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Rumination Syndrome

Toussaint L Mears-Clarke, MD and Nancy Wen, MD Reviewed 06/2021
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by effortless regurgitation of recently ingested food into the mouth. The regurgitated food can be chewed, swallowed, or expectorat...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • In the vast majority of patients, the diagnosis is clinical; however, if response to treatment is poor, or if alternate diagnosis is suspected, further evaluation is recommended  (1)[...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Patient education and reassurance are essential.

  • Diaphragmatic breathing with or without biofeedback is the first-line treatment for rumination syndrome.

    • Instructions: One hand...

ONGOING CARE

COMPLICATIONS

  • Diagnosis is usually delayed and can lead to unnecessary tests, decreased quality of life, surgery, and tube feeding.

  • Nutritional impairment and weight loss can occur in sever...

REFERENCES

1
Halland  M, Pandolfino  J, Barba  E. Diagnosis and treatment of rumination syndrome. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol.  2018;16(10):1549–1555. [View Abstract on Ovid...

ADDITIONAL READING

Alioto  A, Di Lorenzo  C. Long-term follow-up of adolescents treated for rumination syndrome in an inpatient setting. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr.  2018;6...

CODES

ICD10

  • F98.21 Rumination disorder of infancy

  • P92.1 Regurgitation and rumination of newborn

SNOMED

  • 37941009 Rumination disorder

  • 206565007 Rumination in newborn

  • 36039004 Rumination disorder of infancy

  • 722...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Rumination syndrome is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by effortless postprandial regurgitation followed by remastication and swallowing or spitting out of the reg...

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