Laparoscopy is a definitive diagnostic method for auto-amputated ovary in infants.

PURPOSE: Antenatal auto-amputation of the ovary is an extremely rare event, and its diagnosis is difficult. We aimed to retrospectively review the cases with antenatal auto-amputation, where the diagnosis was made based on detection of free-floating cyst during surgery. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with auto-amputated ovary during the surgery between 2012 and 2021 were included in the study. The data were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical, radiological, surgical, and histopathological findings were recorded. RESULTS: Eight patients underwent surgery for an abdominal cystic mass. The age range of patients who were operated was from 21 days to 9 months. None of the patients had symptoms, except one patient who had a large cyst and was vomiting. Prenatal ultrasound examination indicated an intra-abdominal cyst in all patients, but auto-amputated ovary diagnosis was not made. Differential postnatal diagnoses included an ovarian cyst, ovarian teratoma, tuba-ovarian torsion, mesenteric lymphatic malformation, and intestinal duplication cyst. Only one patient had an auto-amputated ovary suspicion in computed tomography. Laparoscopic exploration (n: 7) or laparotomy (n: 1) was performed. Histopathologic examination was necrosis and calcification (n: 6), necrosis (n: 1), and serous cystadenoma and necrosis (n: 1). CONCLUSION: We suggest that laparoscopy should be used for diagnosis and treatment of antenatal intra-abdominal cysts that persist postnatally because of diagnostic dilemmas. We recommend in patients diagnosed with auto-amputated ovary that the other ovary should be carefully monitored and followed up in terms of ovarian cyst, due to the possible risk of torsion.

Rare emergency in children: Priapism and stepwise treatment approach.

BACKGROUND: Priapism is a rare condition in children and the treatment algorithm is controversial in this age group. Herein, we report eight cases with low-flow priapism and our stepwise treatment approach in light of literature. METHODS: We present a simple stepwise treatment for low-flow priapism including five steps. Step 1: Cold compress and analgesia while evaluation the priapism and its etiology. Step 2: Corporal aspiration and adrenaline infusion in the ward. Step 3: Modified Winter shunt in the same place. Step 4: Ketamine application and caudal block in the operating room. Step 5: Sapheno-cavernous (Grayhack) shunt. Eight cases with low-flow priapism were reviewed retrospectively. Symptoms, duration of tumescence, the interventions, and step that provide detumescence were recorded. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 8.5 years (1-17 y). The median time of the priapism before admission was 15 h (4-165 h). The etiological factors were sickle cell disease, hemodialysis due to chronic renal failure, and factor V Leiden mutation in three patients. Detumescence was achieved in one patient at Step 2, in two patients at Steps 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Rigidity of cavernous body was observed in one patient in long-term follow-up. CONCLUSION: Low-flow priapism is a urological emergency that may cause erectile dysfunction. Treatment options should be selected according to a protocol that prevents time loss and avoids more invasive treatment in unnecessary situations. Our algorithm with simple nature and its steps from less invasive to more invasive procedures may be an alternative for the treatment of low-flow priapism.

Retrospective analysis of early- and late-operated meningomyelocele patients.

PURPOSE: Myelomeningocele (MMC) is one of the commonest congenital malformations. Hydrocephalus develops in 65-85% of cases with MMC. Only 3-10% of MMC patients have normal urinary continence. We aim to investigate the effects of early and late operation in MMC patients in terms of development of hydrocephalus, motor deficits, and bladder functions. METHODS: Medical records of MMC patients operated between January 2008 and December 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: We retrospectively investigated patients' records of 43 patients. Twenty of the patients were operated within the first 48 h after the delivery (early repair group), while 23 of the patients were operated after 48 h of delivery (late repair group). In the early repair group, 15 patients were operated due to hydrocephalus. Urodynamic problems were detected in 17 (85%) patients. In the late repair group, shunts were placed in 14 (61%) patients during follow-up period and urodynamic problems were detected in 19 (82.6%) patients. Mean operation time for the late group was 4.6 months. There was no statistical difference between the early and late group in terms of neurological and urodynamic deficits. The mean follow-up period was 45.5 months. CONCLUSION: In the literature, surgery in the first 48 h of life is recommended for MMC patients. There was no difference between the early- and late-operated groups by means of hydrocephalus, urodynamic functions, and motor deficits in our study. Late surgery of intact sacs may avoid complications related to surgery in the neonatal period.

Late effects in patients with sacrococcygeal teratoma: A single center series.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to evaluate late side effects that affect quality of life in children with sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patients with SCT were evaluated retrospectively. The data were expressed by percentage and the subgroups were compared statistically. RESULTS: A total of 40 children with SCT were identified with median age 12 days (range: 1 day-14.6 years), 27 of whom were analyzed in this study with urodynamic data available for 24 and anal manometric evaluations for 20. Chronic constipation with need for laxative was reported in (7/27) 25.9%, fecal incontinence was present in (1/27) 3.7%, and urodynamic abnormalities were reported in (16/24) 66%. Among those with urodynamic abnormalities, low bladder capacity, dyssyergia and neurogenic bladder were observed in (21/24) 87.5% and anticholinergic treatment was applied. Urinary incontinence was present in (2/27) 7%, with clean intermittent catheterization utilized in (7/27) 25.9%. While defecation was observed more in the patients with Altman types II, III, and IV, micturation problems were observed more in the patients with Altman types II and IV. It was found that urodynamic dysfunctions were more frequent in the patients with increased number of operations. DISCUSSION: Although the rate of symptomatic patients was low, abnormalities determined by radiological and urodynamic evaluations were high.

Complete Penile Duplication with Structurally Normal Penises: A Case Report

BACKGROUND: Diphallia is a very rare anomaly and seen once in every 5.5 million live births. True diphallia with normal penile structures is extremely rare. Surgical management for patients with complete penile duplication without any penile or urethral pathology is challenging. CASE REPORT: A 4-year-old boy presented with diphallia. Initial physical examination revealed first physical examination revealed complete penile duplication, urine flow from both penises, meconium flow from right urethra, and anal atresia. Further evaluations showed double colon and rectum, double bladder, and large recto-vesical fistula. Two cavernous bodies and one spongious body were detected in each penile body. Surgical treatment plan consisted of right total penectomy and end-to-side urethra-urethrostomy. No postoperative complications and no voiding dysfunction were detected during the 18 months follow-up. CONCLUSION: Penile duplication is a rare anomaly, which presents differently in each patient. Because of this, the treatment should be individualized and end-to-side urethra-urethrostomy may be an alternative to removing posterior urethra. This approach eliminates the risk of damaging prostate gland and sphincter.

Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder in Pediatric Patient: Four Case Series and Review of the Literature

Background: Urothelial carcinoma of the bladder is a rare condition in children, and most cases in this age group are noninvasive and low-grade. However, no follow-up protocol has been defined for this patient group. The objective of this study was to draw attention to bladder tumors in children and focus on the current recommendations for postoperative follow-up along with a case study of four patients. Case Report: Four patients aged <18 years with urothelial carcinoma who were treated in our clinics between 2001 and 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. The results were compared with those of published pediatric case series in the literature. No abnormalities were found in the patients' physical examinations and laboratory analyses, except hematuria (microscopic or macroscopic). Ultrasonography was used in all the patients to detect lesions in the bladder. Surgical resections were performed endoscopically, except in one patient. Histopathological evaluations revealed low-grade superficial urothelial carcinoma. No recurrence or complication was observed for all patients. Conclusion: Although rarely encountered during childhood, urothelial carcinoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis in pediatric patients with hematuria.

Excisional treatment of renal hydatid cyst mimicking renal tumor with diode laser technique: A case report.

PURPOSE: Cystic echinococcosis, which is one of the most important helminthic infestations, is a serious life-threatening health problem in developing countries. Hydatid cyst of the kidney is a rare condition in children that can be treated with medical therapy or surgical treatment in some resistant cases. Here, we present a case of renal hydatid cyst that was treated with laparoscopic excision with diode laser. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 15-year-old female patient was admitted with abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a 32 × 23 × 19-mm solid mass with cystic component at lower pole of right kidney. An indirect hemagglutination (IHA) test for echinococcosis granulosus was positive at a 1:320 titer. Other laboratory tests were within normal limits. The patient received albendazole therapy for 3 months. The follow-up magnetic resonance imaging showed a solitary lesion with exophytic extensions that contained large separations. No contrast enhancement could be detected after gadolinium injection. As no regression could be detected radiologically, surgical treatment was planned. Laparoscopic renal lower pole mass cyst excision with diode laser was performed (Figure). The patient was hospitalized for 1 day without any blood transfusion. Histopathological examination was consistent with hydatid cyst of the kidney. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of hydatid cyst of the kidney is generally made incidentally and can be misdiagnosed as a primary kidney tumor. Radiological studies may be insufficient for accurate diagnosis. In our case, laparoscopic excision of cyst and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of cyst hydatid. At the postoperative second month the ultrasonography of kidneys were normal. For patients from endemic areas, hydatid cyst should always be included in the differential diagnosis. Laparoscopic excision of renal hydatid cysts with diode laser is a feasible and safe technique for resistant cases.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage of neonatal pyometrocolpos under local anesthesia.

Hydrometrocolpos is an uncommon congenital disorder with cystic dilatation of the vagina and uterus that occurs as a result of accumulated secretions from the reproductive tract due to distal genital tract obstruction. Secondary infection may also occur, resulting in pyometrocolpos, a potentially lethal disease. Immediate drainage of the cystic mass in patients determined to have pyometrocolpos is required to prevent or treat uropathy and septicemia until definitive corrective surgery can be performed. We report an unusual cause of obstructive uropathy in three infants: pyometrocolpos due to lower genital tract atresia. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage of the pyometrocolpos resulted in dramatically improved clinical and laboratory findings in these patients. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage under local anesthesia is a simple, minimally invasive, safe, and effective procedure that facilitates later successful corrective surgery and avoids the need for more complex drainage procedures.

Severe hypospadias associated with Robertsonian translocation.

In this study, we report a 3-year-old boy with severe scrotal hypospadias with Robertsonian translocation [45,XY,t(13q;14q)]. The patient was born at term with a low birth weight and hypospadias. There was no endocrinological abnormality. His father also has a balanced 13-14 Robertsonian translocation. Two-stage hypospadias repair was carried out. The presence of this chromosomal anomaly and hypospadias are unique to our patient, compared to others with the 45,XY,t(13q;14q) translocation. Although no such association has been reported so far, we thought that severe hypospadias in this case might be associated with this translocation.

Transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder presenting after blunt abdominal trauma: a very rare occurrence in childhood.

Tumors of the urinary bladder are rare in children and nearly all of them are of mesodermal in origin. Herein we report a case of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in a 13-year-old boy who presented after blunt abdominal trauma. It should be remembered that hematuria could develop after blunt abdominal trauma in children, for reasons other than the trauma itself (e.g. tumors of the urinary tract).

The effectiveness of early primary realignment in children with posterior urethral injury.

AIM: The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the results of delayed repair and early primary realignments in patients with posterior urethral injury. METHODS: From 1990 to 2003, 20 children were admitted to the Medical Faculty of Uluday University, Bursa, Turkey, for posterior urethral injuries. Traffic accidents were the most common cause of injury (n = 17). Twelve patients (60%) who were referred early (1-10 days) underwent early realignment over a urethral tube. A total of eight patients (40%) underwent delayed repair using transpubic route. In these patients, surgical repair of the urethra was performed 5-6 months later. RESULTS: Of the 12 patients who underwent early urethral realignment, six required at least one visual internal urethrotomy following the removal of the urethral catheter. Urethral stricture developed in two of 12 patients (16.6%) who underwent early urethral realignment. Of the eight patients who underwent delayed repair, six required at least one visual internal urethrotomy following removal of the urethral catheter. Urethral stricture developed in three of eight patients (37.5%) who underwent delayed repair. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The urethral stricture in patients who underwent early primary realignment was less developed than the stricture that developed in those who underwent delayed management. According to these results we recommend early primary realignment in children with posterior urethral injury.

Management of thoracic empyema in children.

The effectiveness of fibrinolytic treatment has been shown in cases of thoracic empyema in adults. In pediatric patients experience is, however, very limited. The aim of this study was to determine the success and complication rates of fibrinolytic treatment in thoracic empyema in children. A series of 25 consecutive children who had loculated pleural empyemas that did not respond to tube thoracostomy and antibiotics is presented. Their ages ranged from 1 to 12 years (mean 4.2). There were 19 boys and 6 girls, and all epyemas were postpneumonic. The fibrinolytic agent used was urokinase in 17 and streptokinase in 8. The mean duration of fibrinolytic treatment was 4.3 days (range 2 to 8) and the mean duration of chest-tube drainage was 8.9 days (range 7 to 13). In 20 patients the fluid output from the chest tube increased significantly after instillation of the fibrinolytic agent, and these patients showed almost complete resolution of the effusion on chest radiograph and ultrasound examinations (80%). Only 5 patients developed complications: bronchopleural fistula and pleural thickening in 3, and recurrent effusion, multiloculation, and pleural thickening in other 2 which were managed by surgical intervention (20%). Our study suggests that intrapleural fibrinolytic treatment is an effective and safe adjunctive therapy in children with thoracic empyema and can obviate a thoracotomy in most cases.