Assessment of MRI and Ultrasound Screening for Tethered Cord Syndrome in Patients Diagnosed With Esophageal Atresia/Tracheoesophageal Fistula.

INTRODUCTION: Infants with esophageal atresia and/or tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) undergo screening for tethered cord syndrome (TCS) via ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Existing literature lacks data to guide optimal timing of screening and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often delayed until 3-6 mo of age, when it is frequently forgotten. Detethering surgery has a high rate of success in patients with TCS and is often performed prophylactically due to potential irreversible deficits. This study aims to improve screening procedure for infants with EA/TEF. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was done of all EA/TEF patients treated over 6 y (n = 79). The study examined how often each imaging modality was performed and identified a TCS lesion, as well as age of screening/surgical intervention. RESULTS: Screening for TCS was done with MRI 58% of the time and US 15% of the time. However, 38% of patients did not undergo any screening. Out of the patients with TCS on MRI (n = 19, 41.3%), 73.7% had neurosurgery. Of patients who underwent ultrasound (US) (n = 12), nine patients also had MRI later: two reported TCS lesions and subsequently had neurosurgery. Surgical infection rates and complications were 0/14. CONCLUSIONS: MRI demonstrated a higher rate of detecting TCS lesions than US, and patients with TCS frequently had detethering. Patients with ≥3 VACTERL or vertebral anomalies had a higher incidence of TCS on MRI. Patients with vertebral anomalies reported false negative ultrasounds in two cases, suggesting the potential superiority of MRI screening in this subgroup. A third of children did not undergo any imaging and this will require a process improvement.

Long-term Quality of Life in Neonatal Surgical Disease.

OBJECTIVE: This prospective observational study was designed to assess Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) after surgical treatment for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF), Hirschsprung disease (HD), gastroschisis (GAS), omphalocele (OMP), and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Improvements in neonatal and surgical care have led to increased survival for many newborn conditions. Quality of life in these patients is seldom explored in a longitudinal manner. We hypothesized that age-adjusted physical and psychosocial scores would improve over time, but with diagnosis-dependent variation. METHODS: Data were collected from 241 patients (CDH = 52; EA/TEF = 62; HD = 46; GAS = 32; OMP = 26; NEC = 23) in an institutional Clinical Outcomes Registry (COR) from 2012 to 2017. Aggregate physical, psychosocial, and overall PedsQL scores were determined for each diagnosis. Spline regression models were created to model scores as a function of age. RESULTS: Physical scores trended up for all diagnoses except CDH and NEC beyond age 10. Psychosocial scores trended up for all diagnoses except NEC and EA/TEF beyond age 10. Beyond age 12, CDH, GAS, and HD patients had overall scores within the normal range, while NEC, OMP, and EA/TEF patients had scores similar to children with chronic medical illness. CONCLUSION: Variation exists in long-term PedsQL scores after neonatal surgery for selected, complex disease. Beyond age 12, quality of life is significantly impaired in NEC, moderately impaired in OMP and EA/TEF, and within normal range for CDH, HD, and GAS patients at the population level. These data are relevant to prenatal and perioperative discussions with patients and families.

Timing of inguinal hernia following complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: Bladder exstrophy patients have a high prevalence of inguinal hernia that often become clinically evident following bladder closure. Understanding when the bladder exstrophy patient is under greatest risk of developing an inguinal hernia following bladder closure is important, since incarceration resulting in strangulation of intra-abdominal contents can lead to significant morbidity if not addressed in a timely fashion. Although the incidence and risk factors of inguinal hernia have been reported, the timing of occurrence is not well understood. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to assess the timing of inguinal hernia following complete primary repair of bladder exstrophy (CPRE). In addition, we aimed to evaluate possible risk factors associated with inguinal hernia, including sex, age at bladder closure and iliac osteotomy status. STUDY DESIGN: A multi-institutional retrospective review identified patients with bladder exstrophy repaired by CPRE under 6 months of age while excluding those who underwent inguinal hernia repair before or during bladder closure. Timing of inguinal hernia following bladder closure was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Cox proportional hazards model was used to investigate association of sex, age at bladder closure, and osteotomy on the risk of developing of inguinal hernia while clustering for institution. RESULTS: 91 subjects were included in our analysis with median follow-up time of 6.5 years. 34 of 53 males (64.2%) and 2 of 38 females (5.3%) underwent inguinal hernia repair. The median time to inguinal hernia was 4.7 months following closure. The greatest hazard of inguinal hernia was within the first six months following closure. In multivariate analysis, male sex was strongly associated with inguinal hernia (HR = 19.00, p = 0.0038). Osteotomy and delay in closure were not significantly associated with inguinal hernia. 7 of 36 patients (19.4%) who underwent inguinal hernia repair presented with recurrence on the ipsilateral side. DISCUSSION: Our results suggest that the greatest risk of inguinal hernia is within the first six months following bladder closure. The decreased risk of inguinal hernia after one year of follow-up may reflect anatomic stability that is reached following major reconstruction of the pelvis. While male bladder exstrophy patients are significantly more susceptible to inguinal hernias following CPRE, osteotomy and delayed bladder closure do not appear to be protective factors for inguinal hernia development following initial bladder closure. CONCLUSIONS: There is a heightened risk of inguinal hernia in the first six months following closure. The rate of recurrence following inguinal hernia repair is significantly elevated compared to the general pediatric population.

Reducing opioid utilization after appendectomy: A lesson in implementation of a multidisciplinary quality improvement project.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative care after appendectomy may be the first exposure to opioids for many children. A quality improvement project was implemented to assess current practice of prescribing pain medications after a laparoscopic appendectomy to decrease unnecessary opioid use via simple, targeted steps. METHODS: Three measures were implemented in patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy for acute appendicitis: (1) ice packs to incision in postanesthesia care unit, (2) standard pain scores within 30 minutes of admission to ward postoperatively, and (3) standardized postoperative order set minimizing opioid utilization and limited number of opioids prescribed at discharge. Pre- and postimplementation data were compared with the primary outcome variable: opioid utilization during the postoperative period. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in age or gender between the 814 preimplementation and 263 postimplementation patients. Postimplementation compliance is 66.9% for icepacks, 88% for pain scores, and 94.7% for postoperative order set. There were statistically significant decreases in intravenous and enteral opioids administered, number of opioid doses prescribed at discharge, and patients discharged with an opioid prescription. CONCLUSION: By using a multidisciplinary assessment of current state, culture, and management of parental, patient, and nursing expectations, our institution was able to reduce overall opioid consumption.

Antibiotic Prophylaxis with Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole versus No Treatment after Mid-to-Distal Hypospadias Repair: A Prospective, Randomized Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of prophylactic antibiotics after distal hypospadias repair on postoperative bacteriuria, symptomatic urinary tract infection, and postoperative complications in a prospective, randomized trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients aged 6 months to 2 years were enrolled at our institution between June 2013 and May 2017. Consenting patients were randomized to antibiotic prophylaxis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole versus no antibiotic. Patients had catheterized urine samples obtained at surgery and 6-10 days postoperatively. The primary outcome was bacteriuria and pyuria at postoperative urine collection. Secondary outcomes included symptomatic urinary tract infection and postoperative complications. RESULTS: 70 patients consented to the study, of which 35 were randomized to receive antibiotics compared to 32 who did not. Demographics, severity of hypospadias, and type of repair were similar between the groups. Patients in the treatment group had significantly less pyuria (18%) and bacteriuria (11%) present at stent removal compared to the nontreatment group (55% and 63%; p=0.01 and p < 0.001, resp.). No patient had a symptomatic urinary tract infection. There were 11 postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Routine antibiotic prophylaxis appears to significantly decrease bacteriuria and pyuria in the immediate postoperative period; however, no difference was observed in symptomatic urinary tract infection or postoperative complications. Clinical Trial Registration Number NCT02593903.