Search

Short-term surgical missions can provide communities in need with desired expertise; however, it is uncertain who will manage the complications after visiting experts leave. Poor outcomes, decreased patient satisfaction, and tension on the healthcare system develop when local providers, often excluded from the initial patient care, are unable to cope with subsequent morbidity. Two-year retrospective review of pediatric general, plastic, and reconstructive surgery, and urology cases performed by a relief organization in the developing world. Case complexity and postoperative complications were analyzed. Phone interviews conducted with patients/families to quantify postoperative outcomes and satisfaction. 474 surgeries were performed on pediatric patients with 60% response rate. Respondents stratified into three levels of complexity: 159 simple, 72 intermediate, and 54 advanced surgeries. Six (2.1%) high-level complications occurred. No association between the complexity of the surgery and the occurrence of a complications. 83.5% were satisfied with outcomes and > 92% were happy with the provided support. Facilitating visiting and local surgeons performing cases together increases the expertise of local providers, strengthens infrastructure, and establishes clear follow-up. Despite complications, patients and families continued to recommend care to family and friends by the relief organization and were happy with support from local providers. Engaging local providers is the gold-standard for short-term trips.

Wilms tumor (WT) is the most common renal malignancy in children. Children with favorable histology WT achieve survival rates of over 90%. Twelve percent of patients present with metastatic disease, most commonly to the lungs. The presence of a pleural effusion at the time of diagnosis of WT may be noted on staging imaging; however, minimal data exist regarding the significance and prognostic importance of this finding. The objectives of our study are to identify the incidence of pleural effusions in patients with WT, and to determine the potential impact on oncologic outcomes. A multi-institutional retrospective review was performed from January 2009 to December 2019, including children with WT and a pleural effusion on diagnostic imaging treated at Pediatric Surgical Oncology Research Collaborative (PSORC) participating institutions. Of 1259 children with a new WT diagnosis, 94 (7.5%) had a pleural effusion. Patients with a pleural effusion were older than those without (median 4.3 vs 3.5 years; P = .004), and advanced stages were more common (local stage III 85.9% vs 51.9%; P .0001). Only 14 patients underwent a thoracentesis for fluid evaluation; 3 had cytopathologic evidence of malignant cells. Event-free and overall survival of all children with WT and pleural effusions was 86.2% and 91.5%, respectively. The rate and significance of malignant cells present in pleural fluid is unknown due to low incidence of cytopathologic analysis in our cohort; therefore, the presence of an effusion does not appear to necessitate a change in therapy. Excellent survival can be expected with current stage-specific treatment regimens.

Ultrasound-guided vein cannulation is an essential skill in emergency medicine. Prohibitive costs of commercial ultrasound phantoms limit the ability to adequately train residents. We assess the clinical utility of homemade phantoms for medical education.Eighteen emergency medicine residents each performed 10 ultrasound-guided IV attempts on patients, half of the attempts before and half after a training course using two homemade ultrasound phantoms with 14 total Penrose drains. We conducted a prospective feasibility study using pre- and post-training surveys comparing confidence and success rates of IV cannulation attempts on patients.Residents demonstrated an improvement in successful ultrasound-guided peripheral vein cannulations from an average of 47.8% during the first five attempts to 71.1% in the last five attempts. No benefit was noted from the first to the fifth attempts, nor from the six to the tenth attempts, suggesting minimal benefit from experience early on. Residents reported increased confidence in performing ultrasound-guided venous cannulation on patients, identifying the correct probe, adjusting gain and depth, visualizing veins in short and long axis, differentiating arteries from veins, and vein cannulation on a phantom model.Homemade ultrasound phantoms are cost effective, increase confidence, and improve emergency medicine residents' ability to perform ultrasound-guided vein cannulation.

Background Studies on workplace violence against physicians in emergency departments (EDs) in Turkey are lacking. Methods To describe the frequency and types of workplace violence, a 34-question online survey of the past 12 months was sent to physicians working in EDs in Turkey. Types of violence were categorized as verbal threats, physical assaults, confrontation, stalking, and sexual harassment. Results A total of 366 physicians completed the survey; 4 were excluded (minimum 20 hours/week). Sixty-two percent of respondents were men. Ninety-nine percent reported verbal abuse and 54% reported physical violence. Family members, not patients, were the most common perpetrators of every form of workplace violence. Hospitals limiting the number of visitors and loitering had 14% reduction in physical threats. Only 23% of respondents indicated that their hospital offered information about preventing and managing workplace violence even though 86% noted interest. Only 1% never had fear, even though 89% indicated they had security staff. Over 89% felt that hospital security was lacking in number and ability to protect. For 82%, workplace violence affected their ability to provide patient care. Ninety percent indicated that current laws do not adequately protect them. There was also no statistically significant difference in any type of workplace violence based on the timing or length of shifts, type of hospital, or number of hours worked. Of all types of violence reported, only stalking demonstrated a statistically significant difference between men and women. Conclusion Workplace violence is a real danger for physicians working in EDs in Turkey, similar to other countries, demonstrating that this problem transcends borders. Further studies should assess root causes of violent behaviors of patients and their visitors, as well as possible (administrative, social, and legal) mechanisms to minimize such violence. Hospitals that limited the number of visitors and empowered security officers were associated with decreased violence.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating disease predominately found in premature infants that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite decades of research, medical management with broad spectrum antibiotics and bowel rest has remained relatively unchanged, with no significant improvement in patient outcomes. The etiology of NEC is multi-factorial; however, gastrointestinal dysbiosis plays a prominent role in a neonate’s vulnerability to and development of NEC. Probiotics have recently emerged as a new avenue for NEC therapy. However, current delivery methods are associated with potential limitations, including the need for at least daily administration in order to obtain any improvement in outcomes. We present a novel formulation of enterally delivered probiotics that addresses the current limitations. A single enteral dose of Lactobacillus reuteri delivered in a biofilm formulation increases probiotic survival in acidic gastric conditions, increases probiotic adherence to gastrointestinal epithelial cells, and reduces the incidence, severity, and neurocognitive sequelae of NEC in experimental models.

Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TI-RADS) is validated in adults but not yet in children. The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of TI-RADS in predicting thyroid malignancy for pediatric nodules, and to compare the diagnostic accuracy to the current American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines.A single institution retrospective review was performed of patients younger than 21 years who underwent thyroid nodule fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Two radiologists were blinded to the pathology and independently classified all biopsied thyroid nodules based on TI-RADS. ATA and TI-RADS guidelines were analyzed to determine the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of both scoring systems.115 patients (median age 15.5 years, 90 females) with 138 nodules were scored using TI-RADS. There was moderate inter-rater agreement between radiologists (Kappa = 0.51; p 0.0001). Evaluating several potential TI-RADS criteria, 23.2%-68.1% of nodules were recommended for FNAB, compared to 82.6% of nodules using ATA guidelines. Using TI-RADS ≥ 3 (without size cutoff) as an indication for FNAB had 100% sensitivity with no missed suspicious or malignant nodules on cytology or pathology.Using TI-RADS for diagnostic management of pediatric thyroid nodules improves accuracy in predicting malignancy.

We describe a case of a six-month old male presenting with recurrent midgut volvulus following two previous Ladd procedures. Despite widening of the mesenteric base during each of the previous operations, the base again appeared narrowed, facilitating the development of a recurrent midgut volvulus. The patient underwent a third Ladd procedure with emphasis placed on widening of the mesenteric base, including division of the gastro-colic ligament to further separate the colon from the duodenum with the intent of preventing any future narrowing and subsequent intestinal volvulus.

We are reporting a case of an 18-month old male who presented with bilateral cryptorchidism. The patient underwent an explorative laparoscopy in which two gonads were identified in close proximity to the uterus and fallopian tubes. Biopsy of the gonads confirmed testicular tissue. Genetic analysis demonstrated a 46, XY male. Male external genitalia were appropriate for age with no evidence of female structures. Persistent Mullerian duct syndrome is extremely rare, with approximately 260 cases reported in the literature. Best practice for the extent of surgical management is still evolving as we gather data on long-term outcome Keywords: cryptorchidism, Mullerian duct syndrome, male pseudohermaphroditism, undescended testicle

We are reporting a case of a 12-year old African-American female who presented with a six-month history of a painless, enlarging, midline neck mass. Imaging demonstrated a 4-cm solid mass with cystic components and calcifications. Differential diagnosis included dermoid tumor, teratoma, sarcomatous lesion, thyroglossal duct cyst carcinoma, and ectopic thyroid tissue with malignant transformation. Preoperative thyroid studies were unremarkable. Patient underwent Sistrunk procedure and cervical lymph node dissection. Pathology reported a diagnosis of papillary carcinoma with squamous metaplasia arising from a thyroglossal duct cyst with three of five positive lymph nodes. Post-operative thyroid studies and imaging were unremarkable. After literature review on pediatric cases of thyroglossal duct carcinomas, the decision was made to forgo thyroidectomy and opt for close follow-up. Thyroglossal duct carcinoma is a rare pediatric tumor with approximately 26 cases reported in the literature. Best practice for the extent of surgical resection and post-operative management is still evolving as we gather data on long-term outcomes.