Treatment of pectus excavatum with vacuum bell during puberty. / Tratamiento del pectus excavatum con campana de succión durante la pubertad.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of the vacuum bell during puberty, according to the daily hours of use and treatment duration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients treated with vacuum bell during puberty in the 2010-2021 period was carried out. Several variables were collected, including baseline and final sinking, repaired sinking expressed in cm and as a percentage from baseline sinking, daily hours of use, treatment duration, and complications. Patients were categorized into groups according to the daily hours of use (≤ 3 hours; 4-5 hours; ≥ 6 hours) and treatment duration (6-12 months; 13-24 months; 25-36 months; > 36 months), and they were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients -41 male and 9 female- were studied, with a mean age of 12.5 years (range: 10-14 years). No significant differences among groups were observed in terms of baseline sinking, thoracic index, and final sinking. Repaired sinking did increase with the daily hours of use, with significant differences. Complications were mild. 3 patients withdrew from follow-up, and 5 out of the 25 patients who completed treatment achieved a good repair. CONCLUSIONS: To increase treatment efficacy, the vacuum bell should be used for 6 hours/day during puberty. This method is well-tolerated, causes mild complications, and may be an alternative to surgery in some cases.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar la eficacia de la campana de succión durante la pubertad, según las horas diarias de uso y la duración del tratamiento. MATERIAL Y METODOS: Se evaluaron retrospectivamente los pacientes tratados con campana de succión durante la pubertad en el periodo 2010-2021. Se recogieron diferentes variables, incluyendo el hundimiento inicial y final, el hundimiento corregido expresado en centímetros y en porcentaje con respecto al hundimiento inicial, las horas diarias de uso, la duración del tratamiento y las complicaciones. Se categorizaron los pacientes en grupos según las horas diarias de uso (≤ 3 horas; 4-5 horas; ≥ 6 horas) y la duración del tratamiento (6-12 meses; 13-24 meses; 25-36 meses; > 36 meses), y se analizaron estadísticamente. RESULTADOS: Se estudiaron un total de 50 pacientes; 41 varones y 9 mujeres, con una edad media de 12,5 años (rango 10-14 años). No se observaron diferencias significativas entre los diferentes grupos en relación con el hundimiento inicial, el índice torácico y el hundimiento final. El hundimiento corregido aumentó en relación con las horas diarias de uso, con diferencias significativas. Las complicaciones fueron leves, 3 pacientes abandonaron el seguimiento y 5 pacientes de los 25 que finalizaron el tratamiento, alcanzaron una buena corrección. CONCLUSIONES: Para aumentar la eficacia del tratamiento, el tiempo de uso de la campana de succión durante la pubertad debería alcanzar las 6 horas diarias. Este método es bien tolerado, presenta leves complicaciones y puede ser una alternativa a la cirugía en algunos casos.

[Appendicitis versus nonspecific acute abdominal pain: diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound]. / Apendicitis versus dolor abdominal agudo inespecífico: rendimiento diagnóstico de la ecografía.

PURPOUSE: The aim of this study is to assess the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound to differentiate appendicitis from nonspecific acute abdominal pain, that is the most common process requiring differential diagnosis in clinical practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients admitted for suspicion of appendicitis were prospectively evaluated in our hospital during two years (2013-2014). Cases of nonspecific acute abdominal pain and appendicitis assessed by ultrasound were enrolled in the study. The different variables collected were statistically analyzed by descriptive, univariate and diagnostic accuracy studies. RESULTS: A total of 275 patients were studied, 143 cases of nonspecific acute abdominal pain and 132 cases of appendicitis. Ultrasound sensitivity and specificity to differentiate appendicitis were 94.7% and 87.4% respectively, with a 12.6% rate of false positives and a 5.3% rate of false negatives. The rate of false negatives in perforated group was 17.4% and analysis according to Pediatric Appendicitis Score risk groups showed a 12.2% rate of false positives in low-risk group and a 6.3% rate of false negatives in high-risk group. CONCLUSIONS: The use of ultrasound in low clinical probability cases of appendicitis could rise unnecessary surgery rate, due to the significant number of false positives in this group of patients. In high probability clinical cases, ultrasound does not contribute too much to diagnosis and it could be a confusion factor by the significant number of false negative associated to perforated appendicitis.

OBJETIVO: El objetivo del estudio es evaluar el rendimiento diagnóstico de la ecografía para diferenciar la apendicitis del dolor abdominal agudo inespecífico, principal proceso con el que requiere diagnóstico diferencial en la práctica clínica. MATERIAL Y METODOS: Se evaluaron los pacientes atendidos por sospecha de apendicitis en nuestro centro durante 2 años (2013-2014), incorporando al estudio los casos de dolor abdominal agudo inespecífico y apendicitis en los que se realizó ecografía. Las diferentes variables recogidas se analizaron estadísticamente de manera descriptiva, univariante y con estudios de rendimiento diagnóstico. RESULTADOS: Se estudiaron 275 casos; 143 casos de dolor abdominal agudo inespecífico y 132 casos de apendicitis. La sensibilidad y especificidad de la ecografía para diferenciar apendicitis fue del 94,7% y 87,4%, respectivamente, con un porcentaje de falsos positivos del 12,6% y de falsos negativos del 5,3%. El porcentaje de falsos negativos en el grupo de apendicitis perforada alcanzó el 17,4% y el análisis según los grupos de riesgo establecidos por el Pediatric Appendicitis Score mostró un porcentaje de falsos positivos del 12,2% en el grupo de bajo riesgo y de falsos negativos del 6,3% en el grupo de alto riesgo. CONCLUSIONES: El uso de la ecografía en casos de baja probabilidad clínica de apendicitis podría incrementar la tasa de cirugía innecesaria, debido al significativo número de falsos positivos en este grupo de pacientes. En casos de alta probabilidad clínica de apendicitis, la ecografía aporta poco al diagnóstico, e incluso podría ser un factor de confusión por el significativo número de falsos negativos asociados a la apendicitis perforada.

Enteric duplication cyst resembling umbilical cord cyst.

We report a case of a neonatal male with a prenatal diagnosis of umbilical cord cyst that was finally diagnosed as an ileal duplication cyst after post-natal surgical exploration of the umbilical mass. To our knowledge, a similar case has never been reported previously. Although this form of presentation of enteric duplication cyst is exceptional, it should be taken into consideration when evaluating suspected umbilical cord cysts.

[Supernumerary intrascrotal ectopic spleen: discontinuous splenogonadal fusion]. / Bazo ectópico supernumerario intraescrotal: fusión esplenogonadal discontinua.

Splenogonadal fusion is a rare congenital malformation that results from abnormal connection of splenic tissue with the gonad or the mesonephric structures during embryonic development. It is usually detected in males and is classified into two types, continuous and discontinuous. We present the case of a 3-year-old boy with an asymptomatic scrotal mass that was suspicious for discontinuous splenogonadal fusion on Doppler ultrasonography. The diagnosis was confirmed by surgical excision and histological analysis. Splenogonadal fusion is a benign anomaly that has sometimes led to unnecessary orchidectomy because of suspicion that the mass represented a malignant tumor. Consequently, it is essential to include this malformation in the differential diagnosis of scrotal masses in children.

Uterus didelphys with obstructed hemivagina and multicystic dysplastic kidney.

Müllerian malformations include a broad range of anomalies, resulting from the incomplete formation and/or differentiation of the Müllerian ducts. The uterus didelphys with obstructed hemivagina represents the result of a lateral nonfusion of the Müllerian ducts with asymmetric obstruction, and it is almost always associated with renal agenesis. We report a case of incidental discovery of this anomaly in a 12-year-old girl during a routine renal ultrasound. A right multicystic dysplastic kidney had been detected in the prenatal and neonatal period with no evidence of uterine anomaly. Postnatal ultrasound examinations performed regularly had never detected either right renal tissue or the uterine anomaly before menarche. Hematocolpos after menarche made uterine anomaly detection easier. Magnetic resonance imaging performed to evaluate the uterine malformation detected a dysplastic right kidney. We review the present knowledge and recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of this anomaly, and we emphasize the use of magnetic resonance imaging not only for the evaluation and classification of Müllerian malformations, but also for the detection of the persistence of renal tissue missed with other studies.

[Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma]. / Rabdomiosarcoma paratesticular.

We report a case of paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma in a six-year-old boy. The clinical presentation was subacute. The patient underwent a radical right inguinal orchidectomy. It was classified in IRS-III stage IA (based in the Third Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study). Subsequently, the child received 3 chemotherapy courses (9 weeks) with vincristine and actinomycin D. The patient is found to be asymptomatic 1 year after the treatment.