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Background: The aim of this study was to investigate treatment outcomes in adolescents who underwent laparoscopic surgery with an ultrasonic scalpel for symptomatic varicocele compared with adolescents who underwent surgery with a polymer clip. Methods: A total of 270 adolescents with a median age of 16 (interquartile range, IQR 13-17) years were included in the study. Taking into account the laparoscopic varicocelectomy technique used, the patients were divided into two groups. In the first group (n = 151), a polymer clip was used, while in the second group (n = 119), an ultrasonic scalpel was used to resect the spermatic vessels. The primary outcome measure was the effect of the laparoscopic technique used on treatment outcomes (postoperative complications and recurrence rates). Secondary outcomes were the duration of surgery and anesthesia and the length of hospital stay. Results: The duration of the surgical procedure (12 min (IQR 11, 15) versus 15 min (12, 19), p = 0.029) and anesthesia (21.5 min (16, 29.5) versus 28 min (23, 34), p = 0.003) was shorter in the group of adolescents in whom laparoscopic varicocelectomy was performed with an ultrasonic scalpel than in the group in which a polymer clip was used. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups studied in terms of length of hospital stay, recurrence rate (p >0.999), and complications (p = 0.703). There were no cases of testicular atrophy in either group. In the group of patients who underwent laparoscopic varicocelectomy with an ultrasonic scalpel, a slightly higher incidence of hydroceles was found (n = 4, 3.4%) than in the group in which a polymer clip was used (n = 2, 1.3%) (p = 0.410). At six-month follow-up, it was found that the majority of patients showed moderate or significant improvement in the spermogram after laparoscopic varicocelectomy (n = 85, 89.5%). In addition, the subjective discomfort or pain disappeared in the majority of patients (n = 71, 93.4%). The testicular volume increased significantly in 132 adolescents (89.8%). Conclusions: Laparoscopic varicocelectomy with a polymer clip or ultrasonic scalpel is safe and effective in adolescents with symptomatic varicocele. Treatment outcomes after laparoscopic varicocelectomy are the same regardless of whether a polymer clip or an ultrasonic scalpel is used to resect the spermatic vessels. The use of an ultrasonic scalpel for resection of the spermatic vessels shortens the overall duration of surgery and anesthesia.
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Background and Objectives: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the most frequently performed elective pediatric surgical procedures and the number of hospitalizations and compare it to the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods. Materials and Methods: The subjects were patients under 18 years of age who were regularly admitted for selected elective procedures in a single tertiary center in Croatia from 1 March to 31 August of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Data were collected from the electronic logs of surgical procedures and hospital admissions, logs of one-day surgeries, patients' medical records, and discharge letters. The primary outcome of this study was to determine the evolution of the number of elective surgical procedures before, during, and after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic; also, we aimed to confirm and objectify global data and statements about the decrease in the number of hospital admissions and surgical procedures. Secondary outcome measures included the length of hospitalization, the number and types of complications, and readmissions. Results: In 2020, the number of elective procedures decreased by 28.3% and the number of hospitalizations decreased by 36.2%; in 2021, the number of elective procedures decreased by 30.8% and the number of hospitalizations decreased by 14.2% compared to the pre-pandemic period (2019). In 2022, there was a 22.8% increase in elective procedures and a 2.9% decrease in hospitalizations compared to 2019. No statistical difference was found in the rates of complications between the individual years studied in terms of complications (p = 0.869). Conclusions: The number of elective procedures and hospitalizations during the COVID-19 pandemic has decreased significantly compared to the pre-pandemic period. After the healthcare system adapted to the conditions of the pandemic, the number of elective procedures increased significantly despite COVID-19, while the number of hospitalizations remained approximately the same as before the pandemic.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Elective Surgical Procedures , Hospitalization , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Elective Surgical Procedures/statistics & numerical data , Child , Retrospective Studies , Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , Female , Male , Adolescent , Child, Preschool , Croatia/epidemiology , Infant , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2 , Length of Stay/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
Kidney failures in infants are mostly caused by congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT), which are among the most common congenital birth disorders worldwide when paired with cardiac abnormalities. People with CAKUT often have severe kidney failure as a result of a wide range of abnormalities that can occur alone or in conjunction with other syndromic disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate the expression pattern of CAKUT candidate genes alpha-8 integrin (ITGA8) and Van Gogh-like 2 (VANGL2) in fetal tissues of healthy and CAKUT-affected kidneys using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. We found that under CAKUT circumstances, the expressions of ITGA8 and VANGL2 are changed. Additionally, we showed that VANGL2 expression is constant during fetal aging, but ITGA8 expression varies. Moreover, compared to normal healthy kidneys (CTRL), ITGA8 is poorly expressed in duplex kidneys (DKs) and dysplastic kidneys (DYS), whereas VANGL2 is substantially expressed in dysplastic kidneys (DYS) and poorly expressed in hypoplastic kidneys (HYP). These results point to VANGL2 and ITGA8 as potential prognostic indicators for CAKUT malformations. Further research is necessary to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying this differential expression of ITGA8 and VANGL2.
Subject(s)
Integrin alpha Chains , Kidney , Humans , Kidney/metabolism , Kidney/abnormalities , Integrin alpha Chains/metabolism , Integrin alpha Chains/genetics , Vesico-Ureteral Reflux/metabolism , Vesico-Ureteral Reflux/genetics , Urogenital Abnormalities/metabolism , Urogenital Abnormalities/genetics , Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Membrane Proteins/genetics , Female , Urinary Tract/metabolism , Urinary Tract/abnormalities , MaleABSTRACT
The diagnosis of acute appendicitis and concurrent surgery referral is primarily based on clinical presentation, laboratory and radiological imaging. However, utilizing such an approach results in as much as 10-15% of negative appendectomies. Hence, in the present study, we aimed to develop a machine learning (ML) model designed to reduce the number of negative appendectomies in pediatric patients with a high clinical probability of acute appendicitis. The model was developed and validated on a registry of 551 pediatric patients with suspected acute appendicitis that underwent surgical treatment. Clinical, anthropometric, and laboratory features were included for model training and analysis. Three machine learning algorithms were tested (random forest, eXtreme Gradient Boosting, logistic regression) and model explainability was obtained. Random forest model provided the best predictions achieving mean specificity and sensitivity of 0.17 ± 0.01 and 0.997 ± 0.001 for detection of acute appendicitis, respectively. Furthermore, the model outperformed the appendicitis inflammatory response (AIR) score across most sensitivity-specificity combinations. Finally, the random forest model again provided the best predictions for discrimination between complicated appendicitis, and either uncomplicated acute appendicitis or no appendicitis at all, with a joint mean sensitivity of 0.994 ± 0.002 and specificity of 0.129 ± 0.009. In conclusion, the developed ML model might save as much as 17% of patients with a high clinical probability of acute appendicitis from unnecessary surgery, while missing the needed surgery in only 0.3% of cases. Additionally, it showed better diagnostic accuracy than the AIR score, as well as good accuracy in predicting complicated acute appendicitis over uncomplicated and negative cases bundled together. This may be useful in centers that advocate for the conservative treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis. Nevertheless, external validation is needed to support these findings.
Subject(s)
Appendectomy , Appendicitis , Machine Learning , Humans , Appendicitis/surgery , Appendicitis/diagnosis , Child , Female , Male , Adolescent , Child, Preschool , Acute Disease , Probability , Sensitivity and Specificity , AlgorithmsABSTRACT
Background: The role of Enterobius vermicularis infestation in the context of appendicitis is largely overlooked, but Enterobius vermicularis is considered an unexpected and significant appendicectomy finding. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of Enterobius vermicularis findings in appendectomies and to evaluate the clinical and histopathologic features of patients with Enterobius vermicularis-associated acute appendicitis and those with appendiceal Enterobius vermicularis infestation. Methods: The medical records of all children who underwent an appendectomy in two large pediatric centers in Croatia between 1 January 2009 and 1 January 2024 were retrospectively reviewed. Of 6359 appendectomies, 61 (0.96%) children were diagnosed with Enterobius vermicularis on histopathology and included in further analysis. The groups were compared with regard to demographic characteristics, laboratory values, clinical features and histopathological findings. Results: The incidence of enterobiasis fluctuated slightly in the individual study years, but was constant overall. The median age of all patients was 11 years (IQR 8.5, 13), with females predominating (60.7%). Acute appendicitis was observed in 34% of the appendiceal species. The patients with Enterobius vermicularis infestation, without appendicitis, were younger (9 years (IQR 8, 13) vs. 12 years (IQR 10, 15); p = 0.020), had longer duration of symptoms (36 h (IQR, 12, 48) vs. 24 h (IQR, 12, 36); p = 0.034), lower body temperature (37 °C (IQR 36.8, 37.4) vs. 37.6 °C (IQR, 37, 38.6) p = 0.012), lower Appendicitis Inflammation Response (AIR) score (3 (IQR 2, 5) vs. 7 (IQR 5, 9.5) p < 0.001), lower incidence of rebound tenderness (57.1% vs. 20%; p = 0.003) and less frequent vomiting (12.5% vs. 47.6%; p = 0.004) compared to the patients with Enterobius vermicularis-associated acute appendicitis. Acute inflammatory markers in the laboratory showed significantly higher values in the group of patients with acute appendicitis: C-reactive protein (p = 0.009), White blood cells (p = 0.001) and neutrophils (p < 0.001). Eosinophilia was not found in any of the groups, although eosinophil counts were significantly higher in children who had Enterobius vermicularis infestation than in those with Enterobius vermicularis-related appendicitis (2.5% (IQR 0.9, 4.3) vs. 1.8% (IQR 0.7, 2.1); p = 0.040). Conclusions: Pediatric surgeons should consider Enterobius vermicularis infestation as a differential diagnosis when removing a vermiform appendix. Younger age, longer duration of symptoms, lower body temperature, lower AIR score, lower diameter of the appendix and normal laboratory inflammatory markers could predict Enterobius vermicularis infection in children presenting with right iliac fossa pain and avoid unnecessary appendectomy.
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The increase in cancer survival rates has put a focus on ensuring fertility preservation procedures for cancer patients. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation presents the only option for prepubertal girls and patients who require immediate start of treatment and, therefore, cannot undergo controlled ovarian stimulation. We aimed to provide an assessment of stem cells' impact on cryopreserved ovarian tissue grafts in regard to the expression of growth factors, angiogenesis promotion, tissue oxygenation, ovarian follicle survival and restoration of endocrine function. For this systematic review, we searched the Scopus and PubMed databases and included reports of trials using murine and/or human cryopreserved ovarian tissue for transplantation or in vitro culture in combination with mesenchymal stem cell administration to the grafting site. Of the 1201 articles identified, 10 met the criteria. The application of stem cells to the grafting site has been proven to support vascular promotion and thereby shorten the period of tissue hypoxia, which is reflected in the increased number of remaining viable follicles and faster recovery of ovarian endocrine function. Further research is needed before implementing the use of stem cells in OT cryopreservation and transplantation procedures in clinical practice. Complex ethical dilemmas make this process more difficult.
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Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is defined as the urine backflow from the urinary bladder to the pyelo-caliceal system. In contrast, intrarenal reflux (IRR) is the backflow of urine from the renal calyces into the tubulointerstitial space. VURs, particularly those associated with IRR can result in reflux nephropathy when accompanied by urinary tract infection (UTI). The prevalence of IRR in patients with diagnosed VUR is 1-11% when using voiding cystourethrography (VCUG), while 11.9-61% when applying the contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography (ceVUS). The presence of IRR diagnosed by VCUG often correlates with parenchymal scars, when diagnosed by a 99mTc dimercaptosuccinic acid scan (DMSA scan), mostly in kidneys with high-grade VURs, and when diagnosed by ceVUS, it correlates with the wide spectrum of parenchymal changes on DMSA scan. The study performed by both ceVUS and DMSA scans showed IRRs associated with non-dilated VURs in 21% of all detected VURs. A significant difference regarding the existence of parenchymal damage was disclosed between the IRR-associated and IRR-non-associated VURs. A higher portion of parenchymal changes existed in the IRR-associated VURs, regardless of the VUR grade. That means that kidneys with IRR-associated VURs represent the high-risk group of VURs, which must be considered in the future classification of VURs. When using ceVUS, 62% of places where IRR was found were still unaffected by parenchymal changes. That was the basis for our recommendation of preventive use of long-term antibiotic prophylaxis until the IRR disappearance, regardless of the VUR grade. We propose a new classification of VURs using the ceVUS method, in which each VUR grade is subdivided based on the presence of an IRR.
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Objectives: Intra-abdominal testes are located in a variety of intra-abdominal positions, most less than 2 cm from the internal ring. Various surgical techniques of laparoscopic orchiopexy have been described to date. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and long-term efficacy of a single-stage, vessel-preserving, laparoscopic orchiopexy for intra-abdominal testes in pediatric patients. Methods: A retrospective search of the medical records of 32 children (34 testes) who underwent single-stage, vessel preserving, laparoscopic orchiopexy for intra-abdominal testes between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2023 was performed. Single-stage laparoscopic orchiopexies were performed in all patients for whom sufficient length of the spermatic cord was achieved during the procedure. The volume of each patient's testes was measured using ultrasound before and 6 months after laparoscopic orchiopexy. The main outcome of this study was testicular volume before and after the procedure. The secondary outcomes were the occurrence of early and late complications, the duration of surgery, and the length of hospital stay. Results: The median age at the time of surgery was 10 months (interquartile range-IQR 9, 13). The majority of the children (n = 24; 75%) were less than 12 months old at the time of surgery. A normal testis was found in 24 patients (70.6%), while a hypotrophic testis was visible in 10 cases (29.4%). The majority of the testes were located near the internal ring (n = 19; 55.9%), while in the remaining cases, the testes were located near the iliac blood vessels. The median duration of the surgical procedure was 37.5 min (IQR 33, 42.5). The duration of hospitalization was one day for all the children. No intraoperative complications were observed. One child had a wound infection at the site of the umbilical trocar, which was treated conservatively. In two cases (5.5%), testicular atrophy was detected during long-term follow-up. In three cases, the testis was found in a higher position in the scrotum during the follow-up period, but in two cases, the position was normal during the follow-up period, while in one case, the position in the scrotum remained unchanged. At long-term follow-up with a median of 35 months (IQR 19, 60.5), the overall success rate was 94.5%. The median testicular volume at 6-month follow-up increased from 0.31 mL (IQR 0.28, 0.43) to 0.40 mL (IQR 0.33, 0.53) (p = 0.017). Conclusions: Single-stage, vessel-preserving, laparoscopic orchiopexies for intra-abdominal testes are safe and effective in pediatric patients in whom adequate spermatic cord length can be achieved during the procedure.
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BACKGROUND: Same-day surgery implies patient discharge on the same day after the surgery. The main aim of the research was to determine which predisposing factors lead to children treated with same-day surgery not being able to be discharged on the same day. METHODS: For the purposes of this research, the electronic records of patients in the hospital information system were reviewed retrospectively. The search included patients who were surgically treated through the Day Surgery Unit at the Children's Hospital Zagreb with various diagnoses from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023. The target group consisted of patients who could not be discharged on the same day (n = 68), while for the purposes of the control group (n = 68), patients were randomly selected, comparable by age and gender, who were discharged from the hospital on the same day in accordance with the principles of same-day surgery. RESULTS: In relation to the parameters of interest between the groups, statistically significant differences were observed in the type of general anesthesia (p = 0.027), the use of analgesics (p = 0.016), the time of entering the operating room (p = 0.000), the time of leaving the operating room (p < 0.0001) and the duration of surgery (76.81 ± 37.21 min vs. 46.51 ± 22.46 min, p < 0.0001). When explanatory variables were included in the regression model, they explained 38% of the variability in the dependent variable. Only the variable "duration of surgery" provided significant information to explain the variability in the dependent variable (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Although the duration of surgery was imposed as the main predictor of hospitalization after same-day surgery, and considering the extremely small number of studies on the mentioned topic, especially in the pediatric population, further, preferably multicenter research on the mentioned topic is needed.
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BACKGROUND: Although the laparoscopic approach become standard for the treatment of many surgical conditions many studies still debating whether laparoscopic surgery has significant advantages over open surgery in regards to hernia or hydrocele treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of treatment of treatment of communicating hydrocele in pediatric patients between laparoscopic percutaneous internal ring suturing (PIRS) and open ligation of the patent processus vaginalis (PPV). METHODS: The medical records of pediatric patients who underwent surgery for communicating hydrocele between 1 January 2019 and 1 January 2024 were retrospectively reviewed. The primary objective of the study is to investigate the outcomes of treatment (complications and recurrence rates) of communicating hydrocele in children between laparoscopic and open surgical approaches. Secondary outcomes of the study are the duration of surgery and anesthesia, length of hospital stay (LOS), frequency of hospital readmissions (ReAd) and unplanned return to the operating room (uROR). RESULTS: A total of 198 children underwent surgery for a communicating hydrocele (205 repairs, as 7 cases were bilateral) and were included in the study. Of these, 87 children underwent a PIRS, while the remaining 111 cases underwent open ligation of the PPV. No recurrence of the hydrocele was observed in any of the study groups. Intraoperative complication (epigastric vein injury) was noted in two cases in both groups (2.3% vs. 1.8%, p > 0.999). A slightly higher number of postoperative complications was observed in the open group (n = 7, 6.3%) compared to the PIRS group (n = 2, 2.3%) (p = 0.190). The median duration of surgery (15 min (IQR 10, 17) vs. 21 min (IQR 15, 25); p < 0.001) and anesthesia (30 min (IQR 25, 40) vs. 40 min (IQR 35, 40); p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the PIRS group compared to open ligation of the PPV. In addition, a significantly shorter median of LOS was observed in the PIRS group compared to the open PPV group (9 h (IQR 8, 12) vs. 24 h (IQR 12, 24; p < 0.001). No cases of ReAd and uROR were observed in any of the study groups. CONCLUSIONS: PIRS is a safe and effective laparoscopic technique that can be used in the treatment of communicating hydrocele in children. PIRS showed excellent outcomes and a low incidence of complications and recurrences, comparable to traditional open surgery.
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BACKGROUND: This study aims to compare outcomes of treatment, in terms of early and late complications, between the Snodgrass and meatal mobilization (MEMO) techniques in children operated on because of distal hypospadias. METHODS: The medical records of 127 children who underwent glandular, coronal, or subcoronal hypospadias repair between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 105 children met the inclusion criteria and were included in further analysis. The inclusion criteria were pediatric patients who underwent glandular, coronal, or subcoronal hypospadias repair using MEMO (n = 49) or the Snodgrass technique (n = 56) as a comparative group. The primary outcome of this study was the incidence of early and late complications with two different surgical techniques. Secondary outcomes were the duration of surgery, the length of hospital stay, the number of readmissions or unplanned returns to the operating room, and repeat surgeries between groups. RESULTS: The median age of all patients was 17 (interquartile range, IQR 13, 29) months, with a median follow-up of 26 (IQR 17, 34) months. Regarding the type of hypospadias, the majority of patients in both groups were categorized as coronal and subroronal hypospadias. Regarding the incidence of postoperative complications, a significantly lower incidence of postoperative complications was found in the MEMO group compared to the Snodgrass group (n = 4; 8.2% vs. n = 14; 25%; p = 0.037). An urethrocutaneous fistula was the most common complication in the Snodgrass group (n = 8; 14.3%), while in the MEMO group, only one patient (2%) developed a fistula (p = 0.034). The incidence of meatal stenosis (p = 0.621) and wound infections (p > 0.999) was low in both groups. No further complications were recorded during the follow-up period. Duration of surgery (41 min (IQR 38, 47) vs. 51 min (IQR 45.5, 61); p < 0.001), duration of hospitalization (1 day (IQR 1, 2) vs. 3 days (IQR 2, 6); p < 0.001), and time to catheter removal (3 days (IQR 2.5, 5) vs. 6 days (IQR 6, 8); p < 0.001) were significantly lower in patients operated on with MEMO compared to the Snodgrass technique. Only one case of readmission due to severe wound infection which led to suturing line dehiscence was recorded in the Snodgrass group. The incidence of redo surgery was significantly lower in the MEMO group than in the Snodgrass group (n = 3; 6.1% vs. n = 11; 19.6%; p = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: MEMO is a safe and effective technique that can be used for the treatment of distal hypospadias. It showed excellent outcomes, cosmetic results, and a low incidence of complications as well as a significantly shorter duration of surgery compared to the Snodgrass technique.
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"Basal-like" (BL) morphology and the expression of cancer testis antigens (CTA) in breast cancer still have unclear prognostic significance. The aim of our research was to explore correlations of the morphological characteristics and tumor microenvironment in triple-negative breast carcinomas (TNBCs) with multi-MAGE-A CTA expression and to determine their prognostic significance. Clinical records of breast cancer patients who underwent surgery between January 2017 and December 2018 in four major Croatian clinical centers were analyzed. A total of 97 non-metastatic TNBCs with available tissue samples and treatment information were identified. Cancer tissue sections were additionally stained with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) Ventana (SP142) and multi-MAGE-A (mAb 57B). BL morphology was detected in 47 (49%) TNBCs and was associated with a higher Ki-67 proliferation index and histologic grade. Expression of multi-MAGE-A was observed in 77 (79%) TNBCs and was significantly associated with BL morphology. Lymphocyte-predominant breast cancer (LPBC) status was detected in 11 cases (11.3%) and significantly correlated with the Ki-67 proliferation index, increased number of intratumoral lymphocytes (itTIL), and PD-L1 expression. No impact of BL morphology, multi-MAGE-A expression, histologic type, or LPBC status on disease-free survival was observed. Our data suggest that tumor morphology could help identify patients with potential benefits from CTA-targeting immunotherapy.
Subject(s)
Antigens, Neoplasm , Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating , Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms , Adult , Female , Humans , Antigens, Neoplasm/metabolism , B7-H1 Antigen/metabolism , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism , Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/immunology , Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/pathology , Prognosis , Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Tumor MicroenvironmentABSTRACT
AIM: Triclosan is an antiseptic substance that has been shown in preclinical studies to reduce bacterial load in the wound and slow bacterial growth by inhibiting fatty acid synthesis. It is claimed that the coating protects against colonization of the tissue around the suture. This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of triclosan-coated polydioxanone versus uncoated polydioxanone sutures for the prevention of surgical site infections (SSIs) following hypospadias repair in children. METHODS: The medical records of 550 children who underwent hypospadias repair between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients included in the study were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of the patients in whom polydioxanone (PDS II) was used (n = 262), while in the patients of the second group (n = 288), triclosan-coated polydioxanone (PDS Plus) was used for hypospadias repair. Secondary outcomes were defined as the occurrence of early and late complications, the number of readmissions within 30 days after surgery (ReAd), unplanned return to the operating room (uROR), and repeat operations. RESULTS: The median age of all children enrolled in the study was 16 (IQR 14, 20) months. The patients in whom PDS Plus was used for hypospadias repair had a significantly lower number of SSIs than the patients in whom PDS II was used (n = 18 (6.9%) vs. n = 4 (1.4%), p < 0.001). Wound infection led to wound dehiscence in 10 of 18 patients from the PDS II group, while all four wound infections from the PDS Plus group led to wound dehiscence (p = 0.07). The number of postoperative urethrocutaneous fistulas was significantly lower in the patients in whom PDS Plus was used (13.7% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.042). The incidence of late complications did not differ between the study groups: meatal stenosis (p = 0.944), residual chordee (p = 0.107), urethral stricture (p = 0.196), scarring (p = 0.351) and urinary discomfort (p = 0.713). There were no cases of uROR in either group. The ReAd rate was low in both groups (n = 5 (1.9%) vs. n = 2 (0.6%), p = 0.266). The frequency of reoperations was lower in the group of patients treated with PDS Plus than in the group of patients treated with PDS II (11.1% vs. 20.6%; p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The use of PDS Plus in hypospadias surgery significantly reduces the incidence of SSI, postoperative fistulas, and reoperation rates compared to PDS II.
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BACKGROUND: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare tumors that arise from neuroendocrine cells and are the most common tumors of the appendix. NETs of the appendix usually cause no symptoms and often go unnoticed until they cause acute appendicitis or are discovered during an accidental appendectomy. As the trend towards the conservative treatment of acute appendicitis increases in the pediatric population, the question arises as to whether the majority of NETs go undetected and are only discovered at an advanced stage. The purpose of the proposed study is to review the incidence and outcomes of treatment for NETs of the appendix in children and include the data presented in the data pool for further review. METHODS: From 1 January 2009 to 1 November 2023, a total of 6285 appendectomies were performed in two large pediatric centers in Croatia. After a retrospective review of the case records and histopathologic findings, a total of 31 children (0.49%) were diagnosed with NET of the appendix and included in the further analysis. The primary outcome of this study was the incidence and treatment outcome of pediatric patients diagnosed with NET of the appendix. Secondary outcomes included the patients' demographic, clinical, and laboratory data and the histopathologic characteristics of tumor species. RESULTS: The overall incidence of NETs of the appendix was stable over the study years, with minor fluctuations. The median age of patients was 14 (interquartile range-IQR: 12, 16) years, with a female predominance (64.5%). The majority of patients (96.8%) presented with acute abdominal pain and underwent appendectomy because acute appendicitis was suspected. Acute appendicitis was confirmed by histopathology in 18 (58%) cases. NETs of the appendix were not detected preoperatively in any of the patients. Among patients with confirmed acute appendicitis, most (n = 14; 77.8%) were found to have non-perforated acute appendicitis. In most children, the tumor was located at the tip of the appendix (n = 18; 58.1%), and the majority of tumors had a diameter of less than 1 cm (n = 21, 67.7%). The mitotic count (n = 25, 80.6%) and Ki-67 proliferation index (n = 23, 74.2%) were low in most patients, so most tumors were classified as NET G1 (n = 25, 80.6%), while NET G2 and NET G3 were found in four (12.9%) and two (6.5%) patients, respectively. All children were treated with appendectomy only. The median follow-up time was 54 (IQR: 24, 95) months. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of appendiceal NET among pediatric patients is very low. NET occurs most frequently in adolescents, with a female predominance. Most tumors are less than 1 cm in diameter, located at the tip, and associated with non-perforated appendicitis. Appendectomy is the treatment of choice, and major surgery was not necessary in our cohort.