Twenty-Five-Year Experience with Minimally Invasive Splenectomy in Children: From Minilaparotomy to Use of Sealing Devices and Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Technology: Tips and Tricks and Technical Considerations.

Background: This study aimed to review our 25-year experience with pediatric laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) and describe tips, tricks, and technical considerations. Methods: The records of 121 children, undergoing minimally invasive splenectomy in the last 25 years (1996-2021), were retrospectively reviewed. Median patient age was 10.2 years (range 7-17). The patients were grouped according to the period: G1 (1996-2005) included 31 patients undergoing open splenectomy using left subcostal minilaparotomy (G1a) and 28 receiving LS using supine position (G1b); G2 (2006-2021) included 62 patients undergoing LS using lateral decubitus. A five-trocar technique was adopted in G1b, with the spleen removed through a Pfannenstiel incision. In G2, we preferred to use lateral decubitus, 10-mm 30° optic, only four trocars, and sealing devices. In such cases, the spleen was placed in an endobag, finger-fragmented, and extracted through the umbilicus. Furthermore, indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence was used in the last 4 G2 patients to clearly identify the vascular anatomy. Results: The median operative time was 65 minutes in G1a, 125 in G1b, and 95 in G2. Complications occurred intraoperatively in 14 cases (11.5%): 5 bleedings during dissection (G1b), 4 endobag breakages during spleen removal (G2); 3 spleen capsule breakages during removal (G1a); and 2 instrumentation failures (G2). No conversions to open occurred. Median hospital stay was 6 days in G1a and 4 days in G1b and G2. Conclusions: LS is a standardized and effective procedure in children and is preferable to mini- or conventional open splenectomy. Our 25-year experience showed that major complications may occur even in expert hands, mainly during hilar dissection or spleen extraction. Technically, sealing devices and ICG fluorescence were helpful to perform a safer and faster procedure. We believe that lateral decubitus and 30° optic should be considered technical key points to provide excellent organ exposure and easier dissection of hilar structures.

Bedside surgery in the newborn infants: survey of the Italian society of pediatric surgery.

INTRODUCTION: This is the report of the first official survey from the Italian Society of Pediatric Surgery (ISPS) to appraise the distribution and organization of bedside surgery in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Italy. METHODS: A questionnaire requesting general data, staff data and workload data of the centers was developed and sent by means of an online cloud-based software instrument to all Italian pediatric surgery Units. RESULTS: The survey was answered by 34 (65%) out of 52 centers. NICU bedside surgery is reported in 81.8% of the pediatric surgery centers. A lower prevalence of bedside surgical practice in the NICU was reported for Southern Italy and the islands than for Northern Italy and Central Italy (Southern

Guidelines on pediatric day surgery of the Italian Societies of Pediatric Surgery (SICP) and Pediatric Anesthesiology (SARNePI).

The Italian Society of Pediatric Surgery (SICP) together with The Italian Society of Pediatric Anesthesia (SARNePI) through a systematic analysis of the scientific literature, followed by a consensus conference held in Perugia on 2015, have produced some evidence based guidelines on the feasibility of day surgery in relation to different pediatric surgical procedures. The main aspects of the pre-operative assessment, appropriacy of operations and discharge are reported.

Cervical thymic cysts.

Thymic cysts are rare embryonic remnants along the course of thymic migration in the neck or the anterior mediastinum which may result in cervical masses in children, often misdiagnosed. We present the experience gained by three European tertiary care medical centers in the treatment of thymic cysts as well as the current data on the embryology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of thymic cysts. A retrospective study was carried out in nine patients with thymic cysts during the period 1986-2002 at the departments of Pediatric Surgery of Children's University Hospital "Federico II" and "Santobono" Pediatric Hospital of Naples in Italy and "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital of Athens in Greece. All cases were asymptomatic, appearing mainly as masses resembling branchial cyst or lymphatic malformation. Laboratory and imaging investigations were not useful for preoperative diagnosis. In one case the mass extended into the mediastinum. The histological findings of thymic tissue and Hassal's corpuscles in the cystic wall were diagnostic. In all cases, surgery was successful and uneventful. Surgical excision was accomplished by dissection of the cystic masses from the jugular vein, carotid artery and vagus nerve and from the sternocleidomastoid muscle. The presence of a normal thymus in the mediastinum must be documented preoperatively in order to avoid the risk of total thymectomy. If a cervical thymic cyst extends into the normal thymus, attempts should be made to preserve the thymus, especially in younger patients. Thymic cysts should always be included in the differential diagnosis of lateral cervical masses, especially in children.