Intra-abdominal Cystic Lymphangiomas: The Vanderbilt Experience.

INTRODUCTION: Lymphangiomas are rare, cystic tumors that represent congenital malformation of the lymphatic vessels. We reviewed our institution's experience treating abdominal lymphangiomas with the purpose of describing the clinical features, management, and outcomes of this rare pathology. METHODS: This is a single-institution, institutional review board-approved retrospective review of abdominal lymphangiomas presenting between January 2010 and February 2021. The diagnosis of lymphangioma was made on histopathology from either endoscopic or excisional biopsy of the lesion. Demographics, diagnostic imaging, histopathologic characteristics, and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: We identified 48 patients, of whom 29 (60%) were female, >18 y (38; 79%), with a mean age of 43 y at the time of diagnosis (range, 4 d-87 y). Tumors ranged in size from <1 cm to 30 cm. Only 1/3 were symptomatic, most commonly with abdominal pain (9; 19%) On preoperative imaging, mural nodules or thickened walls were present in one case, in which pathology was consistent with benign lymphangioma. The majority of lymphangiomas were associated with the small bowel or its mesentery (31; 65%), followed by the colon/omentum (7; 15%). Most patients underwent surgical excision (29; 60%) with incomplete excision in one patient due to extensive local invasion, and three (10%) patients required multivisceral resection. The median duration of the follow-up was 13 mo (range, 1-105 mo), during which time, none of the patients developed malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: Most abdominal lymphangiomas arise from the small bowel and are found incidentally and have a favorable prognosis. Resection should be reserved for symptomatic lesions or when there is a diagnostic uncertainty.

Pediatric Snakebites: Comparing Patients in Two Geographic Locations in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Management of children with snakebites may vary based on subjective criteria, geographic, and climatic factors. We reviewed the incidence and management of snakebite injuries in children at two tertiary referral centers in separate geographic and climatic location to assess differences in management and outcomes of these patients. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, a retrospective chart review was performed for patients ≤18 years with snakebite injuries at emergency departments (ED) of two American College of Surgeons verified trauma centers (2006-2013). One center is in southeast US and experiences a sub-tropical climate whereas the other is in southwest US and experiences a semi-arid climate. Demographic and clinical parameters were extracted. RESULTS: A total of 108 patients (59% male), median age of 9 y (1 y-17 y), were included. Snake type was identified by bystanders in 55.5% cases; copperhead was the most common (37%) subtype. Approximately 30% of patients received antivenom. One quarter of all patients were discharged from the ED. Two patients received surgical intervention in the first 48 hours after presentation. Compared to patients who sustained a snakebite in semi-tropical regions, patients in semi-arid areas had shorter bite-to-ED time, presented directly to the referral center, were more frequently bitten by a rattlesnake, had longer lengths of hospital stay, required antivenom more frequently and at higher doses, and were more frequently admitted to the ICU. No differences were seen in gender, age at presentation, severity of wound, location of bite, abnormalities in coagulation profile or rate of admission to hospital amongst the two sites. CONCLUSIONS: Patients sustaining snakebites in semi-arid climates were more commonly exposed to dangerous snake types, resulting in higher antivenom requirement, as well as longer hospital stays and need for intensive monitoring. Although no fatalities were reported in our study, our data supports early transfer of snakebite victims to higher levels of care, especially in semi-arid or high-risk areas.

Impaired growth outcomes in children with congenital colorectal diseases.

BACKGROUND: Cloaca, Hirschsprung disease, and anorectal malformations (CHARM) are congenital anomalies of the hindgut. Small series have suggested that children suffering from one of these anomalies may be at risk for growth impairment. We sought to expand on these findings in a comprehensive cohort, hypothesizing that patients with Medicaid insurance or African-American (AA) race would be at higher risk for poor growth. METHODS: Following Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, single-institution retrospective review of children with CHARM anomalies was performed (2009-2016). Body mass index (BMI) value Z-scores were obtained using the 2006 World Health Organization (age 0-24 mo) and 2000 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (age >2 y) growth charts and calculators (statistical analysis system). Patient factors and BMI Z-scores were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-six patients (Cloaca n = 16, Hirschsprung disease [HD] n = 71, anorectal malformation [ARM] n = 79) were identified. The BMI Z-score distribution for the entire CHARM cohort was lower than controls (P < 0.0001). HD and ARM BMI Z-scores were also lower versus controls (P < 0.0007, P < 0.0037). Requiring more or less than the average number of surgeries did not impact BMI Z-score [P = non-significant (NS)]. Patients with Medicaid had lower Z-scores versus private or commercial insurance (P < 0.0001). AA race BMI Z-score distribution was lower than controls (P < 0.0002), but there was no statistical difference in BMI Z-scores when comparing AA versus non-AA CHARM patients (P = NS). CONCLUSIONS: Patients born with CHARM anomalies are at risk for impaired growth. Furthermore study is warranted to identify modifiable risk factors contributing to this impairment. Longitudinal follow-up should include interventions to mitigate these risks.

Surgical informed consent in children: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the article was to analyze current literature on surgeon and parents' understanding and role in the informed consent process for children undergoing surgery. METHODS: A systematic database search (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and EBM Reviews) was performed to identify articles concerning any aspect of the surgical informed consent for children undergoing an invasive procedure. Articles analyzing informed consent in research studies, non-English-language articles, review articles, case reports and/or series, letters-commentaries, and dentistry and/or nursing-related articles were excluded. Articles meeting inclusion criteria were analyzed to identify common themes related to the process of informed consent. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-eight articles were identified on primary search, after removing duplicates and screening titles for relevance, 83 abstracts were reviewed. Thirty-two additional abstracts were identified by secondary search. Twelve of 115 articles met inclusion criteria. Analysis identified five different study themes. Information delivered during consent (Content) was studied in five articles (42%), three (25%) studied the mechanics or delivery of the information (Delivery), three (25%) studied parent participation and discussion (Interchange), six articles (50%) discussed surgeons' perceptions or the parents' ability to understand or recall the information (Comprehension), and five articles (42%) evaluated surgeon or parent satisfaction or anxiety (Satisfaction). None of the articles studied all five categories. CONCLUSIONS: Studies of the surgical informed consent process in children are scarce. Prospective studies evaluating surgeon and parent perception regarding the Content, Delivery, and Interchange of information as well as Comprehension and Satisfaction are needed to understand barriers to the surgeon-patient relationship and to optimize the informed consent process in children undergoing surgery.

Pediatric near-drowning events: do they warrant trauma team activation?

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of traumatic injuries, factors associated with mortality, and need for pediatric trauma surgery involvement for drowning and near-drowning events in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An institutional review board-approved, retrospective chart review was performed at three American College of Surgeons-verified Pediatric Trauma Centers (2011-2014). Patients with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes or E-codes for fatal-nonfatal drowning, fall into water, accidental drowning, or submersion were included. Bivariate analysis using chi-square or Fisher exact test for nominal variables and Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables was performed. RESULTS: A total of 363 patients (median 3.17 y [18 d-17 y]) met the inclusion criteria. Drowning sites included pool (81.5%), bathtub (12.9%), and natural water (5.2%). A witnessed fall or dive was reported in 34.9%, 57.9% did not fall or dive, and 7% had an unwitnessed event. Most patients did not undergo cervical spine (83%) or brain imaging (75.5%). Seven patients (1.92%) had associated soft tissue injuries. Two patients (0.006%) received surgical intervention (bronchoscopy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) within 24 h of presentation. Only 2.2% were admitted to the pediatric trauma service. The percentage of patients discharged home from the emergency department was 10.2%. Overall mortality was 12.4%. Factors associated with mortality included transfer from outside hospital (P = 0.016), presence of hypothermia on arrival (P < 0.0001), Glasgow Coma Scale of 3 on arrival (P < 0.0001), drowning in a pool (P = 0.013), or undergoing brain cooling at admission (P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest reported series of pediatric near-drowning events. Only rarely did patients require immediate surgical attention and the majority were admitted to nonsurgical services. These data suggest that routine pediatric trauma surgery service involvement in patients with near-drowning events may be unnecessary.

Post-resection outcomes for pediatric ovarian neoplasm: is ovarian-preserving surgery a good option?

PURPOSE: Pediatric surgeons often care for children with ovarian tumors. Few studies report long-term outcomes for these patients. This study characterizes intermediate-term results for patients who underwent surgical resection of ovarian neoplasms as children. METHODS: Patients who underwent surgery for ovarian neoplasms at a children's hospital were identified. They were invited to participate in a telephone-based survey assessing post-surgical recurrence, dysmenorrhea, quality of life, and fertility. RESULTS: 188 patients were identified; 79 met criteria. 31 patients had ovarian-sparing tumor resection; 48 had oophorectomy; five had recurrences. 56 were successfully interviewed at a median follow-up of 4.6 years. Dysmenorrhea rates of 52 and 78 % were reported (p = 0.07), respectively. Two patients suffered from infertility. Quality of life was generally reported as good. CONCLUSION: Intermediate outcomes are good for patients who underwent ovarian-sparing tumor resection or oophorectomy for pediatric ovarian tumors. Additional long-term monitoring would be beneficial to better assess fertility and dysmenorrhea outcomes.

Unusual origin of the levator scapulae muscle from mastoid process.

Anatomic variations of the neck musculature are uncommon and incidentally found during cadaveric dissection. The levator scapulae muscle is found in the floor of the posterior cervical triangle. It connects the axial skeleton with the superior appendicular skeleton and acts as a scapular elevator. Normally, it originates from the transverse processes of first four cervical vertebrae and inserts into the superomedial border of the scapula. During a routine cadaveric dissection, we encountered an additional slip of the left levator scapulae originating from the left mastoid process. This muscle is frequently implicated in the etiopathology of neck and shoulder pain. Knowledge of this variation is not only interesting to anatomists, but also to surgeons operating on the posterior neck and physicians managing patients with cervical or shoulder pain.

Outcomes After Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation Using Kidney Allografts With Marginal Perfusion Parameters.

BACKGROUND: This study examines outcomes of deceased donor kidney transplantation (DDKT) in recipients of kidney allografts with marginal perfusion parameters. METHODS: Allografts with marginal perfusion parameters (resistance index [RI] >0.4 and pump flow rate [F] <70 mL/min; MP group) were compared with those with good parameters (RI <0.4 and F >70 mL/min; GP group) for DDKT recipients between January 1996 and November 2017 after hypothermic pulsatile perfusion. Demographics, creatinine, cold ischemia times (CIT), delayed graft function (DGF), and recipient glomerular filtration rate at pre- and post-transplant were noted. The primary outcome was graft survival post-transplant. RESULTS: In the MP (n = 31) versus GP (n = 1281) group, the median recipient was aged 57 years versus 51 years; the median donor was aged 47 versus 37 years; terminal creatinine was 0.9 versus 0.9 mg/dL; CIT was 10.2 versus 13 hours, and the RI and flow were 0.46 and 60 mL/min versus 0.21 and 120 mL/min. The DGF rate was 19% (MP) versus 8% (GP). The graft survival in the MP versus GP group was 81% versus 90% (1 year), 65% versus 79% (3 years), 65% versus 73% (4 years), and 45% versus 68% (5 years). CONCLUSION: Carefully selected kidney allografts after comprehensive donor and recipient evaluation may allow for the use of these routinely discarded kidneys with marginal perfusion parameters.

Orthotopic Kidney Transplant as a Fifth Intra-Abdominal Organ after Two Previous Kidney and Two Previous Pancreas Transplants.

Background: Patients with more than two prior kidney transplant procedures pose unique surgical challenges. Once both the right and left retroperitoneal spaces have been dissected, intra-abdominal implantation is usually necessary. If the external iliac arteries have been used previously, it is sometimes necessary to use the aorta and vena cava for implantation. Gaining safe exposure in these cases can be complicated by history of prior laparotomy, adhesive disease, and other surgical histories. Case Presentation. A 58-year-old female with type 1 diabetes and end-stage renal disease presented for surgical evaluation for kidney transplant. Surgical history was notable for prior simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant followed by both a living donor kidney transplant and a pancreas after kidney transplant. She had undergone both an allograft nephrectomy and an allograft pancreatectomy and currently had a nonfunctioning kidney in the left retroperitoneal position and a nonfunctioning pancreatic allograft on the right common iliac artery. The entire distal aortoiliac system was surgically inaccessible. She was listed for transplantation, and a cadaveric graft was allocated. Intraoperatively, severe lower abdominal and pelvic adhesions prevented any use of the iliac system. A left native nephrectomy was performed, and the allograft was implanted in the left orthotopic position. The native left renal vein was used for outflow, the donor renal artery was joined end-to-side to the infrarenal aorta, and a uretero-ureterostomy was created. The operation was uneventful. The allograft functioned without delay, and almost one year later, the GFR is approximately 50 mg/dL. Conclusion: The left orthotopic position can be a good choice for kidney transplant candidates with histories of prior complex lower abdominal surgery.

A Single-Center Study of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Recurrence in Recipients of Liver Transplant for Treatment of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVES: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is a growing indication for liver transplant. We examined multiple granular elements to determine risk factors for recurrence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or recurrence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective, single-center study of patients who underwent liver transplant for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Demographic differences were assessed with the Wilcoxon and Pearson tests for continuous and discrete variables, respectively. We used a linear mixed effects model to estimate mean changes in body mass index and laboratory measurements. Time to graft loss was analyzed with the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: From 1998 to 2017, there were 275 patients at our center who underwent liver transplant as treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis cirrhosis. Of these patients, 31 (11%) were diagnosed with recurrent nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and 60 (22%) had recurrent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Patients with or without recurrence of either nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease were similar with regard to Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, body mass index, sex, ethnicity, comorbidity, and donor characteristics, including donor macrosteatosis. Exposures to several medication classes were examined, but there was no association with recurrence of either nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Changes in aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels over time were correlated with recurrence of either nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease versus levels observed in the groups with no recurrent disease. There was no difference in graft survival for the groups with recurrence of either nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and recurrence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis were not associated with increased mortality after liver transplant. There were notable steady increases in body mass index after transplant for all patients who received liver transplant as treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Postoperative and Recurrent Hematuria after Pretransplant Core Needle Biopsy in Living Donor Kidney Transplant.

Background: Core needle and wedge biopsies are the two main pathologic ways to determine the suitability of a kidney allograft and to have a baseline allograft biopsy in case of future rejection. Case Presentation. A 57-year-old patient developed a renal arteriovenous fistula causing postoperative and recurrent hematuria after allograft pretransplant renal core needle biopsy and treated with selective Interventional radiology coil embolization. Conclusion: Delayed profound hematuria can be seen after pretransplant core needle renal biopsies and can recur again even after complete resolution, due to arteriovenous fistula formation in the renal calyceal system.

Spinal Stroke following Kidney Transplant.

Complications are a part of surgery. Spinal infarctions are a dreaded complication of aortic surgery. We present a patient who developed a spinal infarct after a kidney transplant. We were unable to find a causative factor in our search for etiology. In our review of the literature, we were unable to find a similar report. We present this case report to highlight a rare complication of kidney transplantation and to reinforce that patients requiring kidney transplant are complex patients with multiple comorbidities that can cause a multitude of complications in the periop period.

The choices we make: Ethical challenges in trauma surgery.

BACKGROUND: Ethical issues in trauma surgery are commonplace but scarcely studied. We aim to characterize the ethical dilemmas trauma surgeons encounter in clinical practice and describe perceptions about the ability to manage these dilemmas and strategies they use to address them. METHODS: Members of a U.S. trauma society were electronically surveyed on handling ethically challenging scenarios. The survey instrument was developed using published ethics literature and iterative cognitive interviews. Domains included perceived frequency of encountering and self-efficacy of managing ethical situations in trauma surgery. Common situations were defined as those encountered monthly or weekly. Ethical problems were categorized within 7 larger categories: general ethics, autonomy, communication, justice, end-of-life, conflict, and other. Descriptive analyses were performed; group comparisons were analyzed using analysis of variance. RESULTS: Of 1,748 surveyed, 548 responded (30.6%) and 154 (28%) were female. Most were White, under 55 years age, had completed fellowship training, and were practicing at a level I or II trauma center. The most encountered ethical categories were generic ethics and communication (79%). Issues involving conflict were least frequent (21%). Respondents felt most uncomfortable with autonomy topics. Respondents with high self-efficacy in handling ethical situations were older, in practice ≥15 years, served on an ethics committee, and/or frequently experienced ethical challenges. CONCLUSION: Most trauma surgeons regularly encounter ethical challenges, especially those related to communication. Trauma surgeons encounter ethical issues involving conflict least often, and lowest self-efficacy scores with issues involving autonomy. Experienced trauma surgeons reported higher self-efficacy scores in managing ethical issues. Future work should examine how self-efficacy translates to observed behavior, and how trauma surgeons build and enhance their ethical skillsets in the care of the injured patient.

Determining the impact of body mass index on ultrasound accuracy for diagnosing appendicitis: Is it less useful in obese children?

BACKGROUND: Ultrasonography (US) is the preferred imaging for suspected pediatric appendicitis. We hypothesize that children with elevated Body-Mass-Index-for-age percentile (BMIP) may be more likely to have an inaccurate or equivocal (IE) US. METHODS: After IRB approval, a four-year review was performed on pediatric patients evaluated for appendicitis by US. The CDC BMIP Calculator was used. IE subgroups were analyzed together for comparison against the accurate group. RESULTS: 1059 patients were included: median age 11.3 years (IQR: 8.2, 14.6), 506 (47.8%) males. Median BMIP was 65.9 (IQR: 33.9, 89.6). US accurately diagnosed 857 (80.9%), incorrectly diagnosed 76 (7.2%), 126 (11.9%) were equivocal. Overall sensitivity was 0.85, specificity 0.96, PPV 0.93 and NPV 0.91. Obese children (BMIP ≥95%), had higher odds of IE US (OR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.28, 2.70; p = 0.001). When analyzed by sex, risk increased in obese males (OR: 2.55, 95% CI:1.53, 4.24; p = 0.0003) but normalized in obese females (OR: 1.30, 95% CI:0.74, 2.28; p = 0.35). CONCLUSIONS: An elevated BMIP may increase difficulty in visualizing the appendix, resulting in inaccurate or equivocal findings. This risk is seen specifically in obese males. If US findings do not correlate with clinical assessment in obese children with abdominal pain, further evaluation may be warranted.

Neonatal Perforated Appendicitis Attributed to Localized Necrotizing Enterocolitis of the Appendix: A Review.

Neonatal appendicitis is a rare clinical entity associated with remarkable morbidity and mortality. Appendicular perforation is common and the diagnosis is usually made intra-operatively. The causative etiology of neonatal perforated appendicitis (NPA) is a subject of debate and has not been elucidated. Although many etiologic theories exist, increasing evidence suggests a subset of NPA cases may represent a form of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) localized to the appendix. We herein present a review of the current literature to include cases of NPA attributed to localized NEC. A high index of clinical suspicion and early laparotomy are recommended.

Neonatal Perforated Appendicitis Masquerading as Necrotizing Enterocolitis.

A preterm neonate underwent emergent laparotomy for presumed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Intra-operatively, neonatal perforated appendicitis (NPA) was encountered. This may represent a form of NEC localized to the appendix. A high index of clinical suspicion and early laparotomy are recommended.