[Stenosis of the colon in childhood]. / La stenosi del colon in età pediatrica.

The authors report 6 cases of colonic stenosis (three males and three females, range of age 9 days-4 months) observed from 1982 to 1985 in the Department of Pediatric Surgery in Bambino Gesù Hospital. Three out of six have been admitted with the diagnosis of necrotizing enterocolitis soon after birth. The authors have observed 2 cases of colonic stenosis in neonatal age, 1 case aged month, both suffering from Hirschsprung's disease. A file for the diagnosis has been performed for all patients. Stenosis have been observed in the descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectosigmoid tract, multiple stenosis were present in 2 patients. In 5 patients the surgical treatment has been the removal of stenotic tract. In three patients a colostomy on transverse colon has been performed followed by abdominal perineal intestinal lowering. The authors stress the importance of anorectal manometry among investigations usually performed to exclude Hirschsprung's disease.

[Epidermoid cyst of the spleen in a newborn infant. Prenatal diagnosis and partial splenectomy]. / Kyste épidermoïde de la rate chez un nouveau-né. Diagnostic anténatal et splénectomie partielle.

Non parasitic splenic cysts are an uncommon clinical and pathologic entities, out of these, epitelias splenic cysts (ESC) occurred in 10% of cases. Until recently the treatment of choice for the large ESC consisted of splenectomy. Splenic preservation, for avoiding risks of sepsis, is a modern concept uniformly accepted for treating childhood splenic injury and benign pathology. The Authors report a case of prenatal diagnosis of large left upper quadrant mass that was apparent at Ultrasonography (US) at 32th week of gestational age. Laparotomy at 3rd day of life: a large cyst splenic mass was found (7 x 7 cm), it was situated all in lower pole. Partial splenectomy was performed; cysts were not found in other organs. Histology of specimen: ESC. The postoperative course was uneventful. Postoperative (6 months) Scintigraphy demonstrated the good vascularization of the spleen.