A rare complication of an ingested foreign body: gallbladder perforation.

We present a 13-year-old child who admitted with a dull right upper quadrant pain that started 3 weeks before her referral. Several medications were given but they did not change the intensity and the frequency of the pain. Her physical examination was nonspecific except for slight right upper quadrant tenderness. The imaging studies revealed a sewing pin perforating the stomach and gallbladder. The patient was treated with a successful operation, and no postoperative complications were observed. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a sharp foreign body gallbladder perforation in a child.

Amyand's hernias in childhood (a report on 21 patients): a single-centre experience.

PURPOSE: Amyand's hernia is a very rare type of hernia and is characterised by the presence of a vermiform appendix in the inguinal hernia sac. It may present as a tender inguinal or inguinoscrotal swelling, and is usually misdiagnosed as an irreducible or strangulated inguinal hernia. This is a presentation of our experiences with these unusual hernias. METHODS: This study conducted a retrospective analysis of 21 patients with Amyand's hernias operated on at our institution between April 2007 and February 2011. The age and sex distributions of the patients, the types of hernias, and preoperative diagnostic tests were evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty patients were male (95.3 %) and one was female (4.7 %). The median age was 20.3 months (ranging from 2 months to 10 years). In nine patients, the conditions were diagnosed using ultrasonographic (USG) imaging preoperatively. Nine of the 21 patients underwent emergency operations. The 12 remaining patients were operated on after preparations were completed. The operative findings included 12 normal appendixes, five inflamed appendixes, one perforated appendix, and three hernias whose inner hernia sac surface was adhered to the appendix. Nine patients underwent inguinal hernia repair with appendectomy, and 12 patients had hernia repair without an appendectomy. Recurring hernias and appendicitis were not detected in any patients within the follow-up time. CONCLUSIONS: Although a routine appendectomy is not required for a normal-looking appendix, in a case where the inflammatory status of the appendix adheres to the surface of the hernia sac, an appendectomy is required. We believe that USG examination in the diagnosis of Amyand's hernias can provide additional contribution.

Erythropoietin restores bowel damage and hypoperistalsis in gastroschisis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Despite the decreased mortality in gastroschisis (Gx), patients experience postoperative intestinal hypoperistalsis, malabsorption, and shortened bowel length. The trophic effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rEpo) in the developing small bowel have been reported, increasing the length and height of the villi, and villous surface area. This study investigated the effects of rEpo on intestinal malfunction in the chick embryos with Gx. METHODS: Thirteen-day-old fertilized chicken eggs were used to create Gx model. Study groups included the following: group 1, control; group 2, Gx-only; group 3, Gx + 0.075% saline exchange; group 4, Gx + 10 IU rEpo exchange; group 5, Gx + 20 IU rEpo exchange. The bowels were evaluated by in vitro muscle strip technique, and the response was expressed as a percentage of the maximum carbachol-evoked contraction (Emax). In addition, parasympathetic ganglion cells per 10 plexuses and villi height were determined by light microscopy. Results were evaluated statistically by Mann-Whitney U, chi2, and Fisher's Exact test tests. RESULTS: Saline exchange had no effect on ganglion cell number (P = .63) and villi height (P = .10). In group 4, ganglion cell number was not increased (P = .82), but villi height increase was significant (P = .03). In Gx + 20 IU rEpo group, both the number of ganglia (P = .0001) and villi height (P = .002) were significantly increased. The decrease in contractility in group 2 (P = .0121) was significantly reversed by rEpo 20 IU treatment (P = .0216), no significant difference was obtained in groups 3 (P = .0809) and 4 (P = .1516) compared with group 2. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that rEpo has prokinetic effects on hypoperistalsis and restores bowel damage in Gx.

Pyloric atresia associated with multiple intestinal atresias and pylorocholedochal fistula.

Although congenital pyloric atresia commonly occurs in isolation, it has rarely been reported in association with other alimentary tract atresias. This is a report of a newborn with congenital pyloric atresia associated with duodenal atresia, jejunal atresia, apple-peel ileal atresia, and pylorocholedochal fistula. Preoperative diagnosis was duodenal atresia because of bilious vomiting, and erect radiogram showed double bubble sign. The presented case is the first report of such an association.