Pushing Backwards: Evaluating Effectiveness of Conservative Treatment of Intestinal Intussusception.

OBJECTIVE: Intestinal intussusception (II) is a common cause for acute abdomen in children, occurring in 0.33 to 0.71 per 1000 children per year. Early diagnosis and treatment are fundamental for prevention of irreversible intestinal damage. The first line of treatment is conservative, with saline reduction enema or air reduction enema. Our goal is to evaluate results with conservative treatment of II in children. METHODS: A retrospective single-center review of all patients with diagnosis of II from January 2014 to December 2019 was performed. Demographics, clinical data, treatment option, and results were assessed. RESULTS: Thirty-eight cases were identified. The mean age was 26 months, and 68% were males. Most presented with abdominal pain (95%) and vomiting (66%), after an average of 30 hours. Rectal bleeding was present in 32% of patients. Abdominal ultrasound was performed in all patients for diagnosis. Conservative treatment was first option in 95% of patients, with a global effectiveness of 83% after 1 attempt. Saline reduction enema was more effective than air reduction enema (88% vs 70%), and patients with successful reduction were younger (24 vs 33 months), but neither reached statistical significance. Two patients had a subsequent II episode within 1 week after hospital discharge. Neither age, sex, symptoms and respective duration, rotavirus inoculation, intussuscepted bowel length, nor technique used was predictive of treatment failure or II relapse. CONCLUSIONS: Conservative treatment in II is a safe and effective option, preventing invasive surgical procedures. Effectiveness of such treatments may be as high as 88% after 1 attempt, with rapid diet reintroduction. Same-day discharge after oral feeding toleration is safe.

Quality of life after otoplasty for prominent ears in children

Prominent ears are a common congenital malformation and are associated with low self-esteem, social isolation and diminished school performance. Our goal was to evaluate the influence of otoplasty on children’s quality of life (QoL).Material and methodsPatients submitted to otoplasty from 2016 to 2018 were summoned for a reevaluation. Seventy patients and respective caregivers agreed to participate. Surgical, demographic and clinical data were reviewed from electronic registries.Two sets of inquiries were performedPediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (for parent and child) and an adaptation of the Glasgow Children Benefit Inventory (GCBI-b). Fifteen patients were excluded for incomplete inquiries.ResultsFifty-five patients were included, 70.9% were males. Median age at surgery was 7.7 ± 3.3 years. Aesthetic dissatisfaction was the main previous negative experience. Median self-report quality of life was 85.6% and parent-report was 86.9%. Median GCBI-b was +20.5, indicating an improvement in patients’ QoL. Bullying and high parental expectations for life change post-surgery were predictive of higher GCBI-b scores (p < 0.05). Ninety-six percent of parents would recommend surgery to other children.ConclusionsOtoplasty is a valid treatment option for prominent ears in children,improving not only aesthetics but also health-related QoL. (AU)

Management of infantile hemangiomas-experience of a tertiary hospital.

The purpose of the study is to describe the experience of a multidisciplinary team in a tertiary hospital regarding the management of Infantile Hemangiomas (IH). The method employed is a retrospective analysis of patients with IH followed in a tertiary pediatric hospital between January 2010 and May 2022. A total of 393 IH were diagnosed (56.7% female), with a median age of 5 months (interquartile range (IQR), 3-10). Imaging investigation was necessary for diagnosis and for exclusion of other IH in 9.2% and 14.3%, respectively. Focal (74.0%) and superficial (59.7%) lesions were more frequent as was facial location (35.9%). Pre-treatment ulceration or hemorrhage occurred in 6.6%. At follow-up, 87.4% regressed partially and 12.6% completely; 2.7% relapsed. Propranolol was started in 30.0% of cases for a median period of 9 months (IQR, 6-12), mainly due to esthetic concerns (41.9%). Side effects occurred in 8.3% (sleep disturbance in 5.1%). Only 1.7% were refractory and 5.9% had a rebound effect. Eleven patients were treated with topical timolol and 41 underwent surgery. Patients that were treated with propranolol had more risk factors (p = 0.016) and presented deeper lesions (p < 0.001) with a larger diameter (p < 0.001); total IH regression was less frequent (p < 0.001). Since 2020, twice-daily dosage was more frequently prescribed than three times daily (p = 0.007) and inpatient initiation of propranolol decreased (p = 0.750), without significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions, duration of treatment, and lesion evolution.  Conclusions: Our protocol proved to be safe and feasible in an outpatient setting and twice daily administration of propranolol was effective. The majority of IH showed at least partial regression. Early detection of high-risk IH is paramount and a multidisciplinary assessment by a specialized team is essential for adequate management. What is Known: • IH are the most common vascular tumors in childhood. Although the majority evolves favorably, treatment may be warranted in selected cases. • Early detection of high-risk IH is paramount, and a multidisciplinary assessment by a specialized team is essential for adequate management. What is New: • One-third of our sample was treated with propranolol. These patients had more risk factors and presented deeper lesions with a larger diameter, and tumor total regression was less frequent. • Our results reinforce safety and feasibility of propranolol initiation in an outpatient setting, including twice daily dosage.

Quality of life after otoplasty for prominent ears in children.

AIM: Prominent ears are a common congenital malformation and are associated with low self-esteem, social isolation and diminished school performance. Our goal was to evaluate the influence of otoplasty on children's quality of life (QoL). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients submitted to otoplasty from 2016 to 2018 were summoned for a reevaluation. Seventy patients and respective caregivers agreed to participate. Surgical, demographic and clinical data were reviewed from electronic registries. TWO SETS OF INQUIRIES WERE PERFORMED: Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (for parent and child) and an adaptation of the Glasgow Children Benefit Inventory (GCBI-b). Fifteen patients were excluded for incomplete inquiries. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients were included, 70.9% were males. Median age at surgery was 7.7 ±â€¯3.3 years. Aesthetic dissatisfaction was the main previous negative experience. Median self-report quality of life was 85.6% and parent-report was 86.9%. Median GCBI-b was +20.5, indicating an improvement in patients' QoL. Bullying and high parental expectations for life change post-surgery were predictive of higher GCBI-b scores (p < 0.05). Ninety-six percent of parents would recommend surgery to other children. CONCLUSIONS: Otoplasty is a valid treatment option for prominent ears in children,improving not only aesthetics but also health-related QoL.

Compensatory sweating after thoracoscopic sympathectomy for primary focal hyperhidrosis in children: Are there patient-related risk factors?

INTRODUCTION: Compensatory sweating (CS) is a common complication after thoracoscopic sympathectomy (TS) and is mainly associated with surgical technique. Our aim was to identify potential risk-factors for CS following TS for primary focal hyperhidrosis in children. METHODS: A retrospective, single-center review of all bilateral TS was performed between 2017 and 2019. Hyperhidrosis disease severity scale was used for pre-operative severity assessment. Post-operative evaluations were performed after three and six months. RESULTS: More than the 36-month period, 41 patients were submitted to T2-T4 TS, and 25 were females (60.9%). Median age at surgery was 15.5 years. CS was identified at the 3rd month in 17 (41%) children with most in the dorsolumbar region (56%). By the 6th month, there was a significant reduction in CS (41 to 32%, p = 0.02). The probability of resolution of CS by 6 months is about 50% in both the dorsolumbar and abdominal regions. Neither age, gender, body mass index, family history, or concomitant illnesses seemed to influence CS (p > 0.05). Axillary hyperhidrosis appears to be associated with the development of dorsolumbar CS (p = 0.037). CONCLUSION: Thoracoscopic sympathectomy for PFH is a safe and effective procedure, but compensatory sweating can be a common and debilitating side effect. Age, gender, and body mass index do not appear to influence CS. Axillary hyperhidrosis may be related to the development of dorsolumbar CS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Pediatric Burns With Cyanoacrylate Glue: An Inconspicuous Danger.

Burns are a common cause of pediatric injury and represent significant morbidity and mortality in this age group. In children, most burns are thermal, resulting from exposure to a hot surface, liquid, or fire. Cyanoacrylate is a liquid compound commonly found in households, mainly in "superglue" and nail glue. This compound solidifies through an exothermic reaction that is magnified when in contact with certain fibers that act as catalysts, such as cotton. In these circumstances, intense heat is produced in the contact area, potentially causing severe thermal burns. Despite its widespread availability, there is a paucity of safety information about cyanoacrylate and its role as a cause for burns. In the literature, only 18 cases of cyanoacrylate burns are reported in children. We present two cases of pediatric burns with cyanoacrylate and a review of the literature.