Testicular infection in brucellosis: Report of 34 cases.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: To present clinical and laboratory features, treatment options, and outcome in patients with brucellar testicular infection and to compare them with analogous in brucellar patients without testicular involvement. METHODS: Thirty four brucellar patients with testicular infection treated in two general hospitals in the Republic of Macedonia, during the period 1998-2009, were retrospectively analyzed. Their clinical and laboratory characteristics were compared with analogous in 364 male brucellar patients without testicular infection, who were treated at the same hospitals during the same time period. RESULTS: Brucellar testicular infection was evident in 34 (8.5%) out of 398 male patients with brucellosis. The median age of the patients was 46.5 years. In all patients testicular involvement was presented as an acute form with a median duration of 5 days (range, 2-14 days) prior to diagnosis. Twenty-three of the patients had at least one other simultaneous focal infection. After starting with the treatment testicular infection lasted a median 10 days, range 7-21 days. Brucellar patients with testicular infection when compared with other brucellar patients more frequently manifested fever (97% vs. 61%), concomitant spondylitis (32% vs. 16%), and urinary system involvement (12% vs. 2%). Also, the relapse rate in patients with testicular involvement was significantly higher (24% vs. 9%). CONCLUSION: In endemic regions brucellosis should be taken into consideration in any patient with testicular infection. Brucellar testicular involvement is usually characterized with a severe acute clinical presentation and a high percentage of relapses which entails the need of timely recognition and proper treatment duration of at least 60 days.

Voiding Urosonography with Second-Generation Ultrasound Contrast Agent for Diagnosis of Vesicoureteric Reflux: First Local Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) is an important association of paediatric urinary tract infection (UTI) found in 30-50% of all children presenting with first UTI. Contrast-enhanced voiding ultrasonography (ceVUS) has become an important radiation-free method for VUR detection in children. Its sensitivity in detecting VUR has greatly improved due to the development of the contrast-specific ultrasound techniques and the introduction of the second-generation ultrasound contrast agent, superseding the diagnostic accuracy of standard radiological procedures. AIM: This article aimed to summarise the current literature and discuss the first local pilot study performed in our institution on detection of vesicoureteric reflux by contrast-enhanced voiding ultrasonography with second- generation agent (SonoVue, Bracco, Italy). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective review of the first 31 ceVUS (24 girls, 7 boys) was presented. Age range was 2 months to 18 years (mean = 6.4 ± 4.9). RESULTS: All examinations were well tolerated without any adverse incident. VUR was shown in 20 (64.5%) children in 32/62 (51.6) nephroureteral units (NUUs). In 18 NUUs, VUR was grade II/V, in 11 Grade III/V and in 3 grade IV/V, respectively. Urethra was shown in 19/31 children and in all boys, without pathological finding. In two girls spinning top urethra has been detected. Subsequent urodynamic studies revealed functional bladder problem in both. CONCLUSIONS: Contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography using intravesical second generation ultrasound contrast agent could be recommend as a valid alternative diagnostic modality for detecting vesicoureteral reflux and evaluation of the distal urinary tract in children, based on its radiation-free, highly efficacious, reliable, and safe characteristics.

Diagnostic and Surgical Approach to Prenatally Detected Urinary Tract Anomalies.

Regular ultrasound examinations carried out in the second trimester of pregnancy help in detecting many anomalies in the fetal urinary tract. Their percentage ranges from 1% to 3% of all controlled pregnancies. There is a wide spectrum of anomalies that affect the urinary tract, but the most significant are: uretero/hydronephrosis (unilateral or bilateral), kidney agenesis, dysplastic kidney, polycystic and multicystic kidneys, anomalies of ascent, anomalies of kidney rotation or fusion, bladder exstrophy, posterior urethra valve etc. Many of these anomalies do not have impact either on urine flow or on kidney function and hence they can be qualified rather as a condition than as a disease. At the same time, most of the hydronephroses that are seen prenatally are being resolved spontaneously, and they are not detected neither presented postnatally as uretero/hydronephroses of unobstructed type and do not require surgical treatment. Only one tenth of these anomalies are subject to active surgical treatment. Therefore, the assessment of these conditions should be done by a specialized team, who will make adequate therapeutic decisions based on clinical guidelines, as well as will advise the parents on the future clinical implications of the detected anomaly.

Childhood brucellosis: Review of 317 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the main epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory features, treatment options and outcome in children with brucellosis. METHODS: Retrospectively evaluated data were obtained from 317 pediatric patients with brucellosis that were treated at the University Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Febrile Conditions in Skopje, during the period from 1989 to 2011. The medical records and follow-up protocols were used for evaluation. RESULTS: Childhood brucellosis composed 317 (18.7%) of 1691 patients with brucellosis. The patients were median 9 years old, ranging from 7 months to 14 years, and 201 (63.4%) were males. Family history was present in 197 (62.1%), and direct contact with animals occurred in 140 (44.2%) of the children. The dominant manifestations were fever in 248 (78.2%), joint pain in 228 (71.9%) and hepatomegaly in 216 (68.1%). Organ affection was present in 206 (65.0%) of the patients. One hundred and six (33.4%) of the patients were treated with combination composed of two, and 211 (66.6%) with three antimicrobial agents. Relapses were registered in 21 (6.6%), and therapeutic failures in 3 (0.9%) of the children. CONCLUSIONS: In endemic regions childhood brucellosis represents a significant part of human cases. Wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, frequent affection of various organ systems and possibility of relapses show that brucellosis could be a serious disease in this age group. The presence of fever, joint pain, sweating, and affection of various systems in children from endemic regions should alert pediatricians for the possibility of brucellosis.

Congenital hydronephrosis: disease or condition?

The aim of this paper is to address the dilemmas of the paediatric surgeon when facing an isolated, unilateral, congenital hydronephrosis and discuss the strategic options for the management of this condition. Congenital hydronephrosis, the most commonly diagnosed uropathy in children, is usually a benign and self-resolving condition. Nonobstructive hydronephrosis does not require operative treatment, while timely treatment is imperative for obstructive hydronephrosis before significant renal damage ensues. Managing congenital hydronephrosis is a challenging task. Thirty-two children with unilateral, isolated hydronephrosis and nonobstructed renography curves were followed up for 3 years. On the initial evaluation according to the grade of hydronephrosis: 22.6% were grade I, 54.8% grade II and 22.6% grade III. After 12 months of follow-up: 30% were grade I, 51 .5% grade II and 18.5% grade III, respectively. After the three-year follow-up, there were no hydroneproses greater than grade II. The mean value of the separate GFR of the affected kidney at initial evaluation was 42.83%, and 40.33% after three years. In three children the treatment was converted from conservative to surgical. Nonobstructive, congenital hydronephrosis is a benign condition not requiring any medical treatment, but aggressive observation is indicated.

Minimally invasive treatment of 56 consecutive supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children.

OBJECTIVE: to present our results from the minimally invasive approach in the treatment of 56 consecutive Gartland types II and III supracondylar fractures of the humerus in school-age patients. METHOD: Including criteria were isolated supracondylar fractures Gartland types II and III, in the period from January 2011 to November 2011. We admitted 56 children aged four to 12 years (mean 6.9 y.). The most common mechanism of injury was fall with the elbow extended. The treatment procedure consisted of four steps: 1) Classification of the injury according to x-ray findings; 2) Under general anaesthesia, the injured child was placed in a prone position; 3) Closed reduction was obtained by placing the elbow on a special table with the elbow flexed at 90 degrees, using gravity to help reposition; 4) After x-ray verification of the reduction two Sommer pins were inserted to stabilize the fracture. The pins were placed percutaneously through the medial and lateral humeral condyles respectively. After the intervention all elbows were immobilized in a splint cast for 3 weeks. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for six months. Control radiographs were performed postoperatively, three weeks and two months after the injury. There were no malunions or nonunions. We estimated the elbow function using the Mayo elbow performance index. The functional results were excellent and very good according to the Mayo score. CONCLUSION: We recommend this one-day surgical approach for the treatment of Gartland type II and III supracondylar fractures.