[Ureteral hydronephrosis secondary to appendicular abscess]. / Ureterohidronefrosis secundaria a absceso apendicular.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of ureterohydronephrosis secondary to an undiagnosed appendiceal abscess. METHODS/RESULTS: Herein we describe a case of a 4-year-old girl with right ureterohydronephrosis arising from extrinsic compression of the right ureter due to an undiagnosed appendiceal abscess. The patient was treated with intravenous antibiotics and the abscess was drained. Regular isotope and US assessments showed both the residual retroperitoneal fibrosis and renoureteral dilation had decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Acute appendicitis is still the most common cause of emergency abdominal operations in children. Although the symptoms are easily recognizable and generally lead to the correct diagnosis in most cases, the peculiarities of childhood can lead to errors in the diagnosis resulting in the complications reported herein. We emphasize the usefulness of ultrasound in the diagnosis and conservative treatment is advocated.

[Our experience with aspiration of ectopic ureteroceles]. / Nuestra experiencia con la aspiracion de los ureteroceles ectopicos.

Since 1986 we have performed suction of the ectopic ureteroceles in seven cases. In four of these cases the obstruction caused by the ureteroceles affected the upper hemi-kidney. In the remaining three cases both hemi-kidneys of the same side were affected. One child suffered failure of both hemi-kidneys. All the ureteroceles corresponded to the upper hemi-kidney and were associated with ipsilateral duplicity. In four of the cases the treatment applied was the heminephrectomy of the upper hemi-kidney and the suction of the ureterocele. In one case, we did a nephrectomy and suction of the ureterocele. In the remaining two cases the suction of the ureterocele was done, as well as the ureteropyelostomy, since it was necessary to use the upper hemi-kidney in the renal TC99m dimercaptosuccinic acid scan-DMSA. In five of the children there was a collapse of the ureterocele giving good results in both kidneys. In two of the children there was no collapse, which provoked the need for removal of the ureterocele. In one of these two cases, the renal dilatation persisted later. In the last case it was necessary to perform nephrectomy due to the absence of recuperation of the renal function. Three of the children had associated reflux which disappeared in one of them, after the suction of the ureterocele. Vesical surgery might be avoided by means of the ureterocele's suction technique in 60 per 100 of the cases. However, it is essential to pursue the child's progress once every six months, in order to detect possible failures of ureterocele collapse.

[The use of technetium 99m with diethyleneamino pentaacetic acid (Tc 99-DTPA) in the pathology of the pyeloureteral junction]. / Aplicación del tecnecio 99m con ácido dietilenoaminopentacético (Tc 99-DTPA) en la patología de la unión pieloureteral.

By using diuretic renograms with technetium 99m-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Tc 99-DTPA) as a non-invasive procedure to evaluate paediatric patients with pelvicaliceal dilatation, we are able to make a clear differentiation between dilated, obstructed and non obstructed renal units. This procedure has given us a new insight into the management of these patients, permitting us to decide which patients would benefit from a surgical treatment and which patients would be reserved for clinical observation and follow up.

[Omphalopagus conjoined twins with successful surgical separation (author's transl)]. / Separación quirúrgica con supervivencia de dos gemelas siamesas onfalópagos.

The authors present an observation of omphalopagus conjoined twins with successful separation. They comment on the etiopathogenic factors, obstetrical problems, investigation of the extent of the union and operative timing.