Utilizing a critical airway response team expedites esophageal button battery removal.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal button battery ingestion is a significant problem that can lead to significant complications such as tracheoesophageal fistula, esophageal perforation, and aortoesophageal fistula. Due to this, prompt recognition and treatment is integral in the care of these patients. METHODS: Patients who presented to a single institution from August 2015 to April 2022 with esophageal button battery ingestion were included in this study. All esophageal button battery ingestion patients were included in a clinical algorithm for Critical Airway Response Team (CART) activation in October 2019. Time from diagnosis to treatment was compared for pre-CART clinical algorithm implementation to post-CART. RESULTS: Data on pre-CART patients (n = 6) and post-CART patients (n = 7) was collected. Including esophageal button battery ingestions to CART activations shortened the time from chest x-ray to button battery removal from 73 ± 32 min to 35 ± 11 min (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These data highlight the importance of implementation of a clinical care algorithm to shorten the time from diagnosis to treatment in patients with esophageal button battery ingestion. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Presentation and Surgical Management of Duodenal Duplication in Adults.

Duodenal duplications in adults are exceedingly rare and their diagnosis remains difficult as symptoms are largely nonspecific. Clinical presentations include pancreatitis, biliary obstruction, gastrointestinal bleeding from ectopic gastric mucosa, and malignancy. A case of duodenal duplication in a 59-year-old female is presented, and her treatment course is reviewed with description of combined surgical and endoscopic approach to repair, along with a review of historic and current recommendations for management. Traditionally, gastrointestinal duplications have been treated with surgical resection; however, for duodenal duplications, the anatomic proximity to the biliopancreatic ampulla makes surgical management challenging. Recently, advances in endoscopy have improved the clinical success of cystic intraluminal duodenal duplications. Despite these advances, surgical resection is still recommended for extraluminal tubular duplications although combined techniques may be necessary for long tubular duplications. For duodenal duplications, a combined approach of partial excision combined with mucosal stripping may offer advantage.

National trends in the surgical management of Meckel's diverticulum.

BACKGROUND: Treatment recommendations for Meckel's diverticulum (MD) come mostly from single-institution case series. The objective of this study was to review the surgical management and outcomes of children undergoing Meckel's diverticulectomy using contemporary data from a national database. METHODS: We queried 2007 to 2008 data from the Pediatric Health Information System database and analyzed demographic and outcome variables for patients undergoing surgical resection of MD. Cases were classified as primary (symptomatic MD) or secondary (incidental MD). Outcomes in primary cases were compared between open and laparoscopic approaches. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Chicago, IL). RESULTS: Eight hundred fifteen children underwent Meckel's diverticulectomy. Meckel's diverticulectomy was more common in boys (boy-girl, 2.3:1), and half (53%) of the children required surgery before their fourth birthday. More cases (n = 485; 60%) were classified as primary, and most children were approached by laparotomy (75%). The most common presentations for primary cases were obstruction (30%), bleeding (27%), and intussusception (19%). In the primary group, patients treated with the laparoscopic approach had a shorter length of stay (open approach, 5.7 ± 5.2 days; laparoscopic approach, 4.3 ± 2.7 days; P < .02). CONCLUSION: These data describe current trends in the surgical treatment of MD in the United States. Laparoscopic Meckel's diverticulectomy appears to shorten length of stay but is used much less frequently than the traditional open approach.

All-terrain vehicle riding among youth: how do they fair?

PURPOSE: Pediatric all-terrain vehicle (ATV) injuries have been increasing annually for more than a decade. The objective of this study was to describe the riding behaviors, helmet use, and crash history of young ATV riders. METHODS: A 38 question self-administered survey was distributed to a convenience sample of children at 4 agricultural fairs during 2007. A total of 228 surveys were reviewed. Collected data included demographic information, ATV characteristics, helmet use, driving habits, and crash history. RESULTS: Survey respondents were predominantly male (71%) with an average age of 13.6 +/- 2.0 years. Riding began at a young age (9.2 +/- 3.2 years). Few children reported using age-appropriate sized engines (3% < 90 cm(3)), and 22% of children rode ATVs with engines more than 300 cm(3). Respondents rode primarily for recreation (94%), and more than a third reported riding without a helmet (40%). More than 70% of children reported riding with passengers, 60% without adult supervision, and nearly half (46%) rode after dark. Less than 5% of riders received any formal ATV riding/safety instruction. Of the respondents, 45% reported being involved in an ATV crash. Those children who reported a crash also rode more powerful ATVs, were more often self-taught, and overall reported higher rates of riding with passengers and without supervision, and riding after dark (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Dangerous driving behavior among children who ride ATVs is widespread, and current safety recommendations are largely ignored. Renewed efforts are needed to improve safety programs and create policy measures that prevent pediatric ATV crash-related injuries.

Scrotal abcess mimicking testicular torsion in a premature infant.

The differential diagnosis between testicular torsion and scrotal abscess in the neonate can be extremely difficult. Early surgical exploration in all cases is the intervention of choice in the postnatal acute scrotum.

Inguinal hernia in preterm infants (< or = 32-week gestation).

The current incidence of inguinal hernia (IH) in premature infants is not well-established. It is also unclear whether common co-morbidities in this population, i.e., chronic lung disease (CLD) or nutritional status or both contribute to the development of IH. The purpose of this study was to establish the epidemiologic profile of preterm infants of 32 weeks gestational age (GA) or less at birth with IH and determine whether the severity of CLD or poor nutritional status predisposes to the development of IH. Perioperative profiles of infants undergoing surgery were also reviewed. A retrospective study of 1,057 infants born at 23-32 weeks GA from January 1990 to December 1995 was done. Specific risk and demographic factors were identified. Factors used to determine severity of CLD were: days on intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV); days on positive pressure (IMV + continuous positive airway pressure); and total number of days on supplemental oxygen. Overall nutritional status was determined by weight gain in g/kg per day. The incidence of IH in preterm infants of 32 weeks GA or less who were admitted for 28 days or more was 9.34% (65/696) prior to discharge. The incidence in infants weighing 1,500 g or less was 11.11% (63/567) and in infants 1,000 g or less 17.39% (48/276). All parameters that determined the severity of CLD were statistically significant in infants with IH by univariate analysis. In a multivariate regression model, male gender was the most important variable that was significantly associated with IH (odds ratio OR=9.6; 95% confidence interval CI=3.90-23.59), followed by total days on supplemental oxygen (adjusted OR=1.00; 95% CI= 1.01-1.02). Weight gain (g/kg per day) was not significantly different between the two groups. Surgical correction before discharge was well tolerated. We conclude that the incidence of IH is GA-dependent. Factors related to severity of CLD play a more important role than weight gain in predisposing to IH.