Impact of Objective Echocardiographic Criteria for Timing of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Repair.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of specific echocardiographic criteria for timing of congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair on the incidence of acute postoperative clinical decompensation from pulmonary hypertensive crisis and/or acute respiratory decompensation, with secondary outcomes including survival to discharge, duration of ventilator support, and length of hospitalization. STUDY DESIGN: The multidisciplinary congenital diaphragmatic hernia management team instituted a protocol in 2012 requiring the specific criterion of echocardiogram-estimated pulmonary artery pressure ≤80% systemic blood pressure before repairing congenital diaphragmatic hernias. A retrospective review of 77 neonatal patients with Bochdalek hernias repaired between 2008 and 2015 were reviewed: group 1 included patients repaired before protocol implementation (n = 25) and group 2 included patients repaired after implementation (n = 52). RESULTS: The groups had similar baseline characteristics. Postoperative decompensation occurred less often in group 2 compared with group 1 (17% vs 48%, P = .01). Adjusted analysis accounting for repair type, liver herniation, and prematurity yielded similar results (15% vs 37%, P = .04). Group 2 displayed a trend toward improved survival to 30 days postoperatively, though this did not reach statistical significance (94% vs 80%, P = .06). Patient survival to discharge, duration of ventilator support, and length of hospitalization were not different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a protocol requiring echocardiogram-estimated pulmonary arterial pressure ≤80% of systemic pressure before congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair may reduce the incidence of acute postoperative decompensation, although there was no difference in longer-term secondary outcomes, including survival to discharge.

Diagnostic utility of core needle biopsy versus open wedge biopsy for pediatric intraabdominal solid tumors: Results of a prospective clinical study.

PURPOSE: The best method for diagnosing pediatric nonnephroblastoma solid intraabdominal tumors is unknown. We hypothesized that core needle biopsy (CNB) is noninferior to open wedge biopsy (OWB) for pathologic diagnosis. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled children aged 1day to 17years with radiographic evidence of nonnephroblastoma solid intraabdominal tumors scheduled for OWB from 5/2013 to 12/2015 at a single institution. Four 16-gauge CNBs were obtained, followed by OWB. Two pathologists independently reviewed all specimens to determine adequacy for diagnosis. RESULTS: Fourteen patients enrolled, 57% male, with an average age of 4years (range 7days to 16years). Both pathologists agreed OWB was completely sufficient for diagnosis in 13 patients (93%), compared to 4 patients for CNB (29%: Burkitt lymphoma, adrenocortical tumor, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, p=0.001, δ=-0.64±0.27, 95% CI). In 6 patients (43%), CNB was incompletely diagnostic according to at least one pathologist (neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma). In 4 patients (29%), both pathologists determined that CNB was nondiagnostic (ganglioneuroblastoma, teratoma, hepatoblastoma, and recurrent neuroblastoma). CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective clinical study, CNB is inferior to OWB for the pathologic diagnosis of pediatric nonnephroblastoma solid intraabdominal tumors. These data suggest that OWB should generally be performed in these patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Study of Diagnostic Test, Level I.

Prenatal consultation for foetal anomalies requiring surgery.

BACKGROUND: During prenatal screening of pregnant women, foetal anomalies requiring surgery may be diagnosed. Healthcare providers should have a basic knowledge of these diseases, including their workup, comorbidities, prognosis, treatment options and any considerations that need to be made in planning for birth. AIM: This article aims to provide this information by summarising the most recent literature for some of the most commonly diagnosed foetal anomalies requiring surgical correction. METHODS: English language studies on prenatal diagnostic modalities, abdominal wall defects, congenital diaphragmatic hernias, surgical conditions leading to airway compromise, hydrops fetalis, intestinal obstruction and abdominal cysts were retrieved from the PubMed database. FINDINGS: The most recent and relevant literature is summarised regarding the above listed paediatric conditions. The incidence and prevalence (when available), prognosis, workup, common comorbidities, foetal interventions and special birth considerations (when applicable), and postnatal surgical treatment options are reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare providers will occasionally encounter foetal anomalies which may require surgery while performing prenatal screening. They may need to provide early counselling to expectant parents to inform their expectations. When indicated, referrals should be made to a foetal care centre for prenatal consultation. For conditions which may cause danger or distress to the foetus in the immediate postnatal period, preparations should be made to ensure sufficient resources are available at the location of birth.

A comparison of sexing methods in fetal mice.

Accurate mouse sexing is vital when conducting research examining sexual dimorphisms. Late fetal and newborn mouse pups are more immature than many previously described sexing methods allow. This study compares the sexing accuracy of a newly described internal gonad sexing method to a recently described peritoneal pigmentation sexing method in embryonic day 20 C57BL/6J mouse pups, using Sry genotyping to confirm the sex. The internal gonad sexing method was found to be highly accurate, while the peritoneal pigmentation method was slightly less accurate. Therefore, while Sry genotyping remains the gold standard, immediate and less expensive sexing methods can be performed accurately as early as the late fetal period in C57BL/6J mice.