Evaluation of a novel pediatric appendicitis pathway using high- and low-risk scoring systems.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the test characteristics of a pathway for pediatric appendicitis and its effects on emergency department (ED) length of stay, imaging, and admissions. METHODS: Children age 3 to 18 years with suspicion for appendicitis at 1 tertiary care ED were prospectively enrolled, using validated low- and high-risk scoring systems incorporating history, physical examination, and white blood cell count. Low-risk patients were discharged or observed in the ED. High-risk patients were admitted. Those meeting neither low-risk nor high-risk criteria were evaluated by surgery, with imaging at their discretion. Chart review or telephone follow-up was conducted 2 weeks after the visit. A retrospective study before and after was also performed. Charts of a random sample of patients evaluated for appendicitis in the 8 months before and after the pathway implementation were reviewed. RESULTS: Appendicitis was diagnosed in 65 of 178 patients. Of those with appendicitis, 63 were not low-risk (sensitivity, 96.9%; specificity, 40.7%). The high-risk criteria had a sensitivity of 75.3% and specificity of 75.2%. We reviewed 292 visits before and 290 after the pathway implementation. Emergency department length of stay was similar (253 minutes before vs 257 minutes after, P = 0.77). Computed tomography was used in 12.7% of visits before and 6.9% of visits after (P = 0.02). Use of ultrasound was not significantly different (47.3% vs 53.7%). Admission rates were not significantly different (45.5% vs 42.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The low-risk criteria had good sensitivity in ruling out appendicitis. The high-risk criteria could be used to guide referral or admission. Neither outperformed the a priori judgment of experienced providers.

Post-Operative Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome Following Retroperitoneal Sarcoma Resection.

Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is an uncommon phenomenon caused by the compression of the third portion of the duodenum between the aorta and the SMA. Here, we present a previously healthy 15-year-old male who presented with early satiety and 20 kg weight loss. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a massive retroperitoneal liposarcoma displacing the entire small intestine into the right upper quadrant. Following resection of the large mass, the patient was intolerant of oral intake despite evidence of bowel function. Abdominal CT revealed a narrowing of the duodenum at the location of the SMA. A nasojejunal feeding tube was placed past this area, and enteral nutrition was initiated before slowly resuming oral intake. Post-operative SMA syndrome is an uncommon complication but should be considered in patients intolerant of oral intake following resection of large abdominal tumors associated with extensive retroperitoneal fat loss, even in the absence of concomitant major visceral resection.

2016 CAPS ethics session/Ein debate: 1. Regionalization of pediatric surgical care 2. Ethical introduction of surgical innovation 3. Addressing stress in a surgical practice: resiliency, well-being, and burnout.

The following is the conference proceeding of the Second Ein Debate from the 48th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association of Paediatric Surgeons held in Vancouver, BC, from September 22 to 24, 2016. The three main topics for debate, as prepared by the members of the CAPS Ethics Committee, are: 1. Regionalization of care: pros and cons, 2. Innovation in clinical care: ethical considerations, and 3. Surgeon well-being: caring for the caregiver. The authors of this paper, as participants in the debate, were assigned their positions at random. Therefore, the opinions they express within this summary might not reflect their own viewpoints. In the first discussion, arguments for and against the regionalization of pediatric surgical care are discussed, primarily in the context of a case of BA. In the pro argument, the evidence and lessons learned from different European countries are explored as well as different models to provide the best BA care outside of large teaching centers. In the counterargument, the author explains how regionalization of care could be detrimental for the patient, the family, the regional center, and for the health care system in general. In the debate on surgical innovation the authors define surgical innovation. They review the pertinent ethical principles, explore a model for its implementation, and the role of the institution at which the innovation is proposed. In the third section, surgeon well-being is examined, and recent literature on surgeon resiliency and burnout both at the attending and resident level is reviewed.

LAHRI: Laparoscopic-Assisted Hydrostatic Reduction of Intussusception.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Intussusception is the most common cause of bowel obstruction in children from 3 months to 3 years of age. In the absence of peritonitis, initial treatment is either hydrostatic or pneumatic reduction. If these measures fail, operative intervention is required. In nonreducible cases, we propose the use of intraoperative hydrostatic enema to achieve or confirm reduction. In this study we describe a cohort of patients who have undergone laparoscopic-assisted hydrostatic reduction of intussusception (LAHRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of all patients undergoing LAHRI from the years 2011 to 2013. We performed LAHRI in seven children 4 months to 2 years of age. All patients had ileocolic intussusception that failed initial reduction by radiographic enema. With the patient under general anesthesia, saline enema reduction was facilitated by direct laparoscopic visualization. RESULTS: In 2 of the 7 cases, intussusception reduction was visually confirmed in real time, and only a laparoscopic camera port was required. In 1 patient, the bowel was extensively dilated, requiring mini-laparotomy for visualization. The enema, however, reduced the intussusception without any need for manual reduction. In the remaining 4 cases, minimal laparoscopic manipulation was required after the enema failed to completely reduce the intussusceptum, but enema was used to confirm reduction. No child required bowel resection. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of failed reduction by contrast enema, we have demonstrated LAHRI to be a successful treatment modality. The technique has the advantage of little to no bowel manipulation and has evolved into one performed via a single umbilical port.