Impact of Child-Friendly Nursing on Reducing Anxiety, Fear, and Pain in Paediatric Circumcision: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric circumcision is a standard surgical procedure that frequently induces anxiety, fear, and pain in young patients. Child-friendly nursing has shown potential in alleviating psychosocial distress in paediatric care settings. However, its specific impact on patients undergoing circumcision remains underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of child-friendly nursing in reducing patients' anxiety, fear and pain in patients undergoing paediatric circumcision. METHODS: Clinical data of paediatric patients who underwent circumcision at Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province from January 2022 to November 2023 were retrospectively analysed. Patients were divided into the traditional nursing (January 2022 to December 2022) and child-friendly nursing (January 2023 to November 2023) groups. Psychosocial parameters, including anxiety, depression, pain, and fear, were assessed using the Children's Anxiety Meter-State (CAM-S), Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (WBFPRS), and Children's Fear Scale (CFS), respectively. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in CAM-S, CDI, WBFPRS, and CFS scores between the two groups before intervention (p > 0.05). However, post-intervention scores for all parameters in the child-friendly nursing group were significantly lower than those in the traditional nursing group (p < 0.001). The results suggest that child-friendly nursing effectively reduces anxiety, depression, fear and pain in children undergoing circumcision. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides compelling evidence supporting the effectiveness of child-friendly nursing in enhancing surgical experiences and improving psychosocial outcomes for paediatric patients undergoing circumcision.

Efficacy of Bleomycin-Lauromacrogol Foam in Pediatric Macrocystic Lymphatic Malformations With and Without Intracapsular Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Sclerotherapy is purportedly less effective in patients with hemorrhagic than with non-hemorrhagic lymphatic malformations (LMs). We aimed to compare the efficacy of bleomycin-lauromacrogol foam (BLF) sclerotherapy in the treatment of macrocystic LMs with and without intralesional hemorrhage. METHODS: Fifty-five children with macrocystic LMs admitted to the Pediatric Surgery Department were retrospectively included. The patients were allocated into a hemorrhage group (23 cases) or a non-hemorrhage group (32 cases) based on the occurrence of an intracapsular hemorrhage. The diagnosis was confirmed by physical examination, color ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and puncture findings. BLF was injected into the capsule after draining the cystic fluid under color ultrasound guidance. Patients whose lesions were unchanged or showed minor change after 1 month were treated again using the same method. Changes in lesion size and the number of treatments were recorded. Effectiveness was classified as excellent (volume reduction ≥90%), good (50%≤volume reduction<90%), or poor (volume reduction <50%). RESULTS: In the hemorrhage group, 17, 6, and 0 patients' outcomes were classified as excellent, good, and poor, respectively. The overall efficacy rate was 100%. In the non-hemorrhage group, 23, 7, and 2 patients' outcomes were classified as excellent, good, and poor, respectively. The overall efficacy rate was 93.8%. There was no significant difference in efficacy rate between groups (P = 0.767). CONCLUSIONS: BLF is an effective and safe treatment for macrocystic LMs with bleeding. The results were similar in patients with and without bleeding. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Treatment, Level III.

Single-Site Umbilical Laparoscopic Pyloromyotomy Using a Pyloric Electrocoagulation Chisel Combined with a Left-Handed Main Operation for Congenital Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis.

Background: Laparoscopic pyloromyotomy has become a gold standard for the treatment of congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS). There have been recent reports on the use of transumbilical single-site laparoscopic surgery for congenital HPS; however, using transumbilical single-site laparoscopic surgery in pediatric cases is still controversial due to the difficulty with manipulation. In this study, some preliminary experience with the application of a novel transumbilical single-site laparoscopic approach in congenital HPS is described. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted involving 25 patients with congenital HPS treated in our hospital from August 2016 to August 2019. A pyloric electrocoagulation chisel combined with a left-handed main operation was completed in all of the patients and the operative times, postoperative length of stay, and operative complications were recorded. Results: The laparoscopic operation was completed in 25 patients with an average operative time of 21.9 ± 5.5 minutes, average postoperative length of stay of 2.5 ± 0.9 days, and no perforations of the pyloric mucosa, recurrent obstruction, surgical incision infections, and incision hernias. All of the patients had at least 3 months of follow-up, good growth and development, and the parents were satisfied with the postoperative scars. Conclusion: A pyloric electrocoagulation chisel combined with a left-handed main operation in the treatment of congenital HPS by a single-site umbilical laparoscopic pyloromyotomy is safe and effective, and can achieve a satisfactory cosmetic effect.

Tooth loss inhibits neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of adult mice.

Tooth loss has been shown to affect learning and memory in mice and increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease. The dentate gyrus is strongly associated with cognitive function. This study hypothesized that tooth loss affects neurons in the dentate gyrus. Adult male mice were randomly assigned to either the tooth loss group or normal control group. In the tooth loss group, the left maxillary and mandibular molars were extracted. Normal control mice did not receive any intervention. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that the density and absorbance of doublecortin- and neuronal nuclear antigen-positive cells were lower in the tooth loss group than in the normal control group. These data suggest that tooth loss may inhibit neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of adult mice.

Treatment of superficial infantile hemangiomas with timolol: Evaluation of short-term efficacy and safety in infants.

Timolol has been demonstrated to be efficacious in the topical treatment of superficial infantile hemangiomas (IHs). We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of timolol in the treatment of superficial IH in Chinese infants. From March to November 2012, 124 patients with superficial IHs were included in the prospective study. The patients were divided into two groups: treatment (101 patients, the timolol drops were administered on the surface of the lesions three times daily, and erythromycin ointment was applied around the lesions) and observation (23 patients, without treatment). The results were categorized into three grades: class 1 (ineffective), class 2 (controlled growth) and class 3 (promoted regression). Within one week of the initiation of timolol treatment, a number of the lesions became softer and lighter in color. Four months following the initiation of timolol treatment, the overall response was class 1 in eight patients (7.9%), class 2 in 36 patients (35.6%) and class 3 in 57 patients (56.4%). Complete tumor regression was observed in 12 patients. No adverse effects were recorded during the treatment period. Among the patients in the observation group, there were 15 class 1 patients (65.2%), seven class 2 patients (30.4%) and only one class 3 patient (4.3%). In conclusion, timolol is an effective and safe treatment for superficial IH. In addition, it may be used in the treatment of proliferative superficial IH, particularly in infants within 6 months of age.