[Vascular anomalies in the neonatal period]. / Anomalías vasculares de presentación neonatal.

OBJECTIVE: Vascular anomalies in the neonatal period are a diagnostic challenge for the lack of evident signs, symptoms and follow-up, and the convenience of restricting aggressive diagnostic tests. The aim of this work is to review the characteristics of neonatal cases presented to our Vascular Anomalies Unit in the last 5 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All cases of suspected vascular anomaly presented to our unit before 1 month of age between 2010 and 2015 were reviewed, diagnostic tests and treatments carried out with chronology were analyzed. Presumptive diagnosis and final diagnosis (when available) were compared. RESULTS: Fifteen vascular tumors were found, 2 with visceral involvement: 6 infantile hemangiomas (IH), 3 NICH, 4 RICH, 1 tufted hemangioma, 1 unspecified liver vascular tumor, 3 venous malformations (2 equivocal MRI and a hyperkeratotic venous malformation), 4 lymphatic malformations, 3 of them macrocystic, and 2 vascular lesions that were diagnosed of fibrosarcoma and sclerema neonatorum and they were not vascular anomalies. Only 3 patients with macrocystic lymphatic malformations had prenatal diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Accurate diagnosis of vascular anomalies during the first month of life is difficult, even with MRI. Only in a few cases early treatment is needed, so it is worth taking time to follow-up. Different types of treatment (observation, propranolol, biopsy, laser, embolization, and resection) will depend on the condition to be treated. A continuous observation can avoid unnecessary procedures and risks.

OBJETIVOS: Las anomalías vasculares de presentación neonatal suponen un reto diagnóstico por la ausencia de semiología florida, de historia evolutiva y la conveniencia de restringir pruebas diagnósticas agresivas. El objetivo es revisar las características de los casos neonatales presentados a nuestra Unidad de Anomalías Vasculares en los últimos 5 años. MATERIAL Y METODOS: Se recogen todos los casos de sospecha de anomalía vascular presentados a nuestra Unidad antes de 1 mes de edad entre 2010 y 2015. Se revisa el momento del diagnóstico en relación con la anomalía, las pruebas diagnósticas y los tratamientos efectuados con su cronología. Se comparan el diagnóstico de presunción y el de certeza, cuando lo hay. RESULTADOS: Se incluyen 26 pacientes: 15 tumores vasculares, 2 de ellos con afectación visceral (6 hemangiomas infantiles (HI), 3 NICH, 4 RICH, 1 hemangioma en penacho, 1 tumor vascular hepático no especificado. 3 malformaciones venosas: 2 con RM equívoca y una malformación venosa hiperqueratótica. 4 malformaciones linfáticas: 3 macroquísticas y una microquística. 2 lesiones muy vasculares que se diagnosticaron posteriormente (fibrosarcoma y adiponecrosis) y no eran anomalías vasculares. Solo 3 pacientes tenían diagnóstico prenatal, las malformaciones linfáticas macroquísticas. CONCLUSION: El diagnóstico preciso de las anomalías vasculares durante el primer mes de vida es difícil, incluso con RM. En pocos casos se necesita un tratamiento precoz, por lo que conviene dar tiempo a la evolución, al menos durante unas semanas. Los diferentes tipos de tratamiento (observación, propranolol, biopsia, láser, embolización, exéresis) dependerán de la patología a tratar. Una observación continuada puede evitar procedimientos y riesgos innecesarios.

[Surgical treatment of giant congenital melanocytic nevi: a change of aim]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico del nevus melanocítico gigante: un cambio de objetivo.

OBJECTIVE: To review the surgical experience in Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevi (GCMN). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of GCMN cases consulting at the Department of Pediatric Surgery since 1994. Data registered were: year and age at 1st consultation, type of treatment, number of surgical procedures and complications, histology, central nervous system MRI and follow-up. RESULTS: Eleven patients with GCMN > 10% of body surface consulted at ages ranging from newborn to 8 years. All of them had multiple surgical procedures (2-19), from nevus removal to only biopsies. Eight patients had tissue expansion, completed in 3 of them with skin grafts on dermal substitute. Six patients had complications: 4 expander extrusions, 5 infections, 3 flap necrosis and 1 dehiscence. In 6 children a total or subtotal resection of the nevus was achieved; in 2 the treatment was interrupted, remaining 20% and 50% of the initial nevus; three patients had not had nevus treatment. None of the patients presented cutaneous melanoma; one died from intracranial melanoma; another one has leptomeningeal melanosis. The first 4 patients underwent an average of 16 surgical procedures each, the last 7 patients only 5. CONCLUSIONS: The aim of GCNM management has changed: GCNM treatment is now surgically conservative. Complete excision is now not the aim when technically unfeasible in few procedures; multiple surgical procedures with poor cosmetical results are not acceptable. The gravity is determined by CNS involvement.

[Salivary calculi in children]. / Litiasis salival en la infancia.

UNLABELLED: The main salivary glands are the submaxillary, sublingual and parotid glands. Infectious and tumoral conditions are prominent in the parotid gland whilst calculi are in submaxillary and sublingual glands. METHODS. Medical record review of 18 cases with a diagnosis of salivary calculi over a 13 year period. Data collected consisted in, clinical presentation, ultrasound (US), sialography (SG) and computarized tomography (CT), and treatment. RESULTS: 13 male and 5 female. Mean age was 7.2 years. All of them presented with pain and tenderness. Parotid gland was affected in 10 cases. An infectious cause for calculi was found in 7 while 3 presented calculi with no underlying infectious cause. Submaxillary gland was affected in 6 and sublingual in 2. No infectious condition was associated to submaxillary and sublingual calculi. Surgical treatment consisted in duct canalization for calculi removal and was performed in all patients after initial treatment with antibiotics. Neither complications nor relapse was found after surgical removal. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of salivary calculi is made by clinical symptoms and imaging exams. Treatment is surgical and has to be performed after medical treatment for infection and inflamation.

[Palatal necrosis in children. Case report]. / Necrosis palatina en el lactante. A propósito de un caso.

Palate necrosis as a consequence of palate infection it's an exceptional condition about there's not too much references at literature. We present a case of a 6 months old child who present a palatal necrosis after a supurative medial otitis that involved hard and soft palate, with positive culture for Pseudomona aeruginosa causing a almost complete absence of the palate that simulate a bilateral palatal cleft.

[Mammaplasty in adolescent girls]. / Mastoplastia en la adolescente.

The aim of this work is to analyze the experience in our pediatric center on the surgical management of mammary malformation in teenagers. We have reviewed or mammaplasty cases until 1999 (n = 24). We have divided them in two groups: augmentation (A) and reduction (R) mammaplasty. The analyzed parameters were: ethiology, associated pathology, surgical approach, aesthetic results and complications. Group A (n = 14; 17 implants). The surgical indication was moderate-severe mammary hypoplasia with psychological repercussion. Associated pathology: thoracic malformation (n = 13) and psychiatric pathology (n = 2). The surgical approach was submammary in 6 cases, videoassisted transaxillary in 4 and iterative on thoracic scar in 3. All the implants were located at the subglandular space. No major complications were found and the cosmetic results were good, with only one reoperation because of asymmetry. Group R (n = 10). Surgery was indicated because of bilateral puberal mammary hipertrophy in all cases. Associated pathology: obesity (n = 3), psychiatric and behaviour disorders (n = 3), scoliosis (n = 2), and one case of isosexual precocious puberty. In all cases but one the Strömbeck mammaplasty was performed. We used the Lejour technique in this single case. The cosmetic results were good, except for 2 cases of hypertrophic scar. The only complication was a wound infection that healed well.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae non-pulmonary infection presenting with pharyngitis, polyarthritis and localized exanthem.

We report a case of pharyngitis, polyarthritis and localized exanthem in acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection not involving the lower respiratory tract. Diagnosis was made by means of a particle agglutination test and IgM/IgG indirect immunofluorescence assay. This case describes a clinical complex never reported before and suggests the need for a high index of suspicion in cases of atypical presentation of M. pneumoniae infection.

Antireflux role of free muscle transplantation. Experimental study in a reflux esophagitis rat model.

PURPOSE: Experimental work on free muscle transplantation has resulted in some successful clinical applications. After a previous experimental study that established the viability of this procedure on the distal esophagus of the rat, we investigated the antireflux efficacy of free muscle transplantation on the distal esophagus in a reflux esophagitis rat model. METHODS: Two groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were submitted to a reflux-inducing operation. Thirteen animals underwent esophagojejunostomy only (EJ) and fourteen were submitted to esophagojejunostomy plus free muscle transplantation of plantaris on the distal esophagus (ETx). Eight weeks later, the esophagi of survivors were removed after sacrifice (EJ, n = 10; ETx, n = 10) and the macroscopic longitudinal extension (mm) and the histological grade (1-4) of esophagitis evaluated. RESULTS: All esophageal specimens of both groups had esophagitis. However, the extent of esophagitis (median: ETx: 23 vs EJ: 32) and the frequency of high grades of esophagitis (ETx: 30 % vs. EJ: 100 %) were significantly lower in the ETx group (p = 0.005 and p = 0.001, respectively). All except one ETx subject presented with an extent and/or a grade of esophagitis which was less than the EJ subjects' lowest values. CONCLUSIONS: Experimental free muscle transplantation on the distal esophagus seems to have antireflux function, thus its therapeutic implications deserve further investigation. The incomplete efficacy of the procedure may suggest that a putative anatomic sphincter per se is not enough to promote an effective antireflux mechanism.

[Bilateral cleft lip and palate: experience from a center with a multidisciplinary approach]. / Fisura labiopalatina bilateral: experiencia de un centro con abordaje multidisciplinar.

The aim of this work is to analyse the global experience of a center where a pluridisciplinar approach of the child affected with a cleft lip and palate is regularly done. Since january 1980 until january 2000, a total of 36 children (8 F, 28 M) with bilateral cleft lip and palate were treated. Only 5 children were born at this hospital. The others (n = 31) were referred soon after birth (24/31) or later for treat sequels. A multidisciplinary team evaluated every case. The parameters analysed were: surgical protocol, aesthetic and speech outcome, hearing disturbance, complications and the number of secondary lip surgeries. Surgical approach consisted on a soft palate closure before 3 months follow by a bilateral cheiloplasty (6 months) and a hard palate closure before 4 years of age, in the majority of cases (24/36). The esthetical result was evaluated in 25 children and was acceptable in the great majority (22/25). 16 children were submitted to tympanic draining in order to treat their secretory otitis. Speech outcome was analysed in 27 children and was good in 23. With a follow-up of 8.4 years, 15 children (8 treated soon on this center and 7 that came for their sequels) were treated for complications. There was a media of 4.5 surgeries per children.

[Advantages of primary rhinoplasty in the treatment of lip fissure]. / Ventajas de la rinoplastia primaria en el tratamiento de la fisura labial.

Congenital cleft lip is always associated to nasal deformity. The classical approach has been not to treat the severe nose defects during childhood, in the fear that early surgery would interfere with nasal growth. However, long term follow-up in patients with early conservative rhinoplasty has shown the nose to hold its new shape and its growth to be normal. During the period between november 1996 and november 1998, 22 infants affected with cleft lip underwent early rhinoplasty according to McComb's technique. During the follow-up period (6 months to 30 months) the children had a good nasal growth. The nose tip is in the medial position in all cases, and only the inferior view of the nose shows a discrete nosetril assimetry in some patients.

[Progressive bone elongation of the maxillo-facial area: mandibular distraction]. / Elongación ósea progresiva del área máxilo-facial: distracción mandibular.

Thanks to the distraction osteogenesis technique, it is nowadays possible to create new bone in the facial area. Between january 1997 and march 1999 we have performed 20 such procedures, from which 15 were mandibular. We present our experience in 10 patients with this new technique, 5 unilateral and 5 bilateral. Those were 7 boys and 3 girls, aged 2 to 14 years, affected with hemifacial microsomia, Goldenhar syndrome: 3; retrognatism with severe malocclusion: 4; facial assimetry due temporomandibular joint abnormalities: 2; and facial assimetry: 1. The proposed elongation was achieved in all cases. There was not only a skeletal improvement, but also growth and remodeling of the facial soft tissues. Distraction osteogenesis is the early treatment of the mandibulofacial deformities and offers a great deal of advantages to the growing patient.

[Temporomandibular joint ankylosis (TMA) in children]. / Anquilosis de la articulación temporomandibular (ATM) en la edad pediátrica.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis is a degenerative disease that produces a limitation of mouth opening. In children, TMJ ankylosis usually presents with facial asymmetry, difficulty in feeding and rarely upper way obstruction. Ankylosis is commonly associated with trauma, infections, systemic and congenital diseases. Diagnosis must be clinical, being CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) the most important methods to evaluate this disease. The treatment of TMJ ankylosis requires excision of the involved structures and reconstruction. We present our experience in treatment of the temporomandibular joint ankylosis. We have analysed the following parameters: age, sex, etiology, surgical technique, pre and postoperative oral opening.

[Fractures of the orbit floor]. / Fracturas del suelo de la órbita.

Fractures of the floor are not common during childhood, their main cause being trauma. The mechanism is an increased pressure in the orbital cavity, which breaks at is weakest point, the floor, where soft tissue may be trapped- periorbitary fat, inferior rectus muscle, and inferior oblique muscle. Symptoms are diplopia, enoftalmos, eyelid ptosis and soft tissue haematoma. The diagnosis is made on the clinical and imaging findings, CT-Scan being the most reliable technique. Surgical treatment is necessary when symptoms do not subside and when the muscles or the infraorbitary nerve are compromised. We present four cases of orbit floor fracture which were completely resolved with conservative management (2 cases) or with surgical release of the muscular structures and orbit floor reconstruction (2 cases).

[Post-traumatic facial deformity. Globulomaxillary cyst]. / Deformidad facial postraumática. Quiste glóbulo-maxilar.

The case of a child treated for globulomaxillary cyst is presented. He first consulted because of progressive deformity of the face and upper gum, starting several months before. He had a history of facial contusion at the time the deformity began.

[Chronic granulomatous disease: the surgical aspects]. / Enfermedad granulomatosa crónica: aspectos quirúrgicos.

Chronic granulomatous disease is characterized by recurrent infections that have an aggressive course in spite of medical treatment. Surgery is necessary, starting early in life, to treat the infections episodes. We present four patients affected by recurrent infections episodes needing a variety of treatments, who were finally diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease. Our aim is to emphasize the importance of clinical suspicion in order to make an early accurate diagnosis, and to underline the role of surgery in the resolution of the infection spells that occur along the file of the pediatric patients affected by this disease.

[Skeletal muscle graft on the terminal ileum as a substitute for ileocecal valve: experimental study]. / Injerto de músculo estriado en íleon terminal como sustituto de la válvula ileocecal: estudio experimental.

Behavior of a free skeletal muscle graft in contact with intestinal wall is analyzed in rats. On first phase, survival of the graft muscle in relation with previous denervation is studied. Nondenervated muscles suffer necrosis and fibrosis, whereas when denervated 4 weeks before grafting, the muscles are viable. On a second phase, the grafted muscle was studied on the long term. From 8th post-transplant week on, the structural and metabolic features of the graft were similar to normal. On the third phase the efficacy of the muscle implant as a substitute of the ileocecal valve is checked. Germs on either side of the valve (ileum and cecum) are counted in normal rats, rats after valve excision and rats with substitution of the valve by a free skeletal muscle implant. There haven been significant differences between normal and no-valve rats (P < 0.001) and between no-valve and artificial valve rats (P < 0.005). There has not been significant difference between normal rats and artificial valve rats. We conclude that free skeletal muscle survives transplant to intestine, and it prevents bacterial reflux from colon to ileum.

[Experimental free muscle transplantation. Is autologous graft on the distal esophagus viable?]. / Trasplante muscular libre experimental. Es viable el implante autólogo en esófago distal?

UNLABELLED: Experimental free muscle transplantation has resulted in some successful clinical applications. AIM: The possibility that this type of transplantation could act as a sphincteric mechanism motivated us to start by assessing the viability of autologous skeletal grafts on the distal esophagus of laboratory animals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty transplants of previously denervated free plantaris muscle grafted on the distal esophagus of Sprague-Dawley rats were evaluated at the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 8th and 16th posttransplant week. Histological and histochemical studies were performed to evaluate general features of the grafts and the muscle fibers condition. RESULTS: One and two weeks after transplant the grafts show large areas of necrosis with inflammatory infiltrate. Between the 2nd and the 4th week, as revascularization and motor endplates become significant, the areas of necrosis begin to regress and they almost disappear by the 8th week. Since the 4th week after transplant, regenerated muscle fibers demonstrate morphological and biochemical features similar to normal. CONCLUSIONS: Experimental free plantaris muscle transplantation on the distal esophagus is viable and shows revascularized and reinnervated muscle fibers from the 8th week after transplant on, and at least until the 16th. These fibers have the structural and metabolic properties enabling contractile function. This original model may allow further investigation of some features related to pathophysiology and therapy of gastroesophageal reflux.

[The profile surgery. Mandibular osteotomies]. / Cirugía del perfil. Osteotomía mandibular.

During the years 1987-1994, 31 mandibular osteotomies have been performed in 25 patients, 15 had mandibular alteration alone, 10 of them with prognatism, 2 with microretrognatia and 3 with chin hipoplasia. The other 10 had a combined maxillary-mandibular alteration with hipoplasia and maxillary retrussion. The preoperative work-up included cephalometric and dental study, and a cast model was done to asses the theoretical benefic of the osteotomy. All these patients underwent orthodontic treatment before and after surgery. The results have been good or very good in 96% of the cases. The ortognatic surgery offers significant aesthetic and functional improvement to these patients.

Evaluation of a competitive enzyme immunoassay in screening for syphilis.

A competitive immunoenzymatic method has been developed and evaluated for the serological screening of syphilis. The method detects both anti-Treponema Pallidum IgG and IgM. The kit, commercially known as "Syphilis Screen", is produced by DIESSE Diagnostica Senese (Siena, Italy); all the required reagents are included and are ready for use. The test is performed on undiluted serum and a single incubation step is necessary. The method can be easily automated, and the results do not require a subjective interpretation. A good correlation was found with the Treponema Pallidum Haemagglutination (TPHA) technique: only 14 out of 2350 samples tested (2090 non reactive and 260 reactive) were found to be in disagreement. This test can be considered an alternative to the TPHA method in screening for syphilis.