Pathogenesis and prognosis of intrarenal reflux.

Scar development in the children's renal cortex with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is one of the most important parameters of prognosis. It can develop regardless of the chosen treatment, even after the regression of VUR. The shape of the renal papillae, the ascending urinary tract infection, the greater than third-degree VUR, and finally the increased intra-calyceal pressure, induce the formation of renal scarring in the renal parenchyma. Renal scarring may complicate VUR independently of the therapeutic strategy (conservative or operative) and its regression. For restitution of this entity, many scientific terms have been used and the most common of them is intrarenal reflux (IRR). The effects of VUR on future renal function result from the limited ability of the affected kidney to grow (failure of renal growth) due to the existence of scars in the renal cortex, the worsening of these scars, or finally the creation of new scars. With the present study, we intend to clarify the etiology and the pathophysiology of IRR and the relation of VUR prognosis to newer biomarkers such as N-acetyl-beta-glycosaminidase, beta-2 microglobulin, Pen- traxin- 3 and Liver-type fatty-acid-binding protein.

Urachal remnants: from embryology to clinical practice.

The urachus is a tubular structure that is apparent on the third week and connects the ventral cloaca to the yolk sac, as a progression from the allantois. Following the normal regression procedure, the urachus remains as the median umbilical ligament. Urachal remnants are present in 1.03% of paediatric patients while in 92.5% of cases represent incidental findings. Urachal anomalies are classified in four types as patent urachus (50-52%), urachal sinus (15%), urachal cyst (30%) and urachal diverticulum (3-5%). Ultrasound scan is the most commonly performed diagnostic imaging study. In case of symptomatic urachal remnants, surgical excision is indicated. Asymptomatic urachal remnants that are diagnosed at the neonatal period or early infancy should be watched up to 6 months of age, as they are likely to resolve. In persistent or symptomatic urachal remnants there is a risk of inflammation or even malignancy development, therefore we believe that there is indication for preventive surgical excision that may be performed either open or laparoscopically or by robot-assisted laparoscopy.

The challenging diagnosis of acute scrotum: remaining difficulties and further insights.

The main target during management of a male pediatric patient with clinical signs of acute scrotum is the timely diagnosis, in order not to jeopardize the viability of the affected testicle. Thorough evaluation of the patient's medical history, symptomatology, clinical and ultrasonographic findings, constitutes the basis of the diagnostic procedure. After comprehensive research of the relevant literature, we highlight the remaining difficulties in the evaluation of the clinical and ultrasonographic findings for the accurate diagnosis of the acute scrotum. In conclusion, it is worth emphasizing on the following: a. the most common diseases that come under the diagnosis of the acute scrotum may present with similar symptoms, b. in neglected cases the diagnostic approach becomes more difficult, constituting the evaluation of the pathognomonic clinical signs challenging, and c. inability to exclude the diagnosis of spermatic cord torsion should be an indication for the surgical exploration of the affected hemiscrotum.

A Remarkably Rare Position of a Cutaneous Ciliated Cyst in a 16 Month-old Female: A Case Report.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the work was to show a Cutaneous Ciliated Cyst (CCC) in an unusual location in a 16-month-old girl. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 16-month otherwise healthy girl presented to our hospital, with a report of a palpable mass in the left suprascapular region. Physical examination revealed a soft-textured, fluctuating, mobile and painless entity, with no further indications of local inflammation. The mass was totally excised, under general anesthesia, for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. According to the histopathological findings, the cystic lesion was covered by a pseudostratified ciliary epithelium, resembling the epithelium of a normal fallopian tube, surrounded by a smooth muscle layer. Immunohistochemical studies identified the cyst epithelium as having cytokeratin (CKAE1/AE3) expression, despite the negative immunostaining findings on Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors. CONCLUSION: Our case report concerns a CCC in an unusual position, in the suprascapular area. After a thorough review of the international literature, we concluded that this is the second published case regarding this specific location. To our knowledge our patient is the youngest ever diagnosed with CCC.

Hutch diverticulum: from embryology to clinical practice.

Hutch Diverticulum (HD) is defined as the protrusion of the mucosal and submucosal layer through the muscle bundles of the underlying detrusor muscle. HD is located at the vesicoureteral junction with a backward direction from the homolateral ureteral orifice. As far as its etiology is concerned, HD is caused either by a congenital muscle wall defect at the level where the Waldeyer's fascia occupies the clefts between the vesical part of the homolateral ureter and the detrusor, or is associated with abortive ureteral duplication or defective incorporation of mesonephric duct into the bladder at the site of ureteral hiatus or finally is associated with the development of transient urethral obstruction. HD is usually unilateral and more common in male patients. It may be associated with the Ehlers-Danlos, Williams-Elfin and Menkes syndromes. HD usually occurs in childhood and rarely during adulthood. It is found in 0.2-13% of all children presenting with urinary tract infection. Through this short review article, we attempt to present in detail the most recent bibliographic data concerning this entity, focusing on pathophysiology, diagnostic approach, and treatment strategy.