[Thoracotomy and thoracoscopy in the treatment of patent arterial duct in infants weighing less than 2500 g].

BACKGROUND: Thoracoscopic clipping of the patent ductus arteriosus is an alternative to conventional surgical closure via thoracotomy in low birth weight infants. The aim of this study is to compare of these two groups of patients for the last 11 years. METHODS: We reported the data of 127 small children's who underwent standard transaxillary thoracotomy (101 patients - Group I) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for patent ductus arteriosus clipping (26 patients - Group II). The two groups were compared for patients demographics, operative report and postoperative parameters. RESULTS: The groups were similar in terms of demographics and preoperative parameters. There was significant difference in mean operative time between open and thoracoscopic procedure (44.65 min vs 38.46 min; p<0.05). Duration of care in neonatal intensive unit and length of hospital stay were significantly shorter in the Group II (16.44 d vs 8.77 d; p<0.05 and 40.13 d vs 33.65 d; p<0.05). Early complication rates were equivalent between groups (6.93% vs 3.85%; p>0.05). Rate of long-term complications was dominated in the thoracotomy group (19.80% vs 0%; p=0127). CONCLUSION: Thoracoscopic ligation of the patent ductus arteriosus in infants less than 2500 g gave results better than open surgery.

[Hybrid surgery for the treatment of ovarial cysts in newborns].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hybrid technology (laparoscopy and open surgery) for treatment of ovarian cysts in small babies and infants. Between January 2002 and November 2012, we have performed 11 operation for neonatal ovarian cysts repaired through standard circumumbilical incision (Group I) and 16 operation with using combined hybrid laparoscopic-assisted technique (Group II). The circumumbilical incision utilized at our institution is a classic Bianchi procedure. The hybrid approach combined 2 technique - laparoscopic and open. The trocar for optic telescope was inserted through a circumumbilical incision. The one working instrument was introduced into the peritoneal cavity direct through umbilicus. Afterwords, ovarian cyst was deflated with using transabdominal needle aspiration, delivered by an extended umbilical incision and enucleated as in standard open surgery. The two groups were compared for patients demographics, operative report and early postoperative outcomes. All procedures were performed successfully with no complications rate. There were no differences in the preoperative parameters between the two groups. The differences between groups for operative and postoperative results were statistically significant (p<0.05). The mean operative time in Group I was 30.91 min. In contrast, the mean duration of the operation in the Group II was 21.56 min. The mean time to beginning and time of full enteral feeding for patients with hybrid approach were significantly shorter as for patients with umbilical incision (4.06 hours vs 10.91 hours; 13 hours vs 20.55 hours). Prolonged mean postoperative hospital stay were registered in patients of the Group I (6.36 days vs 3.19 days; p<0.05). The postoperative course and follow up was uneventful in the all patients. The experience described in this study confirms that hybrid operation can be applied for treatment of neonatal ovarian cysts with outcomes better than standard open surgery.