Initial experience with ACT™ periurethral adjustable balloons to treat urinary incontinence due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency in the pediatric population.

PURPOSE: To present our initial experience with periurethral adjustable continence therapy (ACT™) for urinary incontinence due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD) in children. METHODS: This is an approved prospective non-randomized pilot study (NCT03351634) aiming to treat children born with spinal dysraphism (SD) or exstrophy epispadias complex (EEC) with ACT™. Endpoints were patient-reported changes in daily pad count, 24-h Pad test and complications. RESULTS: Since April 2018, 13 children (six girls, seven boys) were implanted at the median age of 12 years (5-16). The etiology of incontinence was neurogenic ISD (7/13, 54%) and EEC (6/13, 46%). After ACT™ implantation, continence (no pad or 1 security pad/day) was achieved in 9(69%) patients (5/7 SD, 4/6 EEC). Additionally, two (15%) patients had a significant improvement (decreasing Pad test from 1049 to 310 g at 3 months). One patient (7%) had no improvement. Results were stable at 21 months (6-43) of follow-up. Mean final balloon volume was 2.89 ml (± 0.85) with a median of 3 fillings to obtain continence. We had four revisions due to cutaneous port erosion (n = 3) and balloon migration (n = 1) and two definitive explantations. PinQ score was significantly improved (47 vs 40.5 with balloon, p = ns). Neither degradation of the upper urinary tract nor cystomanometric changes have been observed at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Urinary incontinence due to ISD owing to EEC or SD can be successfully treated with ACT™ periurethral balloons. Given the minimal invasiveness of this therapy, it might be a first-line option treatment in children with complex stress urinary incontinence.

Comparison of single-use flexible ureteroscopes with a reusable ureteroscope for the management of paediatric urolithiasis.

INTRODUCTION: To compare the efficacy, side effects, and cost-effectiveness between a single-use digital flexible ureteroscope and a reusable flexible ureteroscope in the treatment of paediatric renal stones. METHODS: This analytic, case-control, monocentric study included all patients undergoing flexible ureterosopies for stone treatment. Between April 2016 and February 2019, a reusable (Flex-XC®, Karl Storz) flexible ureteroscope was used (control group), whereas a single-use (Uscope®, PUSEN Medical©) flexible ureteroscope was used in all procedures from March 2019 to April 2021. Clinical and procedural outcomes, operative times, complication rates, hospital stay, and costs per procedure were evaluated. RESULTS: Forty-three cases using a reusable flexible ureteroscope and thirty-nine using a single-use flexible ureteroscope were included in the study. Demographic patient characteristics, stone burden, location and composition, preoperative presence of a double-J stent, procedural outcomes, mean length of postoperative hospital stay, and complications (4.6% versus 5%, p = 0.81) were comparable between the two groups. Median operative duration for stone removal was 93 min (20-170) with reusable versus 81 min (55-107) with the single-use scope (p = 0.18). Scope failure occurred four times with the reusable scope and in no case with the single-use. The total cost per procedure associated with the use of single-use scopes (798 Euros) was lower than a reusable scope (1483.23 Euros). DISCUSSION: Single-use flexible ureteroscopes were created to bypass the problems incurred when reusable scopes were damaged and therefore not available for use in surgical procedures. Single-use flexible ureteroscopes are always immediately available and ready to be used, even in urgent cases, as they typically do not require maintenance or sterilization. Compared with their reusable counterparts, single-use flexible ureteroscopes have similar digital performance (270°), image quality and we found no difference in the success and complication rates. Cost analysis of a reusable flexible ureteroscope must consider the purchase price, maintenance and repair costs, and decontamination costs (including handling, detergent, bacterial culture, transportation, and storage costs). In contrast, only purchase price is included in cost analysis for single-use flexible ureteroscopes. Our study suggests that single-use flexible ureteroscopes may be associated with lower costs per procedure than their reusable counterparts. CONCLUSION: Single-use flexible ureteroscopes are an interesting alternative to their reusable counterparts, particularly in terms of material resource management. Cost analyses conducted using a low volume of cases representative of a paediatric urology division favour the use of single-use ureteroscopes.

Preliminary experience in endoscopic section of posterior urethral valves using the Holmium: YAG laser.

INTRODUCTION: Refinements in endoscopic instrumentation, the widespread popularization of endourology and the minimal invasiveness of endoscopic approaches have led to evolving interest in expanding applications for their use and now include incision of posterior urethral valves (PUV). We aimed to report our paediatric experience of PUV incision with Holmium:YAG laser updating of the endoscopic technique, how we set parameters for the laser energy and provide some tips and tricks to increase the likelihood of completing treatment. METHODS: A monocentric, prospective, continuous series of boys with PUV were treated endoscopically using a Holmium: YAG laser (1.2 J, 20 Hz, 800 µs). Feasibility was evaluated using operative time in minutes, spontaneous normal micturition after bladder catheter removal, and the duration of bladder catheterization in days in the absence of satisfactory micturition. Peri-operative complications were recorded. A VCUG was performed at 6 weeks postoperatively to exclude residual valves. RESULTS: Since September 2018, 18 children with PUV were included. The median age at the time of endoscopic laser incision was 12 days (1 day-5 years). The median operative duration was 28 min (17-35). The urinary catheter was systematically removed on the first postoperative day. There were no intraoperative or anaesthesia-related complications. More specifically, no urethral injuries and no bleeding were recorded. No incomplete VUP incision was found on follow-up VCUG, and no endoscopic revision was necessary thus far, with a median follow-up of 44 months (6 months-60 months). DISCUSSION: The use of the Holmium: YAG laser introduces new perspectives in the treatment of PUV. Its mechanism of action is considered a photothermic effect with a vapourization effect. The laser energy released by the Holmium: YAG source has a short tissue penetration distance and is strongly absorbed in an aqueous environment and therefore limits thermal tissue damage and favours early tissue re-epithelialization, reducing the risk of urethral stricture and decreasing postoperative oedema. The use of the laser in "incision" mode is the setting that most solicits the capacities of the laser (high energy, high frequency, and long pulse). The use of laser energy has the advantage of allowing tissue vapourization while ensuring maximal haemostasis and the possibility of introducing the laser fibre through the working channels of small, 6-Fr paediatric endoscopes. CONCLUSION: In our experience, endoscopic PUV incision using the Holmium: YAG laser appears to be a safe and efficient technique.

Family History is Underestimated in Children with Isolated Hypospadias: A French Multicenter Report of 88 Families.

PURPOSE: While familial forms of complex disorders/differences of sex development have been widely reported, data regarding isolated hypospadias are sparse and a family history is thought to be less frequent. We aimed to determine the frequency of hypospadias in families of boys with hypospadias, to establish whether these familial forms exhibit a particular phenotype and to evaluate the prevalence of genetic defects of the main candidate genes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 395 boys with hypospadias were prospectively screened for a family history with a standardized questionnaire, extensive clinical description, family tree and sequencing of AR, SF1, SRD5A2 and MAMLD1. RESULTS: Family history of hypospadias was more frequent than expected (88 patients, 22.3%). In 17 instances (19.3%) familial hypospadias cases were multiple. Familial hypospadias was related to the paternal side in 59.1% of cases, consisting of the father himself (30.7%) as well as paternal uncles and cousins. Premature birth, assisted reproductive techniques, other congenital abnormalities and growth retardation were not more frequent in familial hypospadias than in sporadic cases. The severity of phenotype was similar in both groups. The results of genetic analysis combined with previous data on androgen receptor sequencing revealed that familial cases more frequently tend to demonstrate genetic defects than sporadic cases (5.68% vs 1.63%, p = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: Familial forms of hypospadias are far more frequent than previously reported. Even minor and isolated forms justify a full clinical investigation of the family history. Detecting these hereditary forms may help to determine the underlying genetic defects, and may improve followup and counseling of these patients.

Long-Term Efficacy of Young-Dees Bladder Neck Reconstruction: Role of the Associated Bladder Neck Injection for the Treatment of Children With Urinary Incontinence.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the long-term efficacy of Young-Dees bladder neck reconstruction (YDBNR) alone versus YDBNR plus bladder neck injection (BNI) in patients with urinary incontinence caused by urethral sphincter insufficiency. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1987 and 2006, we assessed the continence rates obtained with YDBNR and BNI as a supplementary treatment for persistent outlet insufficiency in patients with neurogenic bladder (group 1, n = 35) and bladder exstrophy (group 2, n = 20). Median postoperative follow-up was 16 years (range: 5-29). RESULTS: A total of 55 children (23 males and 32 females) underwent YDBNR at the median age of 7.6 years (range: 1.9-17.25). Only 10 patients (18%) were considered continent after the isolated YDBNR; 17% (n = 6/35) from group 1 and 20% (n = 4/20) from group 2 (p = 1). Because of unsatisfactory results after YDBNR, 81.8% (n = 45/55) received BNI. Fifteen patients (33%) became continent with an average of 2.29 injections (±1.1); 44.8% (n = 13/29) from group 1 and 12.5% (n = 2/16) from group 2. A significant difference was found on comparing the social continence rate attained with YDBNR plus BNI between patients from group 1 and group 2 (54% vs 30%, P = .04). The difference between males and females in terms of continence rates was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Long-term results of YDBNR are modest. BNI does increase the results of YDBNR, especially in patients with neurogenic bladder.

Electroneurostimulation for the management of bladder bowel dysfunction in childhood.

Both non-invasive and invasive electroneurostimulation (ENS) modalities for bladder bowel dysfunction have been studied and reported in children. A summary of the proposed mechanism of actions and the more commonly used and recently reported techniques and outcomes are described. This includes transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, functional electrical nerve stimulation, intravesical electrical nerve stimulation, percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation and sacral neuromodulation in conditions including overactive bladder, enuresis, dysfunctional voiding, constipation, combined bladder bowel dysfunction and neuropathic bladder and bowel dysfunction. There is a need for further high quality randomised trials as well as long-term outcomes to establish whether ENS is able to alter the long-term trajectory for an individual child with bladder bowel dysfunction.

Management of choledochal cyst: Evolution with antenatal diagnosis and laparoscopic approach.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Laparoscopic excision of a choledochal cyst (CC) with hepaticojejunostomy gained a wide acceptance in the treatment of children even in neonatal period. Although, the use of prenatal diagnostic techniques causes a significant increase in antenatal diagnosis of CC, the time of surgical intervention during infancy is still controversial. A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the results of laparoscopic management of CC with special emphasis on antenatal diagnosis and treatment, and to compare the results with open procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patients who were diagnosed with choledochal cyst and underwent either open or laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy in two centres, hopital d'enfant de La Timone from Marseille and hopital Robert Debre from Paris between November 2000 and December 2009 were included in the study. The data obtained from medical reports were evaluated for sex, time of antenatal diagnosis, age at time of operation, operative time, time of postoperation. RESULTS: A total of 19 hepaticojejunostomy were performed, including 10 open procedures (group A), and 9 laparoscopic procedures (group B, 4 were diagnosed prenatally, without conversion to open procedure). There were 3 boys and 16 girls, ranging in age from 2 weeks to 16 years. Patients in the group A were older than patients in the group B. The mean hospital stay and time to return of bowel fuction was longer in the group B. there were 60% of pre-operative complications in group A versus 22% in group B. There was one postoperative complications in group B (biliary leakage nedeed redo surgery). No significant differences were found between different parameters except for operative time (288.56 min in the group B versus 206 min in the group A. (p = 0.041)). CONCLUSIONS: Our initial experience indicates that the laparoscopic approach in infancy is technically feasible, safe, and effective, with a low morbidity and a comparable outcome to the open approach. Therefore, we propose a laparoscopic approach for antenatally diagnosed CC as early as possible, before the onset of complications.

Major bile duct injuries during cholecystectomy in children: conservative laparoscopic approach is possible.

Major bile duct injury is an inherent complication in cases of both open and laparoscopic cholecystectomies. In case of choledochal lesion, conservative treatment or internal derivation by a Roux-en-Y can be proposed. We report the case of a 5-year-old boy referred to our center for an iatrogenic choledochal ligation after open cholecystectomy (performed 20 d before) for asymptomatic gallbladder stone. We performed a laparoscopic conservative treatment with a consistent good result 5 years after the procedure.

Congenital pouch colon: antenatal diagnosis and video-assisted management.

Congenital pouch colon (CPC) is an unusual abnormality associating a pouch-like dilatation of a shortened colon with an anorectal malformation (ARM). There are few reports of CPC in Europe, a contrario it represents up to 15% of ARM in India. Coloplasty and excision are described in the surgical management. This report describes a new case of CPC. This is the first reported case with a prenatal clinical presentation as an hypoechogenic abdominal image at ultrasound and a video-assisted management.

Hepatitis a in Lebanon: a changing epidemiological pattern.

In this multicenter study in Lebanon, hepatitis A virus (HAV) seroprevalence rates were surveyed by age, gender, and socioeconomic factors. Blood samples collected from 606 subjects aged 1 to 30 years were analyzed for anti-HAV IgG. Age was the most important factor influencing HAV seroprevalence. HAV seroprevalence rates in the current study were about 78% in the > or = 21 years age group, 28% in the 6-10 years age group, and 11% in the 1-5 years age group as compared with 97.7% in adults, 85% in children aged 6-12 years, and 40% in children aged 1 to 5 years in previous studies, demonstrating a shift in HAV seroprevalence from the younger to the higher age groups. In light of the severity of the disease in adults and availability of safe and effective vaccines against HAV infection, introduction of HAV vaccination into the national immunization schedule of Lebanon should be considered.