Videofluoroscopy compared with clinical feeding evaluation in children with suspected aspiration.

AIM: Videofluoroscopy swallow studies (VFSS) are gold standard to diagnose aspiration in children but require resources and radiation compared with clinical feeding evaluation (CFE). We evaluated their added value for diagnosis, feeding management and clinical status. METHODS: A retrospective single-centre cross-sectional study of children aged 0-18 years, with respiratory morbidity, referred for VFSS at a tertiary pediatric hospital. RESULTS: A total of 113 children, median age (range) 2.2 years (0.1-17.9), underwent VFSS. Diagnosis included chronic pulmonary aspiration (CPA), 87 (77%); neurological, 73 (64%); gastrointestinal, 73 (64%) and congenital heart disease, 42 (37%), not mutually exclusive. Forty-six (41%) aspirated, 9 (8%) only overtly and 37 (33%) including silent aspirations. Those with CPA or cerebral palsy were more likely to have VFSS aspiration, OR 3.2 and 9.8 respectively. Feeding recommendations after VFSS differed significantly from those based on prior CFE, p < 0.001: The rate of exclusively orally fed children rose from 65% to 79%, p = 0.006; exclusively enterally fed children from 10% to 14%; p = 0.005. During the year after VFSS, there were significantly less antibiotic courses, total and respiratory admissions. CONCLUSION: In this population with high prevalence of clinically suspected CPA, VFSS altered feeding management compared with CFE and may have contributed to subsequent clinical improvement.

Aerodigestive Clinics as Emerging Pediatric Care Model: The First 100 Patients in Israel.

BACKGROUND: Aerodigestive clinics are run by interdisciplinary medical and surgical teams, and provide complex care coordination and combined endoscopies. OBJECTIVES: To describe the design and patient population of the first pediatric aerodigestive center in Israel. METHODS: A retrospective single-center cohort study was conducted describing patients followed in the aerodigestive clinic of Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, a tertiary pediatric hospital, between its inception in January 2017 and June 2020. RESULTS: During the study period, 100 patients were seen at the combined respiratory and digestive (NoAM) clinic, with a total of 271 visits. Median age at first assessment was 29.5 months (range 3-216). Fifty-six patients (56%) had esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula. Thirty-nine patients had an identified genetic disorder, 28 had a primary airway abnormality, 28 were oxygen dependent, and 21 were born premature. Fifty-two patients underwent triple endoscopy, consisting of flexible bronchoscopy, rigid bronchoscopy, and gastroscopy. In 33 patients, esophageal dilatation was necessary. Six patients underwent posterior tracheopexy at a median of 6 months of age (range 5 days to 8 years) all with ensuing symptom improvement. The total mean parental satisfaction score on a Likert-type scale of 1-5 (5 = highest satisfaction) was 4.5. CONCLUSIONS: A coordinated approach is required to provide effective care to the growing population of children with aerodigestive disorders. The cross fertilization between multiple disciplines offers a unique opportunity to develop high quality and innovative care. Outcome measures must be defined to objectively measure clinical benefit.

Duplex sonographic findings in children with torsion of the testicular appendages: overlap with epididymitis and epididymoorchitis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Torsion of the testicular appendages (TTA) is the most common cause of acute scrotum in children, and yet there are only few dedicated studies of the imaging findings. OBJECTIVE: To review our experience with the use of duplex sonography in children with TTA and to evaluate if sonography can successfully distinguish TTA from epididymoorchitis. METHODS: We reviewed the medical files and imaging findings of 29 children aged 0.7 to 13.9 years (mean, 6.5 years) with a diagnosis of TTA based on testicular exploration who were evaluated preoperatively with duplex sonography. RESULTS: A tender upper pole nodule, the typical sign of TTA, was palpated in only 2 (6.9%) children. Duplex sonography demonstrated an extratesticular upper pole nodule in 9 (31%) children. Secondary inflammatory changes included hydrocele in 22 (75.9%), enlarged epididymis in 22 (75.9%), scrotal wall edema in 16 (55.2%), and swollen testis in 9 (31%) children. Fourteen (48%) children had inflammatory changes with no evidence of an extratesticular nodule. CONCLUSION: Duplex sonography findings of secondary inflammatory changes in the absence of evidence of an extratesticular nodule may suggest an erroneous diagnosis of epididymitis or epididymoorchitis in children with TTA.

Wandering spleen--the challenge of ultrasound diagnosis: report of 7 cases.

PURPOSE: To summarize our experience with sonographic diagnosis of wandering spleen in children and assess for the typical sonographic findings of wandering spleen, complications, and possible diagnostic pitfalls. METHODS: We identified all pediatric patients from 1998-2003 with a surgically confirmed diagnosis of wandering spleen. All sonographic examinations were reviewed for splenic position, size, echotexture, and parenchymal blood flow. RESULTS: Seven children were identified with a mean age of 9.7 years (range 4.2-15.3 years). All presented with abdominal pain. Abdominal sonography, performed in all children demonstrated a low position of the spleen (n = 6), splenomegaly (n = 4), and absence of parenchymal flow in the three patients with splenic torsion and infarction. The diagnosis was made preoperatively via sonography in five children; three required repeated hospital admissions before the correct diagnosis was established. Complications occurred in five patients (gastric obstruction [n = 1], splenic infarction [n = 3], and recurrent pancreatitis [n = 1]). CONCLUSION: The most specific sonographic finding for wandering spleen is low position of the spleen. However, if the spleen regains its normal or near-normal position, the diagnosis may be missed and the condition may recur, and result in complications.

Clinical and sonographic criteria of acute scrotum in children: a retrospective study of 172 boys.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of testicular torsion in children is challenging, as clinical presentation and findings may overlap with other diagnoses. OBJECTIVE: To define the clinical and ultrasound criteria that best predict testicular torsion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of children hospitalized for acute scrotum from 1997 to 2002 were reviewed. The clinical and ultrasound findings of children who had a final diagnosis of testicular torsion were compared with those of children who had other diagnoses (torsion of the testicular appendix, epididymitis, and epididymo-orchitis). RESULTS: Forty-one children had testicular torsion; 131 had other diagnoses. Stepwise regression analysis yielded three factors that were significantly associated with testicular torsion: duration of pain < or =6 h; absent or decreased cremasteric reflex; and diffuse testicular tenderness. When the children were scored by final diagnosis for the presence of these factors (0-3), none of the children with a score of 0 had testicular torsion, whereas 87% with a score of 3 did. The ultrasound finding of decreased or absent testicular flow had a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 99%. Eight of ten children with testicular torsion and normal or increased testicular flow had a coiled spermatic cord on ultrasound. CONCLUSION: We suggest that all children with acute scrotal pain and a clinical score of 3 should undergo testicular exploration, and children with a lower probability of testicular torsion (score 1 or 2) should first undergo diagnostic ultrasound. Because the presence of testicular flow does not exclude torsion, the spermatic cord should be meticulously evaluated in all children with acute scrotum and normal or increased testicular blood flow.