Repair of esophageal atresia with proximal fistula using endoscopic magnetic compression anastomosis (magnamosis) after staged lengthening.

We describe the treatment of a patient with long-gap esophageal atresia with an upper pouch fistula, mircogastria and minimal distal esophageal remnant. After 4.5 months of feeding via gastrostomy, a proximal fistula was identified by bronchoscopy and a thoracoscopic modified Foker procedure was performed reducing the gap from approximately 7-5 cm over 2 weeks of traction. A second stage to ligate the fistula and suture approximate the proximal and distal esophagus resulted in a gap of 1.5 cm. IRB and FDA approval was then obtained for endoscopic placement of 10-French catheter mounted magnets in the proximal and distal pouches promoting a magnetic compression anastomosis (magnamosis). Magnetic coupling occurred at 4 days and after magnet removal at 13 days an esophagram demonstrated a 10 French channel without leak. Serial endoscopic balloon dilation has allowed drainage of swallowed secretions as the baby learns bottling behavior at home.

Magnamosis for esophageal atresia is associated with anastomotic strictures requiring an increased number of dilatations.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Magnamosis is a novel technique which utilizes high power magnets to anastomose the esophageal ends in children with esophageal atresia (EA) with or without a tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), theoretically avoiding the need for thoracotomy. The objective of this study was to compare anastomotic stricture formation requiring dilatation after magnamosis versus after conventional anastomosis. METHODS: Our center treated the first 3 cases of EA ±â€¯TEF with magnamosis in Canada. One was unsuccessful and excluded from our study. The number of postintervention dilatations was compared to controls from our database, which includes all children with EA ±â€¯TEF treated between 1991 and 2015. The controls had EA ±â€¯TEF treated with pouch-to-end anastomosis or colonic interposition (n = 65). Mann-Whitney U tests were used with p < 0.05 being significant. RESULTS: The 2 magnamosis cases had a mean of 13.5 dilatations, compared to 2.6 for the controls. Those managed with pouch-to-end anastomosis or colonic interposition had a mean of 2.3 and 2.7 dilatations, respectively. We found that the cases required more dilatations than controls (p = 0.022) and pouch-to-end anastomosis (p = 0.021), but not than colonic interposition (p = 0.106). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that magnamosis is associated with more postintervention dilatations than conventional anastomotic techniques, suggesting that magnamosis results in more frequent and/or more resilient anastomotic strictures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Magnetic compression anastomosis as a nonsurgical treatment for esophageal atresia.

BACKGROUND: We describe a unique technique to promote a nonsurgical esophageal anastomosis with magnets in children with esophageal atresia. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of magnetic lengthening of atretic esophageal ends to produce an anastomosis and to communicate our results after more than 2 years of follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between September 2001 and March 2004, five children were selected for treatment. Two of the children had esophageal atresia without fistula (type A) and three had atresia with fistula converted to type A surgically; however, surgeons failed to achieve an anastomosis because of the width of the gap. Neodymium-iron-boron magnets were used. Daily chest radiographs were taken until union of the magnets was observed. They were then replaced with an orogastric tube. RESULTS: Anastomosis was achieved in all patients in an average of 4.8 days. One patient, with signs of early sepsis, was successfully treated with antibiotics. In four of the five patients, esophageal stenosis developed. At the time of this report, two patients were free of treatment and on an oral diet (after 26 months), two patients required periodic balloon dilatation, and one patient had recently undergone surgery due to recurrent esophageal stenosis not amenable to balloon dilatation. CONCLUSION: Magnetic esophageal anastomosis is a feasible method in selected patients with esophageal atresia. Esophageal anastomosis was achieved in all patients. The only observed complication of significance was esophageal stenosis. One patient needed surgery because of stenosis.

Use of Magnets as a Minimally Invasive Approach for Anastomosis in Esophageal Atresia: Long-Term Outcomes.

Introduction: The majority of esophageal atresia (EA) patients undergo surgical repair soon after birth. However, factors due to patient characteristics, esophageal length, or surgical complications can limit the ability to obtain esophageal continuity. A number of techniques have been described to treat these patients with "long-gap" EA. Magnets are a nonsurgical alternative for esophageal anastomosis. The purpose of this study was to report long-term outcomes for the use of magnets in EA. Materials and Methods: Between July 2001 and December 2017, 13 patients underwent placement of a magnetic catheter-based system under fluoroscopic guidance at six institutions. Daily chest radiographs were obtained until there was union of the magnets. Magnets were then removed and replaced with an oro- or nasogastric tube. Complications and outcomes were recorded. The average length of follow-up was 9.3 years (range 1.42-17.75). Results: A total of 85% of the patients had type A, pure EA, and 15% had type C with previous fistula ligation. The average length of time to achieve anastomosis was 6.3 days (range 3-13). No anastomotic leaks occurred, and all of the patients had an expected esophageal stenosis that required dilation given the 10F coupling surface of the magnets (average 9.8, range 3-22). Six patients (46%) had retrievable esophageal stents, and two underwent surgery; yet all maintained their native esophagus without interposition. A total of 92% were on full oral feeds at the time of follow-up. Conclusion: The use of magnets for treatment of long-gap EA is safe and feasible and accomplished good long-term outcomes. The main complication was esophageal stricture, although all patients maintained their native esophagus. A prospective observational study is currently enrolling patients to evaluate the safety and benefit of a catheter-based magnetic device for EA.

Magnetic gastrointestinal anastomosis in pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: To describe 17 patients who underwent magnetic, non-surgical gastrointestinal (GI) anastomoses. METHODS: Patients with GI obstruction, stenosis, or atresia were treated with image-guided and/or endoscopically placed discoid magnet pairs or catheter-based bullet-shaped magnet pairs. RESULTS: Anastomosis was achieved in 7 days in an 11-year-old with gastric outlet obstruction due to metastatic colon cancer. Anastomosis was achieved in 8 and 10 days in 2 patients (age 2.0 years and 3.4 years) who had rectocolonic stenosis. Re-anastomosis was achieved in an average of 6 days (range 3 to 7 days) in 5 patients (age 6 months to 5.9 years) with severe recurrent postsurgical esophageal stenosis refractory to dilatation. Primary esophageal anastomosis was achieved in an average of 4.2 days (range 3 to 6 days) in 9 patients with esophageal atresia (Type A or Type C surgically converted to Type A) with a gap length of 4 cm or less. The average age of these esophageal atresia patients was 3 months (range 23 days to 5 months). CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive magnet placement was feasible and achieved anastomosis in all patients.

Ectopic pancreas presenting with pancreatitis and a mesenteric mass.

Ectopic pancreas is defined by the presence of abnormally situated pancreatic tissue that lacks contact with normal pancreas and possesses its own duct system and vascular supply. Ectopic pancreas in the gastrointestinal tract is not uncommon. Moreover, there are several reported cases of adult ectopic pancreatitis in the literature, but to date, only two cases of pediatric ectopic pancreatitis have been reported. We describe a 15-year-old female with acute right upper quadrant pain and elevated serum lipase and amylase, in whom the radiological diagnosis was mesenteric soft tissue mass with adjacent inflammatory changes. The surgical pathology diagnosis, however, was mesenteric ectopic pancreas complicated by pancreatitis. We advocate for ectopic pancreatitis to be considered in a pediatric patient with acute abdominal pain, laboratory findings consistent with pancreatitis, and imaging findings of a mesenteric mass and normal orthotopic pancreas.

Location of the ovaries in girls from newborn to 18 years of age: reconsidering ovarian shielding.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines for ovarian shielding are to place a lead shield in the midline of the abdomen at the level of the umbilicus. However, the ovaries are routinely seen at other locations on all types of imaging examinations. OBJECTIVE: To determine the position of the ovaries in girls, newborn to 18 years of age, in order to assess efficacy of ovarian shield placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 336 girls who underwent lumbar spine and pelvic MRI. Images were reviewed noting the position of the ovaries relative to anatomic landmarks: symphysis pubis, iliac crest and anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS). In 174 girls a total of 307 ovaries were visualized. The girls were divided into three age groups and analyzed together. Right and left ovaries were analyzed together. The mean, 95% confidence interval (CI), standard deviations and range were calculated. RESULTS: The ovaries lay at or below the iliac crest (the level of the umbilicus), most often just medial to the ASIS and above the pubic symphysis in girls of all ages. CONCLUSION: Current methods of shielding only the midline of the pelvis for the purpose of reducing radiation dose to the ovaries during radiographic imaging are ineffective given that the ovaries are almost always positioned laterally in the pelvis. Therefore current shielding techniques should be changed; lead ovarian shields should be placed in a lateral position or even abandoned if relevant anatomy will be obscured.