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OBJECTIVE: The relationship between parasites and pediatric appendicitis is a highly debatable issue. This study aims to investigate the role of parasitic infestation in the etiology of acute pediatric appendicitis. METHODS: A retrospective study including 1600 pediatric and adolescent patients who had undergone surgical therapy for a diagnosis of acute appendicitis over a period of ten years from Jan 2001 to Dec 2010. Demographic data were retrieved including the patient's age, sex, clinical data, clinical presentations, laboratory investigations, operative data and pathological findings to identify the presence and type of parasites. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of parasites in the appendix lumen. In group I (n: 88), parasitic infestation was observed, whereas in group II (n: 1502), no parasitic infestation was present. RESULTS: Parasites were present in 5.5% (88 patients), and of those 88 parasitic infestations, 45 (51.1%) were Enterobaisis, 8 (9.1%) were Schistosomiasis, 23 (26.1%) were Ascariasis, 7 (8%) Trichuriasis, and 5 (5.7%) were Teania Saginata. The percentage of patients with suppurative, gangrenous or perforated appendicitis was similar in both groups with no statistical significance, irrespective of the presence or absence of parasitic infestation. CONCLUSION: The low prevalence of parasites among the appendectomy specimens did not support the notion that parasites were a major cause of appendicitis in pediatric patients.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Many new tools for management of impalpable testes have emerged during the last few years, yet, not many studies have compared them to the traditional ways of managing this problem. This work aims to reiterate the importance of the physical examination under general anesthesia prior to the surgical procedure in order to decide the best surgical approach for patients with impalpable undescended testis, especially in developing countries where expensive investigations are at premium. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included boys who were treated consecutively and recorded prospectively from 2000 to 2010. Examination under anesthesia (EUA) was performed during the study period. Those in whom the testes were palpable underwent the standard orchiopexy procedure. In those boys where EUA failed to detect the testes, laparoscopy or extended inguinal exploration was carried out, and the testes were treated accordingly. RESULTS: On initial clinical evaluation at the outpatient clinic, 545 boys were recorded to have impalpable testes. Undescended testis was unilateral in 529 boys and bilateral in 16 boys. However, on examination under anesthesia only 189 (34.7 %) were impalpable. Among boys in whom the testes were palpable after EUA, 38 had small-size testes, 18 had normal size, and the remaining 300 boys had a sac or cord-like structure. CONCLUSIONS: Meticulous EUA facilitates the accurate diagnosis and planning of the surgical approach to patients with an impalpable testis and should remain part of the surgeon's skill set. It is an inexpensive initial evaluation tool that may help in saving hospital resources, especially in developing countries.