Pediatric clear cell sarcoma of the kidney with cavoatrial thrombus.

Clear cell sarcoma of the kidney (CCSK) is a rare renal tumor. Only 4 cases of CCSK with vascular thrombus have been reported, and 2 of these were pediatric cases. One of the children had an intraatrial thrombus as well. We describe a 3-year-old boy who was diagnosed as having a Wilms tumor but did not respond to preresection chemotherapy. He underwent complete resection of the tumor under cardiopulmonary bypass. Histologic examination indicated that the tumor was a CCSK. The patient was then managed with appropriate chemotherapy and radiation therapy and is well 16 months after diagnosis.

Primary arterial switch operation in children presenting late with d-transposition of great arteries and intact ventricular septum. When is it too late for a primary arterial switch operation?

OBJECTIVE: The surgical management of infants older than 2 weeks with d-transposition of great arteries and intact ventricular septum (IVS) is a matter of debate. Some studies have presented good results of primary arterial switch operation (ASO) in these children. The aim of this study was to assess the surgical outcome of the primary ASO in children with d-transposition of great arteries and IVS presenting beyond 6 weeks of age. METHODS: The clinical records of the children (more than 6 weeks age) with d-transposition of great arteries and IVS, who underwent primary ASO at our institute between January 2003 and June 2009 were reviewed. Left ventricular geometry and interventricular septal motion on the transthoracic cross-sectional echocardiogram were taken to assess the left ventricle preparedness. RESULTS: Fifty-five children (age ranging from 42 days to 9 years) with d-transposition of great arteries and IVS underwent primary ASO. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 94.7±21.3 min, while mean aortic cross-clamp time was 53.2±8.1 min. Seven (13%) of these children died during their hospital stay. The children who had severely regressed left ventricle (banana-shaped left ventricular geometry) were operated with integrated extra corporeal membrane oxygenation-cardiopulmonary bypass (ECMO-CPB) circuit for left ventricular re-training. The children with regressed left ventricle required longer ventilatory time and inotropic support. Recovery of left ventricular geometry has taken 1-6 months depending on age at surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The children older than 6 weeks with d-transposition of great arteries and IVS can benefit from primary ASO with acceptable results. However, the need for mechanical support in some of the older patients may limit the widespread adoption of such a strategy.

Hemodynamic responses to etomidate in pediatric patients with congenital cardiac shunt lesions.

OBJECTIVE: The authors investigated the effects of intravenous etomidate on hemodynamics in children with congenital cardiac shunts. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Catheterization laboratory in tertiary referral cardiac center. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty children with congenital cardiac shunt lesions. INTERVENTIONS: Fifteen children having congenital right to left shunts (group A) and 15 children with left to right shunts (group B) were studied. Systemic mean arterial pressure (SMAP), mean pulmonary artery pressures (MPAP), right atrial pressures (RAP), and pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) were recorded. Systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI), and pulmonary-to-systemic blood flow ratio (Qp/Qs) were calculated on room air at baseline and following a single dose of 0.3 mg/kg of etomidate. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Heart rate (HR), SMAP, RAP, systemic blood flow (Qs), Qp/Qs, and SVRI did not show any significant change; whereas systemic arterial saturation increased from 77.3% to 79.3%, which was statistically but not clinically significant in the authors' opinion following etomidate in group A. No significant differences in HR, SMAP, MPAP, PAWP, PVRI, SVRI, Qs, pulmonary blood flow (Qp), and Qp/Qs ratio were seen; whereas RAP, systemic, and pulmonary artery saturation decreased in group B after etomidate. Although statistically significant, the decreases were not clinically significant. CONCLUSION: Etomidate at 0.3 mg/kg produces very minimal changes in hemodynamic parameters and shunt fraction in children with congenital shunt lesions.

Effect of rectal diclofenac in reducing postoperative pain and rescue analgesia requirement after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Adequate analgesic medication is mandatory after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the analgesic efficacy, side effects, and need for rescue analgesia after CABG surgery comparing diclofenac and placebo rectal suppository. METHODS: Thirty-seven consenting adults undergoing elective CABG surgery were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to receive either rectal diclofenac 100 mg (Group 1, n = 19) or placebo suppository (Group 2, n = 18) postoperatively, just after extubation. Both groups were given intravenous tramadol as a rescue analgesic. Pain scores in the two groups were assessed on a 10-cm visual analog scale at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours after suppository administration. Rescue analgesic consumption, sedation, nausea, and vomiting in both the groups were also recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-four-hour tramadol consumption in Group 1 was 92.5 +/- 33.5 mg compared to 157.5 +/- 63.4 mg in Group 2 (P = 0.002). Patients in the placebo group had significantly greater pain scores 1.5 to 12 hours after extubation. Group 1 patients were significantly more awake compared to Group 2 (P < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative nausea was less in Group 1 than in Group 2 (P = 0.001). Though not statistically significant, three patients in Group 2 each had a single episode of vomiting, whereas no patient had vomiting in Group 1. CONCLUSION: Rectal diclofenac suppository with tramadol provides adequate pain relief after cardiac surgery, and also reduces tramadol consumption and side effects commonly associated with tramadol.