Fifteen Years' Experience of Thoracoscopic Sympathetic Chain Interruption for Palmar Hyperhidrosis in Children and Adolescents: Evaluation of Different Techniques.

Background: Thoracoscopic sympathetic chain interruption is a definitive and effective therapy for severe primary palmar hyperhidrosis (PPH). Well-known methods include sympathectomy, sympathotomy, and clipping, but the occurrence of compensatory sweating offsets these methods. This study aims to report our experience with thoracoscopic sympathetic chain interruption in a large group of patients of age <18 years with PPH, focusing on surgical outcomes, complication rates, and patient satisfaction. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent thoracoscopic sympathectomy, sympathotomy, or clipping for severe PPH between April 2008 and March 2023 at the Pediatric Surgery Department, Al-Azhar University Hospitals. Demographic and clinical data, operative steps, postoperative outcomes, complications, and patient satisfaction were reviewed from the patients' medical records. Results: During the 15-year study period, 420 children with PPH underwent bilateral thoracoscopic sympathetic chain interruption by either sympathectomy, sympathotomy, or clipping, with a sex ratio of 60% being females. The mean ages were 12 ± 3.48, 13 ± 2.45, and 13 ± 2.45 years, respectively. Sympathectomy was performed in 190 patients (45.2%), sympathotomy in 170 patients (40.5%), and clipping in 60 patients (14.3%). All patients had completed follow-up, with mean periods of ∼43 ± 5 months, 45 ± 3 months, and 42 ± 6 months, respectively. Complete palmar dryness was achieved in 405 patients (overall 96.4%) (97.8% after sympathectomy, 97.05% after sympathotomy, and 90% after clipping), whereas 2.1%, 2.9%, and 10% of patients experienced symptom recurrence, respectively, denoting significant statistical differences. Overall, 94 patients (22.4%) experienced compensatory sweating. Eventually, 409 patients (97.4%) were satisfied with the outcome, whereas 11 patients (2.6%) reported dissatisfaction, yet no significant differences found. Conclusion: The presented three modalities of thoracoscopic sympathetic chain interruption for PPH in children and adolescents are safe and effective, with overall very high postoperative satisfaction, despite a relatively high rate of compensatory sweating in sympathectomy group. Other major complications in this age population were scanty.

Evaluation of Tubularized Incised Plate Urethroplasty with Spongioplasty-Dartosoraphy Reinforcement in Pediatric Hypospadias: A Randomized Controlled Study.

INTRODUCTION: The original description of tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (TIPU) was provided by Snodgrass in 1994. The results were significantly improved by several modifications. To decrease the incidence of complications, interposing a vascularized flap after tubularization of the neourethra is recommended. The extent to which the type of interposed tissue has a direct effect on the rate of complications and cosmetic outcomes after TIPU repair is considered the answer to the main hypothesis of this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective controlled randomized trial was conducted in the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, between May 2019 and May 2023. A total of 220 patients were included in this study. Patients were randomly assigned to either group A or group B. Group A included 110 patients who underwent TIPU with spongioplasty-dartosoraphy reinforcement. The other 110 patients (group B) underwent TIPU with dorsal dartos flap interposition, without spongioplasty. RESULTS: Complications developed in 34 of 220 patients (15.4%). In group A, complications developed in 11 of 110 patients (10.0%). In group B, complications occurred in 23 of 110 patients (20.9%). Although the fistula rate, glanular dehiscence, disruption, and meatal stenosis were not significantly different between the study groups, the skin necrosis rate was significantly lower in group A than in group B. The overall complication rate was significantly lower in group A than in group B. Also, the difference in the mean Hypospadias Objective Scoring Evaluation between the two groups was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: TIPU with spongioplasty-dartosoraphy reinforcement is an effective modification of conventional TIPU. This modification appears to reduce the rate of complications and yield better cosmetic outcomes.

Laparoscopic assisted dismembered pyeloplasty versus open pyeloplasty in UPJO with poorly function kidney in pediatrics.

BACKGROUND: The management of UPJO with poor function kidney, less than 10%, has been the subject of debate for more than a decade. Some authors have recommended nephrectomy, while others favor renal salvage (pyeloplasty). We report our experience with laparoscopic assisted pyeloplasty in pediatric patients with poorly functioning kidneys in comparison with an open approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to review 65 patients who were diagnosed with hydronephrosis and had impaired renal function due to UPJO. The study was conducted in the pediatric surgery departments of Al-Azhar University Hospital and Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital of Monastir over a period of 20 years. Limited to pediatric patients with UPJO with ≥ Grade III hydronephrosis, antero-posterior pelvic diameter ≥ 20 mm, as well as a renal function equal to or less than 10%, was corrected by laparoscopic assisted or open pyeloplasty. RESULTS: There were 40 cases in group A who underwent laparoscopic assisted pyeloplasty, and 25 cases in group B who underwent open pyeloplasty. There were no complications or difficulties during the operation. The mean operative time in group A was 90 ± 12 min, while in group B, it was 120 ± 11 min. The renal assessment parameters significantly improved in both groups. In group A, the mean split renal function was 7.9 ± 1.3% and increased to 22.2 ± 6.3%. In group B, the mean split renal function was 8.1 ± 1.1% and increased to 24.2 ± 5.1%. However, the differences between both groups in terms of pre-operative and post-operative renal functions were statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic assisted pyeloplasty is an effective treatment for patients with poorly functioning kidneys, especially those with less than 10% function. While this surgical procedure requires shorter operative times, it yields functional outcomes that are comparable to open approach.

Azygos vein preservation revisited: impact on early outcomes after repair of esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula in newborns.

Since the first successful repair of esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula (EA-TEF) was performed approximately 8 decades ago, surgeons have made considerable technical advances in solving intraoperative surgical challenges and reducing postoperative complications. According to some surgeons, preserving the Azygos vein makes this modification attractive. This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of preserving the Azygos vein during surgery for esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula and to highlight its advantages in reducing anastomotic leak, stricture, and other postoperative outcomes. This prospective comparative series was conducted between April 2020 and April 2023. The study included all newborns with EA-TEF eligible for primary repair. Patients were randomized to either Group A or B. Group A underwent Azygos vein preservation, whereas the remaining patients (Group B) underwent Azygos vein disconnection. Sixty-four patients were included in this study. Thirty-two patients (Group A) underwent Azygos vein preservation during EA-TEF repair, and the remaining thirty-two patients (Group B) underwent Azygos vein ligation and disconnection. Both groups were comparable in terms of demographics, clinical data, and operative findings (P > 0.05). Pneumonitis occurred in 4 patients in Group A and 16 patients in Group B. Anastomotic leaks occurred in two (6.2%) patients in Group A and six (18.7%) patients in Group B. There were two deaths in Group A and six deaths in Group B, with a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.0485). Preserving the Azygos vein during esophageal atresia repair reduces the occurrence of postoperative pneumonia, leakage, and stenosis, and decreases postoperative mortality. Therefore, we declare that this modification is a significant and valuable addition to the current surgical procedures.

Needlescopic sutureless repair of congenital inguinal hernia: A randomized controlled study.

Congenital inguinal hernia [CIH] can be treated laparoscopically using various methods documented in the literature. Many authors have recommended dividing the sac and stitching peritoneal defects. Other studies claimed that peritoneal disconnection alone is sufficient. In this study, the feasibility, operative time, recurrence rate, and other postoperative complications of needlescopic disconnection of the CIH sac with or without peritoneal defect suturing were compared. A prospective controlled randomized trial was conducted between January 2020 and December 2022. Two hundred and thirty patients who met the study requirements were included. Patients were assigned at random to either Group A or Group B. A group of 116 patients (Group A) had needlescopic separation of the neck of the sac and peritoneal defect closure. The remaining 114 patients (Group B) underwent needlescopic separation without peritoneal defect closure (Sutureless group). A total of 260 hernial defects in 230 patients were repaired using needlescopic disconnection with or without suturing of the defect. There were 89 females (38.7%) and 141 males (61.3%), with a mean age of 5.14 ± 2.79 years. In Group A, the mean operation time was 27.98 ± 2.89 for a unilateral hernia and 37.29 ± 4.68 for a bilateral one, whereas, in Group B, the mean operation time was 20.37 ± 2.37 and 23.38 ± 2.22 for a unilateral and bilateral hernia, respectively. In terms of the operating time, whether unilateral or bilateral, there was a significant difference between the groups. There was no significant difference between groups A and B in the mean Internal Ring Diameter [IRD], which was 1.21 ± 0.18 cm in group A and 1.19 ± 0.11 cm in group B. Throughout the follow-up period, there was no postoperative hydrocele formation, recurrence, iatrogenic ascending of the testes, or testicular atrophy. All patients had nearly invisible scars with no keloid development at 3 months follow-up. Needlescopically separating the hernia sac without stitching the peritoneal defect is feasible, safe, and less invasive. It provides outstanding cosmetic results with a short operative time and no recurrence.

Evaluation of double faced transverse preputial (onlay) island flap for hypospadias repair in pediatrics: a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: The preputial onlay island flap technique has been popularized for hypospadias repair as a result of offering a consistent combination of acceptable functional and cosmetic results. Like other techniques, urethrocutaneous fistulae and stricture continues to be the most common complications, in addition to other complications, which could be attributed to the compromise in flaps vascularity. Some authors describe a technique that resolves some of these problems by combining the unique benefits of the double faced preputial flaps. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY: - to evaluate double faced preputial onlay island flap technique for complications rate, outcomes of surgical procedure, and cosmetic results in comparison to transverse inner preputial flap technique. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective randomized controlled study that included 68 patients with anterior, mid-penile, and posterior penile hypospadias, with shallow and narrow urethral plate of size less than 6 mm, who underwent single-stage repair using preputial flaps, conducted at the department of pediatric surgery (Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt), between May 2019 and October 2021, to evaluate double faced transverse preputial onlay island flap technique. Thirty-four patients underwent double faced transverse preputial onlay island flap (group A) and another 34 patients underwent inner transverse preputial onlay island flap (control group) (group B). The follow-up period ranged from 12 to 26 months. RESULTS: The overall complication rate was 20.5% (14 of 68 children). Complications developed in 5 cases (14.7%) in group A who underwent double face onlay island flap (2 glannular dehiscence, 1 penile rotation, 1 fistula, and 1 diverticulum), as opposed to 9 patients in group B (26.4%) who underwent transverse inner preputial flap (3 developed glannular dehiscence, 2 skin flap necrosis, 3 fistulae, and 1 diverticulum). After management of the complications, all patients had good surgical outcomes with satisfactory cosmetic results. CONCLUSION: Double faced transverse preputial onlay island flap is an alternative option to reconstruct narrow urethral plate hypospadias. So that double faced transverse preputial onlay island flap technique appears to achieve satisfactory surgical outcomes with lower complication rate.

Telemedicine (virtual clinic) effectively delivers the required healthcare service for pediatric ambulatory surgical patients during the current era of COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Children often suffer from congenital or acquired diseases. Ambulatory cases represent the vast majority of pediatric surgical cases. COVID-19 pandemic-associated regulatory precautions had made the process of seeking medical advice at a suitable appointment such a big problem. We utilized telemedicine (online encounter) to deliver the required healthcare service for sorting and guiding pediatric ambulatory surgical patients. In this article, we aimed to: (1) present our experience, (2) evaluate the effectiveness, and (3) document the results of this technology to solve the problem of difficult healthcare accessibility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we compared the utilization of telemedicine (virtual clinic via video consultation) prospectively in the current era of the COVID-19 pandemic in the period from June 2020 to July 2021 to the in-person clinic encounter at the outpatient department (OPD) retrospectively in the previous year (from June 2019 until the end of May 2020) for perioperative management of pediatric ambulatory surgical patients. The study was conducted at 3 tertiary care pediatric surgery centers. The information recorded for analysis included: demographic data, surgical condition distribution, time interval from the appointment request till the actual encounter with the surgeon, conversation duration, distance traveled, and ultimate fate of the consultations. For both groups, service was evaluated after the first follow-up visit by a patient survey questionnaire (Patient Experience Assessment form) including questions relevant to each encounter. RESULTS: A total of 1124 pediatric patients with various ambulatory surgical conditions had been scheduled for virtual clinic video encounters. Of them, 1056 cases were evaluated by video consultation, supervised by their parents or caregivers, thus, achieving an attendance rate of 94%. Of the remaining cases, 2% (n = 23) were canceled and 4% (n = 45) did not attend the virtual clinic. Two-thirds of the cases live in rural /remote areas. Patients' overall satisfaction was 92%. This was in comparison to 872 pediatric ambulatory surgical patients scheduled for in-person clinic visits before the implementation of the virtual clinic. Of them, only 340 cases had attended the clinic, thus, achieving an attendance rate of 39%. Of the remaining cases, 450 cases (51.6%) were canceled and 82 cases (9.4%) did not attend the clinic (no show). About 48% of the cases live in rural areas. For this group, patients' overall satisfaction was 63%. The mean encounter duration was similar for both groups (∼ 5 min). Surgical condition distribution was also similar (p-value: 0.694). For new cases, the time interval from appointment request till the actual encounter was very short for the virtual clinic group (range: 6-15 days) as compared to the in-person clinic group (range: 30-180 days). Patients were followed up for a median period of 14 ± 3.25 months (range: 6-22 months) with no patient loss to follow-up. CONCLUSION: Telemedicine can effectively bridge the patient-physician communication gap caused by the regulatory precautions mandated by the current COVID-19 pandemic. It achieved an attendance rate of 94% and parents' / patients' overall satisfaction of 92%.

Safety and Efficacy of Laparoscopic Management of Intracanalicular Testes in Pediatrics.

Introduction: Undescended testis is a relatively common congenital anomaly in male children with a prevalence of 1%-2% in live births. Upon discovering an empty scrotum, it is important to determine whether the testis is palpable, ectopic, retractile, or nonpalpable. A canalicular or "emergent" testis is a peeping one that freely slides to and fro between the abdominal cavity and inguinal canal. It may be impalpable initially, but at a time, it emerges from the internal ring to be palpable when it is "milked" down (where it was concealed from detection). It is reported that 15%-40% of cryptorchidism are viable peeping/canalicular testis. The laparoscopic approach for treating intracanalicular undescended testes offers many advantages over open inguinal orchiopexy. It maintains the integrity of the inguinal canal and eliminates the need to divide the epigastric vessels during dissection. The ability to dissect the testicular vessels at a higher level would increase the vessel length available to bring the testis down to the scrotum without strain. The aim of this study is to present our experience and evaluate laparoscopic approach for management of intracanalicular testes regarding operative safety, efficacy, and postoperative outcomes. Patients and Methods: This is a prospective study conducted at Department of Pediatric Surgery, MCH Hospital, Bisha, Saudi Arabia and Pediatric Surgery Department, Al-Azhar University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt, in the period from October 2018 to August 2020 to evaluate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic orchiopexy for intracanalicular testis. Patients with retractile testes, ectopic testes, testes located distal to the external inguinal ring, and nonpalpable testes were excluded from the study. Results: The study was conducted on 62 male children with 70 intracanalicular (peeping) testes, with age range from 8 months to 48 months (mean age: 24 months). Among them, 26 cases (∼42%) were left-sided, 28 (∼45%) were right-sided, and 8 (∼13%) cases were affected bilaterally. Postoperatively, all testes maintained good size without postoperative hydrocele or inguinal hernia. One case (1.4%) required open redo-orchiopexy because of testicular re-ascent to the level of scrotal neck. Moreover, there was no evidence of testicular atrophy confirmed by postoperative ultrasonography. All patients had good satisfied cosmetic results obtained by parent's questionnaire at postoperative follow-up visits. Conclusion: Laparoscopic orchiopexy for management of (intracanalicular) undescended testes is safe, effective, less invasive, without disturbance of inguinal canal anatomy, and with better cosmetic results.

Role of Minimally Invasive Surgery in Management of Penetrating Abdominal Trauma in Children.

INTRODUCTION: Traditionally, exploratory laparotomy was used to treat penetrating abdominal trauma (PAT). At present, minimally invasive surgery (for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes) has developed and represents a rapidly evolving modality for dealing with PAT in stable children. In this article, we aim to present our experience, evaluate the effectiveness, and report the results of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for PAT in stable pediatric patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study involved 117 hemodynamically stable pediatric cases of PAT (caused by gunshots, stab, and accidental stab), admitted, and managed according to the severity of injury. The information recorded for analysis included demographic data, the anatomical location of injury, the initial vital data and scoring systems, the organs affected, the procedures done, operative time, need for conversion to laparoscopic-assisted approach, length of hospital stay, complications, missed injury, and mortality rate. RESULTS: Among 117 pediatric patients with PAT, 15 cases were treated conservatively and 102 cases were managed by MIS. They were 70 males and 47 females with a mean age of 7.3 ± 0.6 years (range = 1-14 years). They included 48 cases of gunshot injury, 33 cases of abdominal stab, and 36 cases of accidental stab. Laparoscopy was diagnostic (DL) in 33.3% (n = 34) and therapeutic (TL) in 66.7% (n = 68) of cases. Of the 68 TL cases, we completely managed 59 cases (86.8%) by laparoscopy, while 9 cases (13.2%) were converted to limited laparotomy. The mean operative time was 17 ± 1 minutes (range = 12-25 minutes) for DL, 85 ± 9 minutes (range = 41-143 minutes) for complete TL cases, and 89 ± 3 minutes (range = 47-149 minutes) for laparoscopic-assisted procedures. For DL cases, the mean length of hospital stay was 2 ± 0.4 days, while for complete TL cases, it was 5.4 ± 0.83 days, and for laparoscopic-assisted cases, it was 5.8 ± 0.37 days. Postoperative complications occurred in eight cases (7.84%), with five cases (4.9%) required reintervention. No missed injury or mortality was recorded in the study. The patients were followed up for a median period of 52 months. CONCLUSION: For management of PAT in children, MIS has 100% accuracy in defining the injured organs with zero percent missed injuries.

Different Techniques for Management of Problematic Urethral Catheterization in Male Children.

Background: Urethral catheterization is very common, considered a minor procedure done by physicians and well-trained nurses. However, in some traumatic or congenital cases, male catheterization is problematic. A multitude of techniques are available and still can utilize the natural urethral opening to manage this distressing situation. Among these techniques, cystoscopic-assisted retrograde catheterization and railroad techniques are reliable options. This article aimed to document application and to evaluate outcomes of both techniques for problematic male urethral catheterization. Patients and Methods: In our hospitals from February 2015 to March 2020, 167 boys with problematic urethral catheterization underwent cystoscopic-assisted catheterization technique over a guidewire and 6 cases underwent railroad technique due to failed cystoscopic-assisted technique. Both techniques were done under general anesthesia with the patient in supine position and their details will be presented later on. Results: Patients' mean age was 7.2 ± 2.9 years (range = 2-14). One hundred sixty-seven cases (96.5%) underwent cystoscopic-assisted catheterization, while only 6 cases (3.5%) were managed by railroad technique. For cystoscopic-assisted technique, mean operative time was 4 ± 1.5 minutes (range = 6-18). Mean follow-up period was 54 ± 1 months (range 6-60) with only 1 case developed urethral stricture. For the railroad technique, operative time was 7.5 ± 2.6 minutes (range = 10-34), mean follow-up was 45 ± 3 months with 3 cases developed vesicocutaneous fistula, and 4 cases developed residual urethral stricture. Conclusion: Cystoscopic-assisted retrograde catheterization is a minimally invasive, safe, and reliable technique to catheterize the exceptionally difficult male urethra.

Single-Incision Percutaneous Closure of Pediatric Inguinal Hernia: A New Modification for Intracorporeal Suture Knotting.

BACKGROUND: Single-incision percutaneous closure (SIPC) of pediatric inguinal hernia under laparoscopic guidance is a well-developed feasible technique; however, suture knotting remains a major challenge during this technique. Most laparoscopic surgeons prefer extracorporeal subcutaneous suture knotting, which may be associated with consequent formation of stitch sinus and increased recurrence rate. On the other hand, intracorporeal suture knotting necessitates the availability of special devices or homemade instruments with a long learning curve. Therefore, the present study innovates new and simple modification allowing intracorporeal suture knotting during SIPC of pediatric inguinal hernia that does not require any special operating devices or homemade instruments. Patients and Methods. Four-hundred children suffering from inguinal hernia of congenital type, submitted to SIPC using Epidural needle (EN), under laparoscopic guidance with intracorporeal suture knotting. RESULTS: Children ages were 6 months to 10 years (the range). There were 300 boys and 100 girls, and two-hundred children suffered from left side hernia, 150 with right-side hernia, and 50 children with both left- and right-side hernia. 10 ± 2.2 minutes was the recorded operation time in one side hernia repair, while 14 ± 4.3 minutes was recorded for both side repair. Postoperative results reported recurrent hernia in one child and postoperative hydrocele in 3 children which resolved spontaneously after 3 weeks of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Intracorporeal suture knotting during SIPC of pediatric inguinal hernia allows for the transformation of a formally extraperitoneal procedure to an intraperitoneal procedure. This new modification for intracorporeal suture knotting does not require any special operating devices or homemade instruments. It seems to be an attractive way during SIPC of pediatric inguinal hernia when intracorporeal suture knotting is considered.

Five years' experience of double faced tubularized preputial flap for penoscrotal hypospadias repair in pediatrics.

BACKGROUND: The success of techniques for proximal hypospadias repair using vascularized preputial flaps has led to their wide application for the last decade. From these techniques, transverse tubularized preputial flaps are particularly attractive. However, high reported rate of complications, including recurrence and urethro-cutaneous fistulae are still challenging the success of these techniques, probably related to vascular insufficiency for the lengthy neourethra. Therefore, many surgeons trying to improve the outcome by utilizing the unique vascular benefits of double faced preputial flap. AIM OF THE WORK: the present study tries" to evaluate double faced tubularized preputial flap technique for incidence of complications, in comparison with the standard ventral tubularized preputial flap, and to evaluate also surgical outcomes regarding the clinical urinary function and cosmetic results. PATIENT AND METHODS: This was a prospective controlled randomized study, included 160 patients with peno-scrotal hypospadias, conducted at Al-Azhar University hospitals, from January 2014 to January 2019. All patients submitted to one-stage repair. Eighty patients underwent double faced tubularized preputial flap technique (group A) and 80 patients underwent standard ventral preputial tubularized flap technique (group B). RESULTS: Different complications were reported in 12 patients (15%) in group A, compared to 20 patients (25%) in group B. The difference between the complication rates in both groups was statistically significant. 152 of 160 children (95%) had good clinical urinary functional outcomes (short micturition time, good urinary stream without straining or post voiding dribbling) and satisfactory cosmetic results obtained by parents' questioner at follow up visits. DISCUSSION: This article presents an evaluation of double faced tubularized preputial flap technique in comparison to standard ventral preputial tubularized flap technique (Duckett) in one-stage peno-scrotal hypospadias repair, regarding surgical outcomes, rate of complications, clinical urinary function and satisfactory cosmetic results. Double faced tubularized flap repair is a good option to reconstruct penoscrotal hypospadias after correction of chordee which have fewer complications and also shows that transferring the tube with its skin appears to achieve better ventral skin covering. CONCLUSION: Double faced tubularized preputial flap technique seems to be a superior option, that provide better vascular supply with better results when compared to standard ventral preputial tubularized flap in one-stage peno-scrotal hypospadias repair, with reported fewer complications, better urinary function and good cosmetic results.