Question

Why is the vomitus of an infant with pyloric stenosis white rather than bile-stained?

O the pyloric sphincter obstructs the bile duct.
O there is an obstruction above the opening of the common bile duct.
O the bile duct sphincter is connected to the hypertrophied pyloric muscle.
O there is a constriction of the cardiac sphincter that obstructs the flow of bile.

Answer 1

Infant vomit in pyloric stenosis is white because the obstruction prevents bile from entering the stomach and mixing with the stomach contents before being expelled.

Step-by-step explanation:

The vomitus of an infant with pyloric stenosis is white rather than bile-stained because the condition causes an obstruction at the pylorus, which is above the opening of the common bile duct where bile enters the duodenum.

Since the bile cannot pass backwards through the pyloric section into the stomach due to the blockage, it is not present in the vomit. The obstruction in pyloric stenosis is strategic; it hinders the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine.

This obstruction occurs well before the entrance of bile into the digestive tract, and therefore the vomitus is typically white or milky from ingested milk or formula, devoid of bile.