Recurrence rates of pilonidal sinus disease in the pediatric population following trephine surgery.

BACKGROUND: Pilonidal sinus disease (PSD) is a common surgical disease. Multiple surgical methods exist in the literature, without clear consensus regarding which should be the first-line treatment. Minimally invasive methods such as the Gips procedure are gaining popularity in recent years. The aim of our study was to assess recurrence rates following the Gips procedure and to determine whether using the same surgical approach during re-operation is efficient and successful. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective observational study of pediatric patients that underwent Gips procedure due to PSD between the years 2012-2022. RESULTS: 565 pediatric patients underwent an elective surgery for PSD in the study period. Recurrence rate was 8.1% (n = 46). In all the patients with recurrence, re-operation took place on average 9 months following the first surgery and using the same surgical method. Following the second surgery, only 8 patients (1%) had multiple recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: We found a relatively low recurrence rate in the pediatric population using the Gips method, and nearly 100% success rate following the second operation. Our findings set a new benchmark for pediatric recurrence following PSD operation, with clear recommendation to use the same method of surgery upon further recurrences as well.

Negative appendectomy rate in the pediatric population: can we reach near-zero rates? An observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Correct diagnosis of acute appendicitis may sometimes be challenging. The Negative appendectomy rate (NAR) has declined in the recent years in Europe and USA, in part due to better diagnostic imaging tools. The aim of this study was to examine the rates of negative appendectomy in our institution, investigate trends in its incidence, and identify possible predicting factors. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study, including all patients younger than 18 years of age who underwent an appendectomy between 2007 and 2021 in a single tertiary medical center. Data regarding patient's demographics, laboratory and imaging results, pathological results and clinical outcome were collected. RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2021, a total of 3937 pediatric patients underwent appendectomy due to a working diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Overall, 143 patients (3.6%) had normal appendix on pathological examination. However, in the last 5 years, the rate of normal appendix was 1.9%, together with an increased rate of pre-operative imaging (from 40% to nearly 100%). CONCLUSION: Low NAR under 2% is an achievable benchmark in the era of accessible pre-operative imaging. In unequivocal cases, a secondary survey that includes repeated physical examination, blood work and imaging is recommended and may result in near-zero rates of NAR.

Umbilical Incarcerated Hernia With Omental Eventration Caused by a Leech Bite in a Pediatric Patient.

Medicinal leech therapy (MLT) is used in various medical disciplines, among which are reconstructive surgery and microsurgery. Medicinal leech therapy is also often adopted by alternative and traditional medicine, aiming to treat various common medical symptoms, such as fever and arthritis. Congenital umbilical hernia is a rather common physical finding in the pediatric population, where every third Caucasian newborn, roughly, is being diagnosed with the condition, and even more so among the African population. Fortunately, most cases resolve spontaneously in the first years of life. Toddlers whose hernia does not close typically require umbilical hernia repair. This article describes the case of a five-year-old girl with an asymptomatic congenital umbilical hernia who was admitted to the ER due to an omental eventration that occurred following the placement of a leech on her umbilicus in her parents' attempt to treat a febrile episode. She subsequently underwent an urgent umbilical exploration and a repair of her umbilical hernia. The main known risks of leeching are bacterial infection, anemia, prolonged bleeding, and, less frequently, pruritus, allergies, marked edema, and cellulitis. This article presents yet another possible complication that, to the best of our knowledge, has not been documented before in the literature. Several old-school therapies transcended over time into medical disciplines. Given that "traditional" practices often take place within households and communities, it is of crucial importance to point out potential complications, both rare and common, that can be caused by those practices in order to reduce the risk of severe, undesired outcomes. Indeed, the growing interface between traditional, alternative therapies and modern, conventional medicine urges better parental guidance and improved education regarding potentially harmful and unauthorized interventions.

Durable CD8 T Cell Memory against SARS-CoV-2 by Prime/Boost and Multi-Dose Vaccination: Considerations on Inter-Dose Time Intervals.

Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were developed at unprecedented pace, productively exploiting contemporary fundamental research and prior art. Large-scale use of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines has greatly limited severe morbidity and mortality. Protection has been correlated with high serum titres of neutralizing antibodies capable of blocking the interaction between the viral surface protein spike and the host SARS-CoV-2 receptor, ACE-2. Yet, vaccine-induced protection subsides over time, and breakthrough infections are commonly observed, mostly reflecting the decay of neutralizing antibodies and the emergence of variant viruses with mutant spike proteins. Memory CD8 T cells are a potent weapon against viruses, as they are against tumour cells. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 memory CD8 T cells are induced by either natural infection or vaccination and can be potentially exploited against spike-mutated viruses. We offer here an overview of current research about the induction of anti-SARS-CoV-2 memory CD8 T cells by vaccination, in the context of prior knowledge on vaccines and on fundamental mechanisms of immunological memory. We focus particularly on how vaccination by two doses (prime/boost) or more (boosters) promotes differentiation of memory CD8 T cells, and on how the time-length of inter-dose intervals may influence the magnitude and persistence of CD8 T cell memory.