Conventional versus Rosemont endoscopic ultrasound criteria for chronic pancreatitis: interobserver agreement in same day back-to-back procedures.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a commonly used and fairly sensitive method of assessing changes of chronic pancreatitis (CP) when routine noninvasive imaging has not shown overt features of CP. The aim of this study is to evaluate the interobserver agreement (IOA) for the classic (MSC) and the Rosemont (RC) criteria for the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis on the basis of clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two experienced endosonographers evaluated on the same day patients referred for EUS in a blinded fashion. Data from the sonographic criteria of both MSC and RC were collected. Agreement was calculated using k statistics. RESULTS: A total of 69 patients were evaluated. The study population included mainly patients without pancreatic diseases, resulting in a low number of sonographic findings. Agreement for the final diagnosis was moderate for both classification systems of chronic pancreatitis (k = 0.53 for conventional and k = 0.46 for Rosemont). CONCLUSIONS: The IOA of EUS in the diagnosis of CP is moderate. The concordance values obtained in clinical practice are similar to those obtained in multicenter studies. The RC does not seem to improve the IOA of MSC.

The management of tracheobronchial obstruction in children.

Tracheobronchial obstruction is very uncommon in children and small infants. Stenosis and malacia, either congenital or acquired, are probably the most frequent diagnosis in this setting. Clinical symptoms are common to both airway anomalies and bronchoscopy plays a crucial role in the diagnostic work-up. Management is complex and surgeons involved in it should be familiar with multiple surgical and endoscopical techniques. Symptomatic short tracheal stenosis are best treated by means of resection and reconstruction, although endoscopic dilation or laser resection can be tried first in selected cases. In long tracheal stenosis, slide tracheoplasty is the surgical procedure of choice. Tracheobronchial malacia is usually self-limiting by the age of 3 years and most cases show mild symptoms that can be treated conservatively. In a small group of patients airway compromise is severe enough to require surgical or endoscopical treatment. Aortopexy or tracheostomy are the classic treatments for congenital tracheomalacia, but increasing experience with endoscopic airway stent placement in children is making this technique more attractive and popular. Acquired tracheomalacia is usually caused by a long-standing tracheostomy and if decannulation is impaired surgical treatment is mandatory.

Surgical management of severe suprastomal cricotracheal collapse complicating pediatric tracheostomy.

OBJECTIVE: Suprastomal tracheal collapse may interfere with decannulation in tracheostomized patients. The purposes of the study are to evaluate the role of tracheotomy technique in the ethiology of suprastomal cricotracheal collapse and to report our results in the treatment of this complication. METHODS: A retrospective review of children showing severe suprastomal collapse during the period 1990-2007, in a tertiary care children's hospital, was performed. Medical records were assessed for the following data: sex, age, original indication for tracheotomy, surgical technique, endoscopic findings, type of surgical correction, complications, result, and follow-up. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were included in the study, nine girls and five boys. Average age at tracheotomy was 17 months (range: 21 days-8 years), and prolonged ventilatory support was the most common indication (57%). Horizontal H-type tracheotomy was the most frequent technique in patients with suprastomal collapse (n=9), whereas only one patient with a vertical tracheotomy showed this complication (p<0.05). In every case bronchoscopy disclosed a suprastomal tracheal obstruction of at least 50% of the lumen. Mean age at surgical decannulation was 38 months (range: 12-147 months). Two surgical techniques have been used in the treatment of suprastomal collapse: anterior cricotracheal suspension (n=13) and reconstruction with autologous cartilage graft (n=1). All the patients were successfully decannulated although in one case two procedures were required. No recurrence has been observed during long-term follow-up (mean: 8.6 years). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopical examination is essential for the diagnosis of suprastomal collapse and to rule out other causes of decannulation failure. In our experience, the tracheotomy technique seems to have an ethiologic role, and anterior cricotracheal suspension is a simple and effective procedure in the treatment of this tracheostomy related complication.

[Surgical decannulation of children with suprastomal collapse: review of our experience]. / Decanulación quirúrgica en el tratamiento del colapso traqueal supraestomal: revisión de nuestra experiencia.

BACKGROUND: Suprastomal tracheal collapse (STC) may interfere with decannulation in tracheostomized patients. AIM: To evaluate the role of tracheotomy technique in the ethiology of STC, and to analyze our results in the treatment of this complication. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have studied the clinical charts of tracheostomized patients in our Unit, between 1990 and 2006, who showed significant STC impairing decannulation. The following data have been taken into account: sex, age, tracheotomy indication, surgical technique, endoscopic findings, type of surgical correction, complications, result, and follow-up. RESULTS: Thirteen patients have showed STC, nine girls and four boys. Average age when tracheotomy was performed was 18 months, and extended ventilatory support was the most common indication (61,5%). Tracheotomy with lateral flaps was the most frequent technique in this group of patients with STC (8 cases), whereas only one patient in whom an anterior vertical tracheal incision was performed showed this complication. In every case bronchoscopy disclosed a suprastomal tracheal obstruction of at least 50% of the lumen. Mean age when surgical decannulation was performed was 36 months (range, 12-147). Two surgical techniques have been used in the treatment of STC: anterior cricoid suspension (12 patients) and reconstruction with autologous cartilage graft (one case). A satisfactory result has been achieved in 92% of cases (one patient showed persistent collapse and the same procedure was repeated). Mean follow-is 8,6 years (range, 2 months-12 years). CONCLUSIONS: STC is a type of acquired tracheomalacia and presents in around 10% of tracheostomized patients. Bronchoscopy is essential for diagnosis and to rule out other causes of failure in decannulation. Tracheotomy technique seems to have an ethiologic role, and our preferred treatment, when sufficient cartilaginous support is present, is anterior cricoid suspension.

[Analysis of treatment failure in pediatric subglottic stenosis]. / Análisis de los fracasos del tratamiento de la estenosis subglótica en la infancia.

BACKGROUND: The good results obtained until nowadays in the surgery of subglottic stenosis is followed by an analysis of the failures. METHODS: We study retrospectively 48 cases treated in the last eight years in two institutions. Study variables were: age, previous diagnosis, grade os the stenosis, surgical treatment, complications and evolution. RESULTS: Mean age was 2.8 +/- 0.43 years (newborn-17 years). In 13 cases (27%) the result obtained was considered a failure. Failure indexes were: treatment selection (7,7%), surgical technique selection (23%), due to the technique itself (23%), iatrogenia (15,4%), associated diseases (30,7%). Mortality of the series was 8.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The learning curve of these techniques is difficult although once the necessary experience is achieved the results are excellent.

Surgery of subglottic stenosis in neonates and children.

The excellent management of patients in the different Intensive Care Units has decreased mortality but, as a side effect, we have to treat an increasing number of patients with airway problems secondary to prolonged intubation. The clinical records of patients diagnosed of acquired or congenital subglottic stenosis (SE) between 1990 and 1995 were retrospectively reviewed. Types of treatment included conservative, endoscopic, and open surgery: anterior cricoid split (ACS), anterior laryngotracheoplasty (ALTP) and anteroposterior laryngotracheoplasty (APLTP). 46 patients had SE: 7 congenital and 39 acquired. According to Cotton's classification 13 had grade I, 16 grade II, 12 grade III and none grade IV. Eleven of twelve cases treated conservatively did well (92%); one out of six patients managed endoscopically required further surgery (7%); good results were obtained in 5 of 7 cases treated by ACS (71 %); 8 out of 9 patients treated by ALTP did well (89%) and 7 out of 8 managed by APLTP had good results (87.5%). One iatrogenic suture dehiscence required further surgery. There is no statistical difference in the complication rate between patients treated conservatively and those treated by open surgery, while the mean hospital stay was higher in the latter (p < 0.05). An appropriate surgical technique should be offered to those patients with SE who do not do well with conservative management, since these techniques have yielded good results with a low rate of complications. Long-term follow-up shows the absence of recurrence.

[Heterotopic brain tissue in the pharynx]. / Tejido cerebral heterotópico en la faringe.

The presence of heterotopic brain tissue in the head and neck region is exceptional. Most reported cases have been observed in the nasal region and are called nasal gliomas. The case of a 10-month-old boy with heterotopic brain tissue on the soft palate and nasopharynx is reported. Surgical treatment was successful and no complications or recurrences have been observed in 7 years of follow-up. The main pathogenic theories and nomenclature are analyzed.

[Granular cell tumor: an infrequent cause of dysphonia in childhood]. / Tumor de células granulares: una causa poco frecuente de disfonía en la infancia.

Granular cell tumors (GCT) are rare and usually benign tumors whose histogenesis is debated. The skin, subcutaneous tissues, and mucosae of the head and neck are areas of predilection for GCT. Laryngeal involvement is uncommon, but may create diagnostic and therapeutic problems when it occurs. Laryngeal GCT are decidedly uncommon in children, only 17 cases having been reported in the literature. A case of GCT of the larynx in an 11-year-old girl is reported. The presenting symptom was hoarseness. The macroscopic tumor and hoarseness disappeared after chemotherapy (EVAIA) for Ewing sarcoma of the knee.

"Eraseroma" as a cause of rhinolith: CT and MRI in a child.

We report a 5-year old girl with progressive difficulty in breathing through the nose whose clinical diagnosis was nasal tumour. CT showed a calcified nodular mass and MRI a nonspecific nodular lesion in the right nasal cavity. The radiological suspicion was a rhinolith. The operative specimen showed that an eraser from a pencil was the primary source. We underline the rarity of this entity and the important role of radiological studies in preoperative recognition.

Pediatric tonsillectomy: post-operative morbidity comparing microsurgical bipolar dissection versus cold sharp dissection.

A prospective single-blinded study was conducted to compare pediatric tonsillectomy using the traditional cold sharp dissection with ligation for securing hemostasis (CSDL) versus microsurgical bipolar dissection technique (MBCT). Sixty children aged between 2 and 14 years were sequentially assigned to each group. Blood loss and postoperative pain in the first hour were markedly decreased in the MBCT group (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.05, respectively). Average surgical time was slightly decreased in diathermy tonsillectomy (15'30") compared with the cold technique (16'30"). Return to normal diet was significantly earlier in the CSDL group (P < 0.05). Late postoperative pain measured on the tenth day showed a moderate increase in children who underwent MBCT. There was no difference between the two techniques in the incidence of postoperative hemorrhage. No major complications occurred. We believe MBCT is a fast and safe technique which may be useful in children with known bleeding disorders. However, it increases late postoperative pain and, therefore, delay in patients' return to normal activities. Consequently, it does not represent a significant advantage over the traditional CSDL procedure.

[Surgical treatment versus tracheostomy of the laryngeal stenosis in children]. / Cirugía versus traqueostomía en las estenosis laríngeas pediátricas.

Incidence of pediatric laryngeal stenosis has increased due to better Intensive Care Units. The medical records of the patients with laryngeal stenosis treated in the hospital between 1990 and 1995 were reviewed, analyzing the type of lesion, ethiologic factors, surgical technique employed and post-op result. The surgical technique was chosen conditioned by the age, weight of the patient, grade of the stenosis according to Cotton's classification and presence or absence of respiratory distress. 48 patients had laryngeal stenosis. 2 of them had acute glottic edema (4%) and 45 subglottic stenosis (96%), most of them after long term endotracheal intubation, 34 cases (75.5%). 19 of these occurred in the neonatal period. 7 cases (15.5%) were congenital stenosis (2 subglottic membranes, 1 subglottic cyst and 4 true congenital subglottic stenosis). 5 cases were a miscelanea. We found 13 grade I cases (29%), grade II 16 cases (35%) and grade III 12 (27%). No grade IV were seen. 8 patients (18%) had gastro-esophageal reflux, 5 of them required Nissen's funduplication before airway surgery. 12 patients followed medical treatment (27%), all of them grades I and II, with good results. Endoscopic treatment was done in 6 patients (13%), with good results in all but one that required a surgical approach. The anterior cricothiroid split was done in 7 patients (15%), all of them under 5 months of age. Good results were obtained in 71.4 percent of the patients. 9 cases (20%) underwent an anterior largingotracheoplasty with costal cartilage graft with good results in 88.9 percent of the patients. Anterior and posterior cartilage graft after double laringotracheoplasty was done to 8 patients (18%). One of them developed a subglottic sinequiae which was solved endoscopically, and another patient evolved to restenosis. 20 patients had a tracheostomy. All but four were decanulated in 11.7 +/- 12.3 (4-54) weeks. Mortality rate associated with the surgical technique has been zero, with excellent results in 82.5 percent of the series. The new surgical techniques developed in recent years for laringotracheal stenosis in childhood have made unnecessary the use of permanent tracheostomies in these children which have obvious inconvenient and potentially lethal complications.

[Postoperative pain in tonsillectomy in general anesthesia and local infiltration]. / Dolor postoperatorio en amigdalectomía bajo anestesia general e infiltración local.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study is to demonstrate that blockade by bupivacaine of nociceptors located at the same level than the anterior tonsillar pillar, can reduce the pain in the postoperative period following tonsillectomy, thus, making easier the recovery of these patients at home. For this purpose, fifty children aged 2 to 13 years old, are studied. A double blind study is performed distributing the children randomly in two groups. One group is infiltrated prior to surgery with 1 cm3 of bupivacaine 0.25% + epinephrine 1:200,000 in three points of the anterior tonsillar pilla, while the other group is infiltrated with normal saline. The pain in the immediate postoperative period (60 minutes) is classified in five categories by a visual pain scale (scored 1-10). Short term postoperative (7 days) is also classified in five categories by a scale (scored 1-10) based in the information provided by the mother. Statistical analyses of the data is performed considering the statistical significance of the correlations obtained from the Chi2 and Student's tests. CONCLUSION: pre-incisional infiltration in the anterior tonsillar pillar with bupivacaine in the tonsillectomy will cause a remarkable reduction in the intensity of the postoperative pain.

[Surgery of the structural lesions of the respiratory tract]. / Cirugía de las lesiones estructurales de la vía aérea.

22 clinical files of patients treated in our institution since 1983 for structural lesion of the airway are reviewed. 3 cases presented congenital tracheal stenosis, 15 congenital or acquired subglottic stenosis, 1 severe tracheomalacia, 1 subglottic membrane, 1 congenital subglottic cyst and 1 subglottic granuloma. A conservative or surgical approach (endoscopic, anterior cricoid split, Fearon's laryngotracheoplasty, modified Rethi's procedure, Kimura's tracheoplasty and aortopex) was used. Good results were obtained in 55.5 percent of the conservative cases, 100 percent of the endoscopic procedures, 50 percent of the splits and 75 percent of the laryngotracheoplasties. The Kimura and aortopexy procedures gave also good results. 4 patients are waiting for surgery: 1 anterior laryngotracheoplasty for iatrogenic failure, 2 conservative cases for persistence of the symptoms and 1 congenitaltracheal stenosis. A case of difuse congenital tracheal stenosis died before surgery. There are no significant differences in the complication rates of the surgical and conservative groups, but mean hospital stay was shorter in the former (p < 0.05).