Video-Assisted Anal Fistula Treatment (VAAFT) for complex anorectal fistula: efficacy and risk factors for failure at 3-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the 3-year objective and subjective outcomes of patients with complex anorectal fistula treated with Video-Assisted Anal Fistula Treatment (VAAFT). Furthermore, we evaluated the risk factors associated with recurrence. METHODS: All consecutive patients with complex anorectal fistula who underwent VAAFT in Beata Vergine Hospital of Mendrisio, Switzerland, from January 2013 to January 2016, were enrolled. Patients with suspicion or diagnosis of Crohn's disease, malignancy, previous history of radiotherapy or radical pelvic surgery were excluded. Preoperative clinical assessment based upon medical history, physical examination and endosonography, was performed in all patients. Data regarding subjective outcomes (the Patient Global Impression of Improvement, patient satisfaction scores and Wexner score), objective cure rate (absence of fistula at clinical examination), and adverse events were collected during follow-up. Uni and multivariate analysis were performed to investigate outcomes. RESULTS: One hundred and four patients had VAAFT. At 3-year follow-up, 96 patients (92.3%) were available for the evaluation. At 3 years after surgery, 81 of 96 patients (84.4%) declared themselves cured (p = 0.60). Similarly, at 3-year evaluation, 80 of 96 patients (83.3%) were objectively cured (p = 0.52). No serious intraoperative or postoperative complications were reported. All recurrences were treated with a repeat VAAFT procedure resulting in a complete healing. Uni and multivariate analysis of variables potentially involved in the failure of VAAFT showed that age ≥ 50 years was the only factor associated at risk of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: VAAFT is a highly effective safe procedure for the treatment of anorectal fistula, with a low recurrence rate at 3-year follow-up. However, our study demonstrated that age ≥ 50 years is a risk factor for failure of VAAFT.

Practical and functional classification of the double urethra: A variable, complex and fascinating malformation observed in 20 patients.

INTRODUCTION: Urethral duplication is a rare and variable malformation of the urinary tract, with non-univocal and complex management. In addition, different classification schemes have been proposed, but none have considered all the possible variants. OBJECTIVE: To report experience with the management of 20 urethral duplication patients and propose a classification of this anomaly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis collecting information regarding 20 patients (Table) with urethral duplication treated at a single institution over the past 40 years. Three females and 17 males were treated: two had vesico-urethral duplication, eight had urethral duplication with a single bladder, and eight had 'λ' duplication. RESULTS: Immediate postoperative complications included urethral dehiescence (n = 1) and urethral stenosis (n = 2). The progressive augmentation by dilating the urethra (PADUA) technique was ineffective. During follow-up, the following were recorded: urinary incontinence (n = 2), urinary tract infection (n = 3), hypertension (n = 3) and erectile dysfunction (n = 1). All patients were satisfied with the aesthetic result. DISCUSSION: Urethral duplication is a rare anomaly with male preponderance. Four types of duplication were described, on the basis of anatomy and management: vesical and urethral duplication (type 1), urethral duplication with single bladder (type 2), 'λ-type' duplication (type 3) and 'miscellanea' (multiple urethral channels, spindle urethra, other female forms, type 4). A full description of the malformation and surgical approach was given for each type. The advantages of the classification were compared with the literature. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed classification should be a useful tool, based on the required surgical approach, even if surgery should be tailored to the patient. It is important to restore the anatomy and achieve urinary continence. Surgery can be challenging and a multi-step process, especially in cases of 'λ' duplications.

Long-term follow-up after esophageal replacement in children: 45-Year single-center experience.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the results of esophagocoloplasty (ECP) in children by performing a 45-year retrospective cohort study in a single center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected all of the medical charts of patients who underwent ECP at our hospital from January 1969 to January 2014. We reviewed the medical history for each patient and then contacted the patients by phone to obtain responses to a questionnaire. The questionnaire evaluated the following four areas: overall general state, gastrointestinal function, dependence on the Health Sanitary System, and their aesthetic satisfaction. RESULTS: We contacted 96 patients, and 72 completed our questionnaire. There were 45 males and 27 female respondents, with a mean age of 34.5 years. The mean Karnofsky performance status index was 96.4%. There were excellent scores obtained from 55 patients and fairly good scores from 16 patients. There was 1 patient with a low score, and there were no scores reported below 70%. Most patients (58/72) reported regular bowel habits, and no patients required drugs or other measures to facilitate defecation. Gastroesophageal reflux was present in 51 patients, and 62.8% have bothersome symptoms. Twenty-five patients used pharmacological therapies. Forty-eight patients (66.6%) were satisfied with the aesthetic result of surgery (mean score in a scale from 0 to 5, is 3). CONCLUSIONS: ECP can be used in children who require esophageal substitution. The resulting long-term QoL is acceptable. However, the aesthetic outcomes remain a problem.

Effect of intravitreal bevacizumab on serum, aqueous, and vitreous humor levels of erythropoietin in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate concentrations of erythropoietin (EPO) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in serum, aqueous and vitreous humour of diabetic patients with proliferative retinopathy (PDR) and to verify their possible modifications induced by intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (IVB). METHODS: This prospective observational study was performed on patients who underwent vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy and macular hole or pucker. The study sample consisted of 33 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 20 non-diabetic patients with macular hole or pucker. EPO and VEGF levels in serum, aqueous and vitreous humour were measured in both groups. In diabetic patients measures were performed before and after IVB. RESULTS: EPO and VEGF levels in aqueous and vitreous humour were markedly increased in diabetic patients with PDR as compared with those recorded in the control group (P<0.001); contrarily, EPO serum levels were similar in both groups (p=not significant). IVB did not affect EPO levels (aqueous 39.1 ± 29.2 vs. 38.6 ± 26.1; vitreous 179.3 ± 88.3 vs. 131.6 ± 67.8; serum 9.2 ± 5.8 vs. 6.9 ± 3.7 mUI/mL); conversely, VEGF concentration significantly decreased 15 days after IVB in serum and ocular fluids (aqueous 141.6 ± 12.3 vs. 81.4 ± 5.4; vitreous 180.4 ± 45.8 vs. 95.8 ± 23.6; serum 113.9 ± 52.8 vs. 73.2 ± 65.6 mUI/mL). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that the production of VEGF and EPO is regulated by different mechanisms. Intraocular levels of EPO in diabetic patients were significantly higher than those recorded in serum, suggesting a local production. In addition, bevacizumab does not influence intraocular levels of EPO.

Serum and intraocular concentrations of erythropoietin and vascular endothelial growth factor in patients with type 2 diabetes and proliferative retinopathy.

AIM: This study compared systemic and intraocular concentrations of erythropoietin (EPO) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) with levels in patients without diabetes, and looked for possible correlations between the concentrations found and other variables analyzed. METHODS: Concentrations of EPO and VEGF were measured in the aqueous and vitreous humours and serum of patients undergoing vitrectomy for PDR (33 patients) or for macular holes or puckers (20 control patients). EPO was assayed by radioimmunoassay, with a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 1.0 mIU/mL. VEGF was assayed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), with a lower LOD of 10.0 pg/mL. RESULTS: EPO concentrations in serum did not differ significantly between the two groups, whereas EPO in vitreous and aqueous were higher in diabetic than in non-diabetic patients. VEGF in serum was lower in diabetic patients than in non-diabetics; conversely, VEGF concentrations in vitreous were significantly higher in diabetic patients. A direct correlation was found between vitreous and aqueous EPO concentrations, and between vitreous EPO and blood glucose concentrations. A significant, negative correlation between vitreous EPO concentration and age was also recorded. CONCLUSION: High EPO concentrations in the vitreous of patients with PDR and its correlation with blood glucose suggest that EPO could play a role in the pathogenesis of PDR. All possible factors affecting serum and ocular concentrations of EPO and VEGF should be determined to identify compounds able to prevent and control this serious microvascular complication of diabetes.

Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification detection of an unknown large deletion of the CREB-binding protein gene in a patient with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome.

Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant congenital disorder characterized by postnatal growth retardation, psychomotor developmental delay, skeletal anomalies, peculiar facial morphology, and tumorigenesis. Mutations in the gene encoding the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB, also known as CREBBP or CBP) on chromosome 16p13.3 have been identified. In addition, some patients with low intelligence quotients and autistic features bear large deletions. Based on these observations, we used multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification to search for large deletions affecting the CREBBP gene in a Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome patient. We identified a novel heterozygote deletion removing five exons (exons 17-21), encoding the histone acetyltransferase domain. We propose the use of multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification as a fast, accurate and cheap test for detecting large deletions in the CREBBP gene in the sub-group of Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome patients with low intelligence quotients and autistic features.

Early ovarian pregnancy diagnosed by ultrasound and successfully treated with multidose methotrexate. A case report.

A case report of a primary interstitial ovarian pregnancy is presented. A 37-year-old married woman with two children after two Cesarean sections and a spontaneous abortion, with a contraceptive intrauterine device (IUD) inserted three years before, presented at five weeks plus five days amenorrhea with a positive pregnancy test and lower abdominal pain but with no vaginal bleeding. Her previous menstrual cycles had been regular. She was hemodynamically stable. On bimanual examination, the uterus was of normal size, and there was an approximate four-cm tender right adnexal mass. Serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (b-hCG) was confirmed positive. Ultrasound revealed a well-positioned IUD in the uterus and a right adnexal mass with normal vascular flow on Doppler, that contained a well-defined gestational sac, well-distinct from the quiescent hemorrhagic corpus luteum. There was no fetal node or cardiac activity or free fluid. The patient received four injections of methotrexate intramuscularly using the multidose regimen that involves the administration of methotrexate calculated according to body weight, alternated with 0.1 mg/kg of leucovorin calcium per os after 30 hours until the values of 3-hCG had decreased by 15%. The patient's post-treatment period was uneventful with a full restoration of ovarian morphology and the complete absorption of the gestational sac. This case is the first where diagnosis was made by endovaginal sonography and treatment was made by multidose methotrexate. Spiegelberg criteria for the diagnosis of ovarian pregnancy are obsolete; new ultrasound and laboratory criteria are needed for a diagnosis as early as possible without the need of surgery.

Role of mini-invasive surgery in the treatment of enteric duplications in paediatric age: a survey of 15 years.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal tract duplications (ATD) are rare malformations that occur with an incidence of 1 in 4000-5000 live births, with heterogeneous clinical pictures in relation to the different location and size. The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of minimally invasive surgery in the management of ATDs, through a critical analysys of 15 years of experience of the Department of Paediatric Surgery, University of Bologna. METHODS: The medical records of 22 children diagnosed with ATDs were retrospectively reviewed (January 1995-August 2010). The study analyses: clinical presentation, preoperative diagnosis, site, anatomic type, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS: Children were 16 males and 6 females, with age ranged from 1 day to 10 years. 20 ATDs (91%) were cystic type, while 2 cases (9%) were tubular one. During the first period of our experience, 10 (45.5%) cases were approached with an open surgery. Then subsequent 8 (36.4%) cases were treated with a diagnostic laparoscopy. This approach permitted also to perform a minilaparotomy, close to the site of the malformation, with a short length of the scar. In 2 cases (9%), we realized an ileal resection with end-to-end anastomosis with a trans-umbilical video-assisted procedure. In 2 cases (9%), we performed a complete removal of the lesions, after complete ligation of the vascular pedicle through a laparoscopic approach. 10 cases (45.5%) were located in the ileum, 6 cases (27.3%) were esophageal duplication, 3 cases (13.6%) were gastric duplications, 2 cases (9%) were located in the colon-rectum. The postoperative course was uneventful in all the cases. DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: this study shows how, in the management of intestinal duplications, a mininvasive approach, is increasingly taking the field, along with increasing the "learning curve" with laparoscopy. In experienced hands, the laparoscopic approach allows an accurate definition of the exact site of duplication and a miniinvasive treatment with similar principles of open techniques.

Endometrial tuberculosis: a clinical case.

Genital tuberculosis is a bacterial infection still frequent in less developed countries where lots of cases are not diagnosed nor treated. In this work we describe a rare case of primary endometrial tuberculosis in a woman of 50 years old. The diagnosis was confirmed by an ultrasonography of the pelvis and an endometrial biopsy followed by a histological examination. The patient after the diagnosis was put under antiturbecular treatment for six months with complete healing.

Minimally-invasive surgery in paediatric oncology: proposal of recommendations.

The Authors report a proposal of recommendations concerning Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) in Paediatric Oncology. Since the exact role of MIS in Paediatric Oncology is still not completely defined, a restrict panel of Italian Paediatric Surgeons, some interested in Oncologic Surgery, others in MIS, prepared a schematic document, mainly founded on literature data, to provide Paediatric Surgeons with recommendations useful to approach paediatric tumours with MIS. The final draft was approved by the Italian Group of Paediatric Oncologic Surgeons. The Authors summarize the feasibility of MIS, when performed with different purposes (biopsy / resection) and timing (initial / delayed surgery) for the most common solid tumours in children. The oncologic criteria must be always followed with MIS as well as with "open" surgery.

Thrombosed aneurysm of ductus arteriosus: a case report.

Spontaneous aneurysms of the ductus arteriosus are rare complications of a patent ductus arteriosus. It is met at any age but it is most commonly seen in children under two months of age. Echocardiography is the best test to diagnose a ductus arteriosus, but actually the role of thoracoscopy is to help in differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses. Surgery should be recommended without delay, to avoid fatal complications, with the resection of the thrombosed aneurysm of the ductus arteriosus.

Evolution of the surgical management of bowel atresia in newborn: laparoscopically assisted treatment.

PURPOSE: The jejunal-ileal atresias are the most common cause of intestinal occlusion in neonatal period and the duodenal atresia is the most common cause of high bowel obstruction in newborn. The treatment classically used is performed by a transverse sovraumbilical laparotomy. The first "minimal-invasive" approach was performed at the end of the years '70. Nowadays three clusters of thought are delineated about of mini-invasive treatment of small bowel atresias: the intestinal continuity can be established with a circumbilical incision, a totally laparoscopic technique or a laparoscopically assisted approach. It's presented our initial experience of bowel atresia in newborn treated with laparoscopically assisted approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three newborns with prenatal diagnosis of suspected bowel obstruction and one with suspected duodenal atresia, confirmed the diagnosis after birth, underwent to laparoscopically-assisted surgery to correct these congenital anomalies. We have treated with this procedure a duodenal atresia, two jejunal atresias and an ileal form. Surgical management was consisted of an explorative laparoscopy that allowed to recognize and isolate the pathological portion. The second step was traditional open surgery: after the exteriorization of the pathological tract through the umbilical wound, we performed the intestinal anastomosis. RESULTS: In all cases the operation was completed successfully, no conversion was necessary. Intraoperatively no complications occurred. The post-operative course was uneventful. CONCLUSION: The video-assisted technique for the correction of small bowel atresia adds the advantages of the classic laparotomic procedure to the laparoscopic ones.

[Clinical spectrum and management of congenital pulmonary cystic lesions].

INTRODUCTION: Congenital cystic lesions of the lung in children are uncommon but potentially life-threatening and warrant an urgent diagnostic work-up. Pulmonary sequestration (PS), congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM), congenital lobar emphysema (CLE), and bronchogenic cyst (BC) are the four major congenital cystic lesions, but they share similar embryologic and clinical characteristics. The purpose of this study is to review our institutional experience with congenital cystic lung disease emphasizing on diagnosis and management. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 1975 and October 2007, 109 patients have been treated, of which 57 males and 52 females, the age ranged from the birth to 13 years. 104 patients presented solitary lesions: CCAM (47), CLE (16), PS (22), BC (19). The remainders 5 patients presented two simultaneous lesions: intralobar PS and CCAM (2), CLE and CCAM (3). RESULTS: All the lesions have been treated surgically: in the first cases, only symptomatic patients underwent surgery, while in the last years, patients have systematically been submitted operated. CONCLUSIONS: A meaningful percentage of CCAM joins to PS and CLE; instead the BC are generally isolated, probably deriving by a more precocious embryogenetic defect. The treatment of these lesions is surgical: CCAM (type I-II) and CLE should be treated promptly in newborns for respiratory distress and pneumothorax; CCAM (type II) and BC generally become symptomatic gradually and expose to degenerative risk; intralobar PS generally becomes symptomatic and surgery prevents the risk of infections. Extralobar PS and the asymptomatic BC are not exempted by surgical approach whenever accidentally described as masses of uncertain nature. Asymptomatic cysts in children should be resected, to avoid later complications of the cysts, which could make operation more difficult. Conservative anatomic resections should be attempted to preserve functional lung tissue. Careful histologic examination of the resection specimen is mandatory to identify occult malignancy. In conclusion a correct embryogenetic organization and a clinical evaluation of the congenital cystic lung diseases allow a precocious and effective surgical timing.

[Video-assisted treatment for biliary atresia]. / Trattamento videoassistito dell'atresia delle vie biliari.

BACKGROUND: The surgical treatment of biliary atresia is still a great challenge for pediatric surgeons. Kasai's operation usually needs a wide, painful, muscle-cutting laparotomies that quite often are followed by pain and peritoneal adhesion. These possible complications may disturb the post-operative course and humper liver transplantation. Advancements in minimally invasive surgery have allowed even the most complex procedures to be approached using these techniques. METHODS: The authors present a case of successful Roux-en-Y laparoscopic portoenterostomy for the treatment of biliary atresia. We report a case of a 3-month-old patient with biliary atresia who weighted Kg 5,300 at the operation. The patient was placed in supine position. The procedure was performed with 4 trocars of 3 mm and 1 of 10 mm. The umbilical site was used for extracorporeal Roux-en-Y enteroenterostomy. CO2 was insufflated at a pressure of 8 mmHg and a flow of 0.5 L/min. A drain was placed through the lower trocar site with the tip near the anastomosis. RESULTS: The procedure was free of neither intraoperative nor post-operative complications. Feeding by nasogastric tube was started after 2 days. Total oral feeding was possible after 8 days. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic approach to perform Kasai's operation is technically feasible and thanks to a magnified vision, it allows to abtain a good visualization of the portal structures with an adequate retraction of the liver. This procedure can avoid or decrease the post-operative complications such as pain, breathing difficulty, adhesions and resulting in very small scars. Anyway laparoscopic Kasaiportoenterostomy should be done by a surgeon with a good experience in laparoscopic hand-suturing and neonatal experience and with the support of an experienced in neonatal and infantile videosurgery anaesthesiologist.

[Laparoscopic surgery in Hirschsprung's disease]. / Trattamento laparoscopico nel megacolon agangliare.

The laparoscopic treatment of benign conditions of the colon represents only one of the numerous application fields of the modern laparoscopic techniques in pediatric surgery. Until the half of the 1990's, the surgical treatment of choice for Hirschsprung's disease has been the procedure ideated by Soave in the early 1960's. Nowadays, the optimal treatment in the classic forms of aganglionic megacolon consists in performing, in neonatal age or in the first months of life, a transanal extramucous pull-through. This approach can be integrated by a laparoscopic step. From September 2000, at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Bologna University, we have operated 21 cases of congenital aganglionic megacolon with this technique.

One trocar assisted pyeloplasty (OTAP): initial experience and codification of a technique.

BACKGROUND: The Anderson-Hynes pyeloplasty is still the gold standard for the surgical treatment of the ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) in children. To reduce the surgical invasivity, laparoscopic (RPSc) and retroperitoneoscopic (RPSc) pyeloplasty have been proposed but concerns have been expressed. In the RPSc approach, the small operative space and the technical difficulties have limited the application and diffusion of this techinique while in case of laparoscopy, a transperitoneal technique is used to treat a retroperitoneal disease. We report our initial experience with the "one trocar assisted pyeloplasty" (OTAP) in the treatment of UPJO in children. METHODS: From January 2005 to December 2006 sixteen children (13 males--3 females) from 2 to 18 months of age (mean age 5.6 months), with impaired monolateral renal function underwent surgical treatment for UPJO. In 11 cases the obstruction was on the left side and in one case a crossing vessel was found. The renal pelvis was anteriorly reached using a 10 mm operative telescope via a flank 12 mm incision. The UPJ was exteriorized and a dismembered pyeloplasty performed also for the crossing vessel. In two cases a 6 Fr uretero-pyelo-nephrostomy catheter was used. RESULTS: The patients were discharged after four days without complications. The cosmetic results are excellent. In one case, a small perianastomotic leakage was seen. The ultrasonographic follow-up demonstrated the spontaneous resolution of the leakage. The post operative US follow-up showed the reduction of the dilatation in all cases. DISCUSSION: This is an initial experience and a longer follow-up is needed. However, in our opinion the OTAP could be considered as a safe and feasible alternative to the laparoscopic or retroperitoneoscopic pyeloplasty, especially in very small children and also in presence of crossing vessels.

[Thoracoscopic treatment of oesophageal atresia]. / Correzione toracoscopica dell'atresia esofagea.

BACKGROUND: Advancements in minimally invasive surgery in newborns have allowed even the most complex neonatal procedures to be approached using these techniques. Other authors have demonstrated its efficacy in the treatment of the esophageal atresia with distal fistula. METHODS: We report our experience based on the thoracoscopic repair of esophageal atresia with distal fistula in two newborns. Birth weights were 2.800 g and 2.300 g respectively. The patients were intubated endotracheally and placed in a left prone position. Four trocars were inserted: the first one of 5 mm was positioned in the fifth intercostal space for the camera, the other two of 3 mm were positioned in the fourth intercostal space on the anterior and posterior axillary line respectively for the operative instruments. The last trocar of 3 mm was inserted in the third intercostal space on the anterior axillary line for the lung retractor. CO2 was insufflated at a pressure of 8 mm Hg and a flow of 0.5 L/min. The fistula was first isolated then ligated and cut with scissors. The proximal esophagus was opened and an anastomosis was made over a 6F or 8F nasogastric tube with interrupted 4-0 Vicryl sutures. A tube chest was placed through the lower trocar site with the tip near the anastomosis. RESULTS: These two procedures were free of neither intraoperative nor post-operative complications. Feeding by nasogastric tube was started after a mean of 4 days. Barium swallow made on day 7 demonstrated no leakage and no stenosis of the anastomosis. Total oral feeding was possible after 8 days. Mean hospitalization was 14 days. CONCLUSION: This initial report shows, as demonstrated by the experience since 1999 by other authors, that the thoracoscopic esophageal repair in the newborns is technically feasible and, thanks to a magnified vision, it allows to abtain a good isolation of the esophagus and of the tracheo-esophageal fistula respecting the anatomical structures. Moreover the advantages are in terms of exposure and esophageal length, avoiding the significant short and long-term morbidity associated with thoracotomy.

[Laparoscopic surgical treatment of anorectal malformations]. / Trattamento laparoscopico delle malformazioni ano-rettali.

Anorectal Malformations (ARM) include a wide spectrum of anomalies, ranging from anal and rectal agenesis (usually associated with a recto-urethral, rectovaginal or recto-vestibular fistula) to ano-cutaneous fistula. On the basis of studies on the anatomy of the muscular structures contained in the pelvic cavity and on the physiology of the mechanisms which regulate the continence, many different techniques have been performed to allow a surgical treatment for the ARMs and to obtain post-operative results as nearer as possible to normality, that is to an adequate colic motility and a defecation control. In 2000, a new surgical technique for high and intermediate ARMs has been introduced, the laparoscopically assisted ano-rectal pull-through (LAARP) according to Georgeson. At the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Bologna University, from 2000 to nowadays, we have treated with LAARP 7 cases of high ARMs, all male patients and with colostomy. The average age at operation was between 2 and 10 months.

The role of emergency thoracoscopy in the management of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung associated with oesophageal atresia.

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung associated with oesophageal atresia is exceptional. The authors describe a case of a mixed type I - II congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the left lung associated with oesophageal atresia and tracheooesophageal fistula in a male infant. The interesting aspect of this case is not only the extremely rare association - only two reports in the literature - but the surgical choices. In fact, two weeks after surgical repair of the oesophageal atresia, the growth of the cystic volume of the congenital adenomatoid malformation made respiratory weaning very difficult, and it was therefore decided to solve the respiratory distress by opening the tensional cysts using a thoracoscopic access. The advantage of this treatment was that it decompressed the underlying healthy lung tissue and permitted the expansion of the normal lobar parenchyma. This is a palliative approach that allows the mandatory definitive resection of the affected lung lobe to be postponed until a later time.