Determining the Risk Factors for Anastomotic Stricture Development after Esophageal Atresia Repair: Results from the Turkish Esophageal Atresia Registry.

INTRODUCTION: Anastomotic stricture (AS) is the second most common complication after esophageal atresia (EA) repair. We aimed to evaluate the data in the Turkish Esophageal Atresia Registry to determine the risk factors for AS development after EA repair in a large national cohort of patients. METHODS: The data between 2015 and 2021 were evaluated. Patients were enrolled into two groups according to the occurrence of AS. Patients with AS (AS group) and without AS (non-AS group) were compared according to demographic and operative features, postoperative intubation status, and postoperative complications, such as anastomotic leaks, fistula recanalization, and the presence of gastroesophageal reflux (GER). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to define the risk factors for the development of AS after EA repair. RESULTS: Among the 713 cases, 144 patients (20.19%) were enrolled into the AS group and 569 (79.81%) in the non-AS group. The multivariable logistic regression showed that, being a term baby (odds ratio [OR]: 1.706; p = 0.006), having a birth weight over 2,500 g (OR: 1.72; p = 0.006), presence of GER (OR: 5.267; p < 0.001), or having a recurrent tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF, OR: 4.363; p = 0.006) were the risk factors for the development of AS. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our national registry demonstrate that 20% of EA patients developed AS within their first year of life. In patients with early primary anastomosis, birth weight greater than 2,500 g and presence of GER were risk factors for developing AS. When patients with delayed anastomosis were included, in addition to the previous risk factors, being a term baby, and having recurrent TEF also became risk factors. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Chronic jejuno-colonic fistula and intestinal malabsorption due to multiple magnet ingestions: A case report and systematic review.

Magnet ingestion in children can lead to serious complications, both acutely and chronically. This case report discusses the treatment approach for a case involving multiple magnet ingestions, which resulted in a jejuno-colonic fistula, segmental intestinal volvulus, hepa-tosteatosis, and renal calculus detected at a late stage. Additionally, we conducted a literature review to explore the characteristics of intestinal fistulas caused by magnet ingestion. A six-year-old girl was admitted to the Pediatric Gastroenterology Department pre-senting with intermittent abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea persisting for two years. Initial differential diagnoses included celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and tuberculosis, yet the etiology remained elusive. The Pediatric Surgery team was consulted after a jejuno-colonic fistula was suspected based on magnetic resonance imaging findings. The physical examination revealed no signs of acute abdomen but showed mild abdominal distension. Subsequent upper gastrointestinal series and contrast enema graphy confirmed a jejuno-colonic fistula and segmental volvulus. The family later reported that the child had swallowed a magnet two years prior, and medical follow-up had stopped after the spontaneous expulsion of the magnets within one to two weeks. Surgical intervention was necessary to correct the volvulus and repair the large jejuno-colonic fistula. To identify relevant studies, we conducted a detailed literature search on magnet ingestion and gastrointestinal fistulas according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. We identified 44 articles encompassing 55 cases where symptoms did not manifest in the acute phase and acute abdomen was not observed. In 29 cases, the time of magnet ingestion was unknown. Among the 26 cases with a known ingestion time, the average duration until fistula detection was 22.8 days (range: 1-90 days). Fistula repairs were performed via laparotomy in 47 cases.

The Effect of the Ganglionic Segment Inflammatory Response to Postoperative Enterocolitis in Hirschsprung Disease.

INTRODUCTION: We examined the relationship between proinflammatory cytokines that occur in the inflammatory reaction in the intestine in Hirschsprung disease (HD) and Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (HAEC). METHODS: Thirty cases (M:27, F:3) operated on due to HD. The cases were divided into three groups: group 1 with pre and post operative EC, group 2 with post-operative, and group 3 with pre-operative EC. The intestinal segments were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). RESULTS: IL-1ß staining was significantly higher in the ganglionic zone of groups with enterocolitis compared to the control group (p = 0.012). TNF-α staining in the transitional zone of Group 3 and IL-1ß staining in the ganglionic zone of Group 1 was significantly higher than the control group (p = 0.030, p = 0.020). CONCLUSION: In our study, older age at diagnosis and more than 20% IL-1ß staining in the ganglionic segment were found to be risk factors for HAEC. It is noteworthy that the increase in IL-1ß can be associated with HAEC.

Esophageal Atresia Associated with Congenital Duodenal Obstruction: Turkish Esophageal Atresia Registry (TEAR) Evaluation.

INTRODUCTION: Coexistent congenital duodenal obstruction and esophageal atresia (EA) is known to have significant morbidity and mortality. Management strategies are not well-defined for this association. The data from the Turkish EA registry is evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A database search was done for the years 2015 to 2022. RESULTS: Among 857 EA patients, 31 (3.6%) had congenital duodenal obstruction. The mean birth weight was 2,104 (± 457) g with 6 babies weighing less than 1,500 g. Twenty-six (84%) had type C EA. The duodenal obstruction was complete in 15 patients and partial in 16. Other anomalies were detected in 27 (87%) patients. VACTERL-H was present in 15 (48%), anorectal malformation in 10 (32%), a major cardiac malformation in 6 (19%), and trisomy-21 in 3 (10%). Duodenal obstruction diagnosis was delayed in 10 (32%) babies for a median of 7.5 (1-109) days. Diagnosis for esophageal pathologies was delayed in 2. Among 19 babies with a simultaneous diagnosis, 1 died without surgery, 6 underwent triple repair for tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), EA, and duodenal obstruction, and 3 for TEF and duodenal obstruction in the same session. A staged repair was planned in the remaining 9 patients. In total, 15 (48%) patients received a gastrostomy, the indication was long-gap EA in 8. Twenty-five (77%) patients survived. The cause of mortality was sepsis (n = 3) and major cardiac malformations (n = 3). CONCLUSION: Congenital duodenal obstruction associated with EA is a complex problem. Delayed diagnosis is common. Management strategies regarding single-stage repairs or gastrostomy insertions vary notably depending on the patient characteristics and institutional preferences.

Perioperative hypersensitivity in children: A prospective multidisciplinary study.

BACKGROUND: There are few studies of perioperative hypersensitivity reactions in children. The diagnosis of perioperative hypersensitivity reactions may be under estimated because it is difficult to recognize the reactions. Anaphylaxis may go unnoticed because of patient unconsciousness. Urticaria may be missed due to sterile drapes. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate perioperative hypersensitivity reactions. METHODS: In this prospective study, patients with suspected perioperative hypersensitivity reactions aged 0-18 years who underwent surgery at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, between 2019 and 2021 were investigated. Suspected reactions in the perioperative period were graded according to the Ring and Messmer scale. Patients with suspected reactions were examined 4-6 weeks after the reaction. If necessary, specific IgE and basophil activation tests were performed. Reactions of grades III-IV were considered anaphylaxis. If one test modality was strongly positive and there was a relevant time point or repeated allergic reactions, or at least two test modalities were positive, hypersensitivity was confirmed. In all patients, serum tryptase levels were analyzed at the time of the reaction, 2 h after the reaction, and 4-6 weeks after the reaction as part of the allergic evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 29 patients (8 female, 21 male) suspected of having an intraoperative reaction during the study were included in the analysis. Perioperative hypersensitivity reactions were noted in 1 patient. The incidence of perioperative hypersensitivity reactions was reported to be 0.03% (n = 1/2861). While anaphylaxis was confirmed in 1 patient, 5 patients were considered possible anaphylaxis cases. CONCLUSION: Perioperative hypersensitivity reactions can be life-threatening and may recur with further administration. Collaboration between pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, and allergists can prevent further reactions. All suspected cases should be evaluated by an experienced allergist soon after the initial reaction.

Differentiated Thyroid Cancer in Children and Adolescents: Clinicopathological Characteristics of 32 Patients Followed up in our Pediatric Endocrinology Unit.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the clinical and pathological features of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) treated at our tertiary care institution. Methods: Thirty-two children and adolescents followed up with the diagnosis of DTC between 2001 and 2017 were enrolled. We classified patients with DTC into two groups as below and above 10 years of age, and compared their clinical and pathological features. Results: The mean age at presentation was 11.2±4 years. The female/male ratio was 7 (28:4). The diagnosis was papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in 90.6% (n=29). The frequencies of lymph node and pulmonary metastases were 53.1% and 21.8%, respectively. The groups were comparable in terms of gender, initial clinical signs and tumor histopathology. The mean tumor size was greater in the younger age group (p=0.008). However, there was no difference between the two groups in terms of lymph node and pulmonary metastases. The pathological parameters associated with tumor aggressiveness were also similar between the groups, except lymphovascular invasion. Lymphovascular invasion was more frequent in the younger age group (p=0.01). Patients with lymph node and pulmonary metastases were more likely to have extrathyroidal extension and lymphovascular invasion. Conclusion: PTC was the most common type of DTC and presented with considerable rates of lymph node and pulmonary metastases. Tumor size was greater and lymphovascular invasion was more common in younger patients. Overall prognosis was favorable despite high rates of lymph node and pulmonary metastases.

Effect of paediatric caudal injection volume on optic nerve sheath diameter and regional cerebral oximetry: A randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Caudal injections commonly used for neuraxial anaesthesia in children can displace cerebrospinal fluid cranially causing safety concerns in terms of raised intracranial pressure. Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) is a noninvasive surrogate for the measurement of intracranial pressure. Regional cerebral oximetry (CrSO 2 ) can monitor brain oxygenation, which may decrease by a reduction in cerebral flow due to increased intracranial pressure. OBJECTIVES: Comparing how caudal injection volumes of 0.8 and 1.25 ml kg -1 influence ONSD and CrSO 2 within the first 30 min after injection. DESIGN: Prospective, randomised and parallel group trial. SETTING: Operating room. PATIENTS: Fifty-eight elective paediatric surgical patients between ages 1 and 7 years old, ASA class I or II, without previous intracranial or ocular pathology and surgery appropriate for single - shot caudal anaesthesia. INTERVENTION: Single-shot caudal anaesthesia with 0.8 ml kg -1 (group L, n  = 29) and 1.25 ml kg -1 (group H, n  = 29) of 2 mg kg -1 bupivacaine solution. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Optic nerve sheath diameter measured with ultrasonography and regional cerebral oximetry measured by near - infrared spectroscopy before (NIRS), immediately after, 10, 20 and 30 min after the block. RESULTS: Mean ONSD values increased from a baseline of 4.4 ±â€Š0.2 mm to a maximum of 4.5 ±â€Š0.2 mm 20 min after injection in group L and from a baseline of 4.5 ±â€Š0.3 mm to a maximum of 4.8 ±â€Š0.3 mm 10 min after injection in group H. Eight of 29 patients in group H and none in group L had an ONSD increase by more than 10%. Both groups had a reduction of less than 2.5% in CrSO 2 . CONCLUSION: Caudal injection with 1.25 ml kg -1 increased ONSD, an indirect measurement of ICP, more than 0.8 ml kg -1 and neither volume caused a clinically important reduction in CrSO 2 . TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04491032.

Intralesional bleomycin injection treatment of intra-abdominal lymphangiomas presenting with acute abdomen in children.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the results of urgent intralesional bleomycin injection (IBI) treatment of intra-abdominal lymphan-giomas (IAL) presenting with acute abdomen in children. METHODS: The records of patients who underwent urgent IBI due to acutely presenting IAL between January 2013 and January 2020 were reviewed retrospectively in terms of age, presenting symptoms, cyst type, number of injections, pre- and post-treatment cyst volume, clinical response, complications, and follow-up. RESULTS: Six patients with a mean age of 4.3 years (2-13 years) were treated. Presenting symptoms were acute abdominal pain (n=4), abdominal distention (n=1), hypoproteinemia and chylous ascites (n=1). Lesions were of macrocystic type in four and macro and micro cystic in two patients. The median number of injections performed was 2 (1-11). Mean cyst volume reduced dramatically from 567 cm3 (range 117-1656) to 3.4 cm3 (range 0-13.8) after treatment (p=0.028). Treatment response was excellent in four patients with complete resolution of the cysts, while good in the remaining two. No early or late complications or recurrence was observed in a mean follow-up period of 40 months (16-56 months). CONCLUSION: IBI is a safe, fast, and easily applicable method with satisfactory results in the treatment of acutely presenting IAL. It may be recommended in primary as well as recurrent lesions.

Ewing Sarcoma Displaying Extensive Well Differentiated Neuroblastomatous Differentiation: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: A tumor with EWSR1/FLI fusion displaying extensive well differentiated neuroblastomatous differentiation is presented. CASE REPORT: A nine-year-old female patient had a thoracic vertebra 8 paraspinal mass. The lesion was resected incompletely. Histopathologically, a small round cell tumor with gangliomatous differentiation was seen. This was initially diagnosed as an intermixed ganglioneuroblastoma. In the completion surgery biopsy material, the small round cell component was more prominent. Immunohistochemistry for both samples showed membrane positivity for CD99 and nuclear positivity for NKX2.2 in the small round cell component of the tumor. Molecular analysis revealed EWSR1/FLI fusion. The diagnosis then considered a "Ewing Sarcoma Displaying Extensive Well Differentiated Neuroblastomatous Differentiation". CONCLUSION: Tumors with the EWSR1/FLI fusion may show neuroblastomatous differentiation. We chose to treat this as an Ewing Sarcoma (ES). Recognition of this phenomenon in ES cases may prevent a possible misinterpretation and a failure in oncologic treatment.

Endoscopic septum division of tubular esophageal duplication in two children and systematic review.

Tubular esophageal duplication is a rare congenital malformation The surgical treatment of this lesion can be challenging. We aimed to present our experience in two cases with tubular esophageal duplication. Both cases were endoscopically treated by a dual knife. The first patient underwent a single, while the second patient required three sessions of endoscopic septum division using an electrosurgical knife. Both showed satisfactory clinical, radiological and endoscopic response to treatment. Moreover, a systematic literature review has been performed. To identify all available studies, a detailed search on tubular esophageal duplication was performed according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Tubular esophageal duplication was reported in 16 pediatric cases in 14 studies in the literature. Surgery was applied to 10 of these cases and endoscopic treatment was applied to two of them. In the follow-up, nine patients who underwent surgical treatment and two patients who underwent endoscopic treatment were uneventful. Tubular esophageal duplications can be successfully treated endoscopically. Endoscopic septum division is a minimally invasive procedure that allows full anatomical recovery and satisfactory therapeutic response.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor in a child with Currarino syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Curarino syndrome is a rare and complex anomaly with the triad of anorectal malformation, presacral mass and sacral bone deformation. The most common cause of the presacral mass is meningioma, but teratoma is the diagnosis in about one-third of the cases. Malignant transformation of teratoma in the form of carcinoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and leukemia have previously been reported on rare occasions. CASE: A 19 month-old-girl was referred with a presacral mass of 29mm x 23mm x 24mm. She was diagnosed as Currarino syndrome. The presacral mass was surgically resected and pathological examination revealed a foci of primitive neurectodermal tumor. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first case of Currarino syndrome with a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) foci in the presacral mass. Considering the risk of malignant transformation, the accurate pathological examination is important for complete systemic evaluation and treatment plan in these children.

Role of Immunohistochemistry in the Differential Diagnosis of Pediatric Renal Tumors: Expression of Cyclin D1, Beta-Catenin , PDGFR-Alpha, and PTEN.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric renal tumors overlap histomorphologically and may cause misdiagnosis. We aimed to determine the role of immunohistochemical staining of Cyclin D1, PTEN, beta-catenin and PDGFR-alpha on pediatric renal tumors. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Thirty-six cases of 8 different tumors were included in the study. Four blocks of paraffin tissue microarray were constructed. Cyclin D1, PTEN, beta-catenin and PDGFR-alpha were used in all cases. Staining intensity and extent were graded. RESULTS: All cases of clear cell sarcoma (CCS) and epithelial components of Wilms tumor (WT) showed immunopositivity for Cyclin D1 but blastemal and stromal components of WT were negative. All cases of CCS and most cases of WT consisting of blastemal and stromal components demonstrated loss of expression with PTEN. CONCLUSION: Cyclin D1 is not a specific immunohistochemical marker due to its strong and diffuse positivity in CCS cases. It may be useful to differentiate CCS from blastemal and stromal components of WT. Other markers except cyclin D1 do not have a role in the differential diagnosis.

Endoscopic pilonidal sinus treatment (EPSiT) in the pediatric age group: Short-term results.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to evaluate the short term outcomes of the Endoscopic pilonidal sinus treatment (EPSiT) in the pediatric age group. METHODS: In this study, between June 2018 and July 2019, pediatric patients with pilonidal sinus (PS) who were treated with the EPSiT method were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the twenty-nine patients (20 males, nine females), the average age was 15.5±2.8 years, and the average body mass index (BMI) was 25.8±4.2. Eight patients (28%) presented with a history of recurrence following the previous surgery. The average number of fistulas present in cases was 1.17 (1-2). The localization of the fistula was midline in twenty-four and lateral in five of the patients. The average time of the EPSiT procedure was 57±13.9 minutes, and the average time of hospital stay was 11.4±7.2 hours. The pain score average was 0.86 (range of 0-3) and the duration of analgesic use was 37 hr (12-72 hr). The mean post-operative time of total wound healing was 18.71 days (7-60 days) for primary presenting cases. Early wound healing was seen in twenty-five patients (average of 14 days), while late wound healing was observed in four patients (average of 60 days). The mean time of follow-up was 8.3±3.34 months. The average time of return to full daily activity was 2.1 days (0-30 days), while it was the same day for sixteen (53%) patients. In post-operative follow-up, early (bleeding: 1) and late (formation of granulation tissue: 1, recurrence: 8) complications were seen in nine patients. Of the eight patients (27.5%) whose recurrence was detected, seven were primary and one was secondary presenting patients. The average time of presentation for recurrence was 5.8 mo (1-10 mo). Re-EPSiT was applied in two of the eight patients with recurrence and is planned for five, while one of the patients lost to follow-up. CONCLUSION: EPSiT is an easily applicable, pain-free minimal invasive procedure with a short period of hospital stay and a fast return to routine daily activity. It provides comfortable and repeatable intervention in cases with recurrences after the EPSiT procedure and other methods for PS treatment.

Transient minimal hydronephrosis on contralateral kidney in infants with unilateral hydronephrosis: Is it an early sign of worsening of the affected kidney?

Background/aim: The criteria for surgical management of ureteropelvic junction obstruction are not well-defined, and there is a risk for loss of renal function before the operation. In this context, certain changes in contralateral kidney had been investigated in order to increase the sensitivity of diagnosis. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether contralateral transient minimal hydronephrosis (CTMH) can be considered as an "early alarm" sign for worsening of the affected kidney in infants with hydronephrosis. Materials and methods: A total of 182 infants (92 surgically treated and 90 conservatively followed-up) with unilateral hydronephrosis were retrospectively analyzed. Ultrasonography and renal scan findings were evaluated. Correlation between the appearance of CTMH, contralateral compensatory hypertrophy (CCH) on ultrasonography, and prognosis of the affected kidney were evaluated. Results: Among the surgically treated patients, 18 (19.6%) patients developed CTMH on average 7 months (0­13 months) before surgery. Among these 18 patients with CTMH, 12 patients (66.6%) had loss of renal function preoperatively, while this ratio was 29.7% on their counterparts (p = 0049). CCH was observed in 31 (33.7%) individuals in surgically treated patient group including all 18 patients with CTMH, while none of the conservatively followed-up patients developed CCH and/or CTMH. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, among the variables investigated, CTMH was found as an independent predictor of the deterioration in the affected kidney and of the poor prognosis (p = 0.011 and p = 0.0004, respectively). Conclusion: In our study, among the variables investigated, CTMH was found as an independent predictor of the deterioration in the affected kidney and poor prognosis in infants followed-up with isolated unilateral hydronephrosis. Additionally, CTMH can be considered as an "early alarm" sign for worsening of the affected kidney and the need for surgical intervention.

Adrenal masses in children: Imaging, surgical treatment and outcome.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the current surgical approach to adrenal masses in the pediatric age group. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed cases that underwent surgery for adrenal masses between 2007 and 2017. Patients were assessed regarding age, sex, primary diagnosis, image defined risk factors (IDRF), surgical treatment method, complications, duration of hospital stay, and follow-up. RESULTS: We examined 50 patients who underwent surgery for adrenal mass (mean age: 4.8 years; range: 5 days-14 years). For IDRF assessment, Ultrasonography was used in 42, Computed Tomography in 36, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in 36 patients. Lesions were present on the right in 25, left in 21, and bilateral in 4 patients. Histopathological findings were neuroblastoma (n = 29), ganglioneuroma (n = 6), adrenal cortex tumor (n = 5), ganglioneuroblastoma (n = 4), pheochromocytoma (n = 3), cyst (n = 1), and adrenal hematoma (n = 2). Laparotomy was performed on 37 patients, and laparoscopy on 13 patients. None of the cases had any operative complications. CONCLUSION: The crucial factors determining the surgical approach to adrenal masses in pediatric cases are the histopathology of the mass, volume, and IDRF. Minimally invasive procedures could be reliably performed in appropriate cases.

Which treatment modality for pediatric pilonidal sinus: Primary repair or secondary healing?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcome and characteristics of patients who were operated for sacrococcygeal pilonidal sinus (SPS) treatment using primary repair or secondary healing technique. METHODS: Forty-seven patients (female: 25, male: 22) diagnosed with pilonidal sinus operated between 2009 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. The cases were evaluated for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), surgical technique, hospital stay, recovery time and recurrence. Mainly two types of surgical techniques were applied: primary repair and secondary healing. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 15.6 (±1.2) years. Excision and primary repair was performed in 36, excision and secondary healing was in 11. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding length of hospital stay and duration of postoperative pain (p > 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference between groups regarding recovery time (p < 0.05). Recurrence was detected in a total of 11 (23.4%) patients. CONCLUSION: We did not find any significant difference concerning length of hospitalization, duration of postoperative pain and recurrence rate. However we determined that the primary repair group recovery time is significantly shorter compared to our secondary healing group. Therefore we recommended primary repair in the treatment of primary repair PS in children.

Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block for postoperative analgesia in neonates and young infants: retrospective analysis of a case series. TAP blocks in neonates and young infants.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of the TAP block in children has been well characterized in literature. However, there are only few reports about TAP block in the neonates and low birth weight groups. This is a retrospective observational analysis of ultrasound - assisted TAP blocks in neonates and young infants. The aim of this study to analyze retrospectively the analgesic effectiveness of TAP block in neonates and infants undergoing abdominal and inguinal surgeries. METHODS: Thirty-four cases of neonates and infants with (whom) applied TAP block were retrospectively analyzed. The TAP block was performed postoperatively in supraumbilical surgeries and preoperatively in infraumbilical surgeries. The TAP block was applied with 0.8 ml/kg-1 of 0.25% bupivacaine in unilateral approach and 1.6 mlkg-1 of 0.125% bupivacaine in bilateral approach. The CRIES Pain Scale was used for postoperative pain measurement of neonates. RESULTS: The patient's age ranged from 2 to 88 day-old with a mean (SD) of 36.2(24.2). Eleven of them were premature babies. The weight ranged from 1.6 to 5.8 with a mean (SD) of 3.7kg (1.1). Twenty-nine patients were extubated at the end of the surgery and the other patients within 12 hours. 67.7% infants required no additional postoperative analgesic in 24 hours and none of them required narcotic analgesics. CONCLUSIONS: Our conclusion is that the use of TAP blocks results in low analgesic requirements and a low incidence of postoperative intubation and mechanical ventilation in neonates and infants. It should be considered in this age group of child for postoperative analgesia.

Testis sparing surgery for Leydig cell pathologies in children.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to analyze testis-sparing surgical procedures in boys with Leydig cell pathologies. STUDY DESIGN: The hospital records of four boys with Leydig cell hyperplasia who underwent testis-sparing surgery for testicular masses between 2000 and 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Tumor markers were evaluated and all boys underwent scrotal ultrasonography preoperatively. The hormonal profile was also analyzed for symptoms of precocious puberty. The testis was delivered through a high transverse inguinal incision and the tumor was excised by enucleation. After confirming the benign nature of the tumor with frozen-section examination, the testis was reinserted and fixed into the scrotum with absorbable sutures. All cases were followed-up with physical examination, scrotal ultrasonography, and measurement of ß-human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), α-fetoprotein, and hormone levels. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 9.4 years (1.5-15 years). Testicular mass and scrotal asymmetry were detected in all cases. Ultrasonography was the main initial diagnostic modality for detecting testicular masses (Table). ß-HCG and α-fetoprotein levels were normal. Three cases had Leydig cell hyperplasia and one patient was diagnosed to have a Leydig cell tumor. Signs of precocious puberty were detected in the four patients. The mean follow-up period was 4.8 years (2-8 years). Neither recurrence nor testicular atrophy developed in the follow-up. Findings of precocious puberty continued in one patient with Leydig cell hyperplasia, in whom a 2-mm contralateral metachronous lesion was detected and enucleated successfully. DISCUSSION: Testis-sparing surgery with its potential long-term psychological, cosmetic, and functional advantages should be used in pediatric patients in whom a benign Leydig cell pathology is confirmed histopathologically. CONCLUSION: This intervention with good long-term results can easily be applied through a proper dissection plane in the testicle. Since testicular Leydig cell tumors in childhood have small rates of recurrence, this choice of treatment is efficient in patients with salvageable testicular tissues and normal levels of tumor markers.

A review of intussusception cases involving failed pneumatic reduction and re-intussusception.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate cases in which intussusception was unsuccessfully treated with pneumatic reduction (PR), and intussusception recurred following PR. METHODS: The medical records of 401 patients who presented with intussusception between 2003 and 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Included were 61 patients, 20 of whom underwent unsuccessful PR (Group 1), and 41 of whom experienced intussusception recurrence following PR (Group 2). Treatment and outcome were summarized. RESULTS: In Group 1 (mean age: 14.2 months; range: 2.5 months-6 years) surgery was indicated due to PR failure in 15 patients, and perforation occurred during PR in 5. In these 5 patients, age was under 1 year (range 6-9 months) and mean time to presentation was 3 days (range 2-4). During laparotomy, pathologies were noted: mesenteric lymphadenopathy (LAP) and/or Peyer's patch hyperplasia was observed in 15 cases, Meckel's diverticulum in 5 cases. In Group 2 (mean age: 20 months; range: 3 months-6 years), intussusception developed after successful PR in 41 patients, most frequently within the first 24 hours (21.51%). Of the 41 patients, recurrent intussusception (RI) was treated with PR in 36, and laparotomy in 5. Operative findings were mesenteric LAP in 4 and polyp in 1. CONCLUSION: PR is effective for the treatment of intussusception and recurrences. Delayed presentation reduces the success rate. In the event of failure, a lead point is usually encountered at laparotomy.