Assessment of Antenatal and Postnatal Prognostic Indicators in the Outcome of Neonatal Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: A Prospective Observational Study.

Context: Despite advances in neonatal intensive care, surgical methods, and anesthesia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is still associated with significant mortality. Predicting which babies will have poorer outcomes is essential to identify the high-risk babies and to give targeted care and accurate prognosis to the parents, especially in a resource crunch set-up. Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the antenatal and postnatal prognostic factors in neonatal CDH that can be used to predict the outcome. Settings and Design: This was a prospective observational study in a tertiary care center. Subjects and Methods: Neonates presented with CDH within 28 days of life were included in the study. Bilateral disease, recurrent diseases, and babies operated outside were excluded from the study. The data were collected prospectively, and babies were followed until discharge or death. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were expressed in mean with standard deviation or median with range based on normality. All the data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 25. Results: Thirty babies with neonatal CDH were studied. There were three right-sided cases. The male-to-female ratio was 2.3:1, and 93% of babies were antenatally diagnosed. Seventeen out of the 30 babies underwent surgery. Nine (52.9%) underwent laparotomy, and 8 (47%) underwent thoracoscopic repair. Overall mortality was 53.3%, and operative mortality was 17.6%. Demographic characteristics were comparable between expired versus survived babies. The significant predictors of outcome identified were - Persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), mesh repair, high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV), use of inotropes, 5-min APGAR, ventilator index (VI), and HCO3 levels. Conclusions: We conclude that the prognostic indicators associated with poor prognosis are low 5-min APGAR, high VI, low HCO3 levels in venous blood gas analysis, mesh repair, HFOV, inotropes usage, and PPHN. None of the antenatal factors studied showed any statistical significance. Further prospective studies with a larger sample size are recommended to confirm the findings.

Primary Pediatric Yolk Sac Tumor of Liver With Lung Metastasis: An Unusual Presentation With Diagnosis Aided by LIN28 Immunohistochemistry.

Yolk sac tumor is a malignant germ cell tumor, which typically occurs in the gonads with elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Among extragonadal sites, the liver is an uncommon location for primary pediatric yolk sac tumors. Other common hepatic tumors in this age group presenting with elevated serum AFP like hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma must be differentiated from yolk sac tumors for initiating appropriate treatment and accurate prognostication. Lung metastasis with refractoriness to chemotherapy is an extraordinary presentation that has never been documented in the literature. We report our experience with a 2-year-old female child initially misdiagnosed as hepatoblastoma. It was found that LIN28 positivity by immunohistochemistry aided in confirmation of the histopathological diagnosis of primary yolk sac tumor of the liver.

Can Wilms' tumor recur in the ureteric stump?

Wilms' tumor recurrences are notably encountered in the tumor bed, less commonly in the lungs. Metastatic involvement ureter markedly uncommon, though extension of the tumor at the presentation of primary tumor is known. We are documenting the metastasis to the ureteric stump which occurred in our patient nearly 2 years after completion of treatment for Wilms' tumor.

Clinico-Biochemical Profile of Children with Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are a group of disorders responsible for the majority of pediatric end-stage renal disease cases. There are only a few studies on CAKUT. OBJECTIVES: A study was conducted to determine the clinical and biochemical profile of children with CAKUT and to estimate the prevalence and the factors associated with hypertension in CAKUT. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary center for 18 months from March 2014 to August 2015. Demographic data were recorded, and clinical examination including blood pressure measurement was performed. Various biochemical parameters including plasma renin activity (PRA), urinary beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), and microalbuminuria were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 81 patients with CAKUT were studied. Twenty-two (27%) patients were underweight, 4 (5%) patients were stunted, and 26 (32%) were both underweight and stunted. Children with bilateral disease had a higher incidence of underweight (21/44 vs. 8/37; p = 0.04; 95% CI; Fisher exact test), and both underweight and stunted (25/44 vs. 10/37; p = 0.006; 95% CI; Fisher exact test) compared to children with unilateral disease. Hypertension was found in 27% cases. No association was found between hypertension and PRA, BM2, or microalbuminuria in our study. PRA was inversely proportional to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (Pearson test; 95% CI; p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral disease in CAKUT was significantly associated with poor somatic growth. PRA was inversely proportional to eGFR. The prevalence of hypertension was higher in children with CAKUT than in normal children and is possibly multifactorial as it was not associated with elevated PRA, B2M, or microalbuminuria.