Gastro-oesophageal reflux in near-miss sudden infant death syndrome or suspected recurrent aspiration.

Abstract

Ba swallow was compared with a radionuclide gastroesophageal scintigraphy (milk scan) method of detecting gastroesophageal reflux in 26 infants. In 17 cases, presenting as near-miss sudden infant death syndrome, reflux was detected in 2 by Ba swallow and in 8 by scintigraphy. In the remaining 9 infants with suspected pulmonary aspiration, reflux was demonstrated by Ba swallow in 2 and by scintigraphy in 4. Aspiration after gastroesophageal reflux was demonstrated only by the radionuclide scan. The feasibility of recording physiological variables during periods of reflux was confirmed.