The Gigli saw, a useful tool for cutting a metal ring causing penile strangulation.

Penile strangulation is a rare pediatric urology emergency. A 13-year-old boy with no psychiatric history was referred to the university hospital 2 h after a metallic ring was self-placed over his penis. Under general anesthesia, a Gigli saw cut the cockring in two places. The patient was discharged home on postoperative day 1. He neither attended a consultation at the one-month follow-up nor saw a psychiatrist. Thirteen similar cases have been reported in children since 1975. We were the first team to use a Gigli saw in a child in our department.

A French study of cocaine intoxication/exposure in children (2010-2020).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In the European Union, the record of cocaine-related seizures indicates an expanding supply. The purity has also been increasing. The health impact of these trends remains poorly documented, in particular, the changes and clinical manifestations of intoxication in young children. We attempted to evaluate the trend in French pediatric admissions for cocaine intoxication/exposure over an 11-year period (2010-2020). METHODS: A retrospective, national, multicenter, study of a pediatric cohort. All children less than 15 years of age admitted to a tertiary-level pediatric emergency unit for proven cocaine intoxication (compatible symptoms and positive toxicological screening) during the reference period were included. RESULTS: Seventy-four children were included. Forty-six percent were less than 6 years old. Annual admissions increased by a factor of 8 over 11 years (+700%) and 57% of all cases were admitted in the last two years. The main clinical signs were neurologic (59%) followed by cardiovascular symptoms (34%). Twelve patients were transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit. Factors significantly associated with the risk of being transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit were initial admission to the pediatric resuscitation area (P < 0.001), respiratory impairment (P < 0.01), mydriasis (P < 0.01), cardiovascular symptoms (P = 0.014), age of less than 2 years (P = 0.014). Blood and/or urine toxicological screening isolated eighteen other substances besides cocaine in 46 children (66%). CONCLUSION: Children are collateral victims of the changing trends in cocaine availability, use and purity. Admissions of intoxicated children to pediatric emergency departments are more frequent and there is an increase in severe presentations. Therefore, this is a growing public health concern.