence of gastrostomy/ LNF+ gastrostomy on GER.