Search

Introduction:  Age of patient and experience of biliary atresia (BA) center are well-known factors associated with early jaundice clearance (EJC) after Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) in infants with BA. This study focused on the impact of age and surgeon factor on the short-term outcome after KPE within a single center.Materials and Methods:  Fifty-four consecutive infants (18 boys and 36 girls) who underwent KPE from January 2010 to January 2020 were reviewed. KPE was performed in the earliest available operative session once the initial work-up was completed. In group A (n = 41), KPE was performed by surgeon A. In group B (n = 13), KPE was performed by specialists under the supervision of surgeon B (who is the mentor of surgeon A) when surgeon A was not available for operation. The demographics of patients, the EJC (total bilirubin <20 μmol/L within 6 months of KPE), and 2-year native liver survival (NLS) between the two groups were studied.Results:  The median age at operation was 52 days (range 26-135 days). The overall EJC rate and 2-year NLS were 85.2 and 89.4%, respectively. Group A (p = 0.015) and male gender (p = 0.029) were statistically associated with EJC but not the age at operation (p = 0.101). Group A was also statistically associated with superior 2-year NLS (p = 0.047).Conclusion:  Balancing between the impact of age at operation and the experience of surgeon on the outcome after KPE, our result suggested that KPE may be deferred until a more experienced surgeon to operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Purpose Evaluating the long-term outcome of spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP). Methods We studied all patients treated for SIP at our institution between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2014. Results Twenty-three infants (13 males) with a median gestational age of 26 (range: 23-32) weeks and a median weight of 825 (range: 560-1,965) g composed this cohort. Seventeen (74%) infants had an extremely low birth weight (ELBW); nine (39%) infants were the result of multiple pregnancies.Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) was present in 16 (70%) infants. Cyclooxygenase inhibitors were administered in 12 (52%) infants.Ten infants (seven males, 44%) were diagnosed with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), which was identified in the majority (8/10) at a median of 9 (range: 1-11) days prior to the perforation.All patients presented with pneumoperitoneum and underwent a laparotomy at a median age of 9 (range: 2-16) days. Twenty-one patients had an ileal perforation. A temporary stoma was placed in 21 patients, whereas two got primary anastomosis. Two (8.7%) male infants died. During the long-term follow-up period (median 6 years), six (five males) (26%) infants developed moderate to severe disabilities in combination with cerebral palsy. No surgical complications were observed. Conclusion The most important risk factor for SIP is ELBW (75%). The distal ileum is the most frequent site of perforation (88%). Approximately 40% develop IVH most often prior to the SIP. Moderate to severe neurologic disabilities are seen in more than a quarter of the children. Disability and mortality affect mostly the male sex. Long-term risks of surgical complications are very low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Evaluating the long-term outcome of the surgical management for intestinal strictures developing after necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)., Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study of all patients with an intestinal stricture after completion of conservative management for NEC. They were treated during the eight years period from 1st January 2008 to 31st December 2015., Results: During the study period 67 infants had an operation for NEC, of which 55 had emergency surgery. The remaining twelve infants (6 males) had a stricture and were included in the study group. Their median gestational age was 35 (range 27-40) weeks and the median weight was 2180 (range 770 - 3290) g. The onset of NEC was seen at a median of 2 (range 1- 47) days. The median peak C-reactive protein (CRP) level was 73.1 (range 25.2 - 232) mg/dl. Isolated strictures were seen in 9 (75%) patients. Two-third of all strictures (n=15) were located in the colon. Surgery was done at a median of 5 (range 3 - 13) weeks after diagnosing NEC. Primary anastomosis was the procedure of choice; only one needed a temporary colostomy. This cohort had no mortality during a median follow up of 6.25 (range 0.5 - 7.6) years, whilst the overall death rate for NEC was 15 (22 %). Two fifth of the group developed a neurological / sensory impairment., Conclusion: One fifth of the surgical workload for NEC is related to post-NEC strictures. Most strictures are located in the colonic region. In the long-term no mortality and no surgical co-morbidities were observed.

Aim: To review the experience in the management of impalpable testes using laparoscopy as the initial approach and the need for inguinal exploration., Methods: From January 2004 to June 2014, 339 patients with undescended testes underwent operation in our institute. Fifty patients (15%) had impalpable testes. All children with impalpable testes underwent initial laparoscopy. A retrospective review was conducted on this group of patients and the outcome was analyzed., Results: Forty children had unilateral impalpable testis. Ten children had bilateral impalpable testes. Thirty-one children (78%) in the unilateral group underwent subsequent inguinal exploration while 4 children (40%) in the bilateral group underwent inguinal exploration (P < 0.05). Orchidopexy was performed in 16 children (40%) in the unilateral group and 9 children (90%) in the bilateral group (P < 0.05). Regarding the 24 children with unilateral impalpable testis and underwent orchidectomy for testicular nubbin (n = 19) or atrophic testes (n = 2) or has vanishing testes (n = 3); contralateral testicular hypertrophy was noticed in 10 (41%). No intra-operative complication was encountered. Two children after staged Fowler-Stephens procedure and 1 child after inguinal orchidopexy had atrophic testes., Conclusion: The use of laparoscopy in children with impalpable testes is a safe procedure and can guide the need for subsequent inguinal exploration. Children with unilateral impalpable testis were associated with an increased need for inguinal exploration after laparoscopy. Orchidopexies could be performed successfully in 90% of children with bilateral impalpable testes.

Complications aroused from Meckel's diverticulum tend to developed in children. Children presented with abdominal pain, intestinal obstruction, intussusception or gastrointestinal bleeding may actually suffered from complicated Meckel's diverticulum. With the advancement of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in children, the use of laparoscopy in the diagnosis and subsequent laparoscopic excision of Meckel's diverticulum has gained popularity. Recently, single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has emerged as a new technique in minimally invasive surgery. This review offers the overview in the development of MIS in the management of children suffered from Meckel's diverticulum. The current evidence in different laparoscopic techniques, including conventional laparoscopy, SILS, the use of special laparoscopic instruments, intracorporeal diverticulectomy and extracorporeal diverticulectomy in the management of Meckel's diverticulum in children were revealed.

Aim: To investigate the safety and diagnostic yield of colonoscopy in Chinese children in whom the procedure is not often done., Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all colonoscopies in consecutive children who underwent their first diagnostic colonoscopy from Jan 2003 to 2008., Results: Seventy-nine children (48 boys, 31 girls; mean age 9.2 +/- 4.2 years) were identified and reviewed with a total of 82 colonoscopies performed. Successful caecal and ileal intubation rates were 97.6% and 75.6% respectively. Forty patients (50.6%) had a positive diagnosis made in colonoscopy and that included colonic polyps (23), Crohn's disease (12), ulcerative colitis (1), and miscellaneous causes (4). 80% of polyps were in the rectosigmoid colon. All but one were juvenile hamartomatous polyps. The exception was an adenomatous polyp. The mean ages for children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and polyps were 11.3 and 4.3 years respectively. There was no procedure-related complication., Conclusion: Colonoscopy is a safe procedure in our Chinese children. The increasing diagnosis of IBD in recent decades may reflect a rising incidence of the disease in our children.