Laparoscopic management of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is a common problem in pediatric surgery. Conventional management by the upper laparotomy was the method of choice over the last few decades. Advanced minimally invasive surgery allows successful endoscopic management of this entity too. We report on our initial experience with endoscopic surgery in the treatment of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis with respect to some technical details. The operative procedure was well tolerated by the infant. After a short and uneventful postoperative course, the infant regained eating habits and was discharged from the hospital on the fifth postoperative day. Our favourable initial experience suggests that laparoscopic pyloromyotomy could be a safe and efficient alternative to the open surgery.

[Choledochal cysts: surgical treatment]. / Ciste koledohusa: kirursko lijecenje.

The excision of the choledochal cyst with bile drainage through intestinal conduit is a standard operative procedure in the surgical management of choledochal cysts. During the last eight years five patients have been treated with this operation at the University Children's Hospital in Zagreb. All the patients were girls aged from two months to twelve years. The classical triad of pain, jaundice and abdominal mass was observed in only one patient, an eight-year-old girl. The only symptom in infancy was jaundice. Diagnosis was made by abdominal ultrasound, bibliography, CT scan with hepatotropic contrast and in older children by ERCP. Four cysts were type Todani I, and one cyst was Todani type II. The complete excision of the choledochal cyst with the Roux-Y jejunal conduit without antireflux valve was performed. There was neither operative morbidity nor mortality. Three months postoperatively the control ultrasonography and liver laboratory tests were without abnormalities. The routine control which followed did not show episodes of cholangitis, lithiasis, lipid malabsorption, blood clotting abnormalities or growth failure. The complete excision of the cyst with Roux-Y hepaticoenterostomy is an operative treatment with good results in infancy and childhood.

Development of acetabulum after closed reduction in developmental hip dysplasia.

The radiographic study of acetabulum development after closed reduction of 87 congenitally dislocated hips in 64 patients who were treated between 1980 and 1990 was conducted retrospectively. An average patient's age at the moment of closed hip reduction was 16 months (range between 6 to 24 months). On the average, patients were 16 months old (range between 6 to 24 months) at the moment of closed hip reduction. Development of bony acetabulum was followed for 8 years by measuring the AC angle. According to the age at the moment of closed reduction patients were sorted into three groups, the first group from 6 months to 12 months old (39 hips), the second group from 12 to 24 months old (28 hips) and the third group from 24 to 36 months old (20 hips). At the beginning of the treatment mean values of the AC angle in the first group were 37.2 degrees +/- 3.31 degrees; in the second group 39.7 degrees +/- 3.2 degrees; and in the third group 43.8 degrees +/- 2.7 degrees. The final values of the AC angle in the first group were 14.7 degrees +/- 3.21 degrees, in the second group 21 degrees +/- 3.02 degrees; and in the third group 24 degrees +/- 3.76 degrees. Normally and mildly dysplastic hips were achieved in 80.5% treated hips, while in 19.5% treated hips medium and serious dysplasia retarded. The acetabulum development in dysplastic hip after retained stable concentric reduction was the same as in the normal hip. The operative reconstruction of acetabulum should not be done before the third year of life.

Ultrasound diagnosis and perinatal management of surgically correctable fetal malformations.

Among 276 fetal malformations detected during the nine year period there were 97 potentially correctable anomalies which are described in detail as are the antenatal and postnatal corrective procedures undertaken. On 35 hydrocephalic fetuses 9 were operated upon postnatally in the last 2 yr. Three months after the operation four of the babies were found to be developing normally, three moderately well while two were severely retarded. Two out six babies with cystic hygroma were successfully operated after birth and their development is now normal. Of 23 malformations of the gastro-intestinal tract (two diaphragmatic hernias, three esophageal, four duodenal and four jejunal atresias, seven omphalocele, three gastroschisis) 13 babies were successfully operated and are developing normally. In 8 out of 10 antenatally detected cases of obstructive uropathy antenatal intervention was undertaken. In one case a shunt catheter was inserted for the last three weeks before delivery. Puncture and urine evacuation was performed in seven of the babies. Five were live born and surgical correction was successfully undertaken after birth, while two died (one multiple malformations and the other respiratory distress syndrome). After excluding multiple and chromosomal anomalies the best results are obtained in the correction of gastro-intestinal tract atresia (9 of 11) and obstructive uropathy (5 of 7), where once a passage has been established the baby develops normally. Interventions such as shunts in hydrocephalic babies are always a matter for discussion in relation to the final outcome, but when there is no other choice, this too is a way of endeavouring to help such a baby. Early antenatal diagnosis is therefore extremely important when interruption of pregnancy is still feasible. In cases of malformations detected at a later gestational age early diagnosis facilitates the assessment of the development of the affected organ, possible timely antenatal correction, team consultation regarding the time and mode of delivery and preparations for postnatal correction. Such an antenatal approach makes it possible to significantly influence the perinatal outcome.