The role of distance between upper and lower esophageal pouches to predict the possibility of delayed repair in children with isolated esophageal atresia.

AIM: A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the role of distance between upper and lower esophageal pouches and pouch lengths to predict delayed primary repair (DPR) in patients with isolated esophageal atresia (EA). METHODS: Patients with isolated EA were evaluated for demographic features, associated anomalies, surgical options, and complications. The babygrams obtained for evaluating gap assessment were examined for the distance between pouches and pouch lengths. Patients were divided into two groups: DPR and esophageal replacement (ER). RESULTS: Fourteen cases with a mean age of 4.1 ± 1.9 years (1-9 years) were included. Female to male ratio was 6:8. There was no significant difference between DPR and ER groups for pouch lengths. The median distance between two pouches were significantly higher in ER group [50 mm (29.4-83.6) vs 18.8 mm (3.4-34.5) (p < 0.05)]. The distance between two pouches and pouch lengths were similar in patients with and without anastomotic strictures (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both upper and lower pouch lengths were shorter in ER group compared to DPR group. However, pouch lengths cannot be considered as a single criterion to predict the need for ER. Large cohort of patients are needed to define the cut-off values for shortest pouch length to achieve a DPR.

Acute appendicitis during the clinical course of COVID-19 in a 13-year-old boy: Complication or coincidental?

Gastrointestinal symptoms appear to be one of the most common presentations of SARS-CoV-2 infection, later named COVID-19. The symptoms such as nausea, emesis, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea may be recognised as either a finding of COVID-19 or prominent presentation of multi-inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). COVID-19 may present with acute appendicitis and/or may mimic its clinical findings. Although, coexistence of acute appendicitis and COVID-19 has been well documented, it is not clear whether appendicitis is a complication of COVID-19 or coincidence in children. A 13-year-old boy who developed acute appendicitis during the clinical course of COVID-19 is presented to discuss the possibility of causal relationship between appendicitis and COVID-19 in children.

Pyloroduodenal intussusception due to diffuse juvenile polyposis in a 3 year-old child: case report.

BACKGROUND: Pyloroduodenal intussusception (PDI) due to gastric and pyloric polyps is very rare and has not been reported previously in children. CASE: A 3 year-old boy was admitted with non-bilious vomiting and abdominal distention. Abdominal X-ray showed gastric air-fluid level and ultrasonography showed 5 cm intussusception at right upper quadrant. Upper gastrointestinal study showed gastric outlet obstruction. Multiple polyps at stomach and pylorus were detected in endoscopy. The explorative laparotomy revealed polyps originating from pylorus passing to duodenum and causing PDI. The polyps were excised to reduce the intussusception via duodenotomy. CONCLUSION: PDI and pyloric polyps should be kept in mind in cases with radiological examinations revealing gastric outlet obstruction.