Prospective documentation and analysis of the pre- and early clinical management in severe head injury in southern Bavaria at a population based level.

Treatment of patients suffering from severe head injury is so far restricted to general procedures, whereas specific pharmacological agents of neuroprotection including hypothermia have not been found to improve the outcome in clinical trials. Albeit effective, symptomatic measures of the preclinical rescue of patients (i.e. stabilization or reestablishment of the circulatory and respiratory system) or of the early clinical care (e.g. prompt diagnosis and treatment of an intracranial space occupying mass, maintenance of a competent circulatory and respiratory system, and others) by and large constitute the current treatment based on considerable organizational and logistical efforts. These and other components of the head injury treatment are certainly worthwhile of a systematic analysis as to their efficacy or remaining deficiencies, respectively. Deficits could be associated with delays of providing preclinical rescue procedures (e.g. until intubation of the patient or administration of fluid). Delays could also be associated in the hospital with the diagnostic establishment of intracranial lesions requiring prompt neurosurgical intervention. By support of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and under the auspices of the Forschungsverbund Neurotraumatology, University of Munich, a prospective system analysis was carried out on major aspects of the pre- and early clinical management at a population based level in patients with traumatic brain injury. Documentation of pertinent data was made from August 1998 to July 1999 covering a catchment area of Southern Bavaria (5.6 mio inhabitants). Altogether 528 cases identified to suffer from severe head injury (GCS < or = 8 or deteriorating to that level within 48 hrs) were enrolled following admission to the hospital and establishment of the diagnosis. Further, patients dying on the scene or during transport to the hospital were also documented, particularly as to the frequency of severe head injury as underlying cause of mortality. The analysis included also cases with additional peripheral trauma (polytrauma). The efficacy of the logistics and organization of the management was studied by documentation of prognosis-relevant time intervals, as for example until arrival of the rescue squad at the scene of an accident, until intubation and administration of fluid, or upon hospital admission until establishment of the CT-diagnosis and commencement of surgery or transfer to the intensive care unit, respectively. The severity of cases studied in the present analysis is evident from a mortality of far above 40% of cases admitted to the hospital, which was increased by about 20% when including prehospital mortality. The outcome data notwithstanding, the emerging results demonstrate a high efficacy of the pre- and early clinical management, as indicated by a prompt arrival of the rescue squad at the scene, a competent prehospital and early clinical management and care, indicative of a low rate of avoidable complications. It is tentatively concluded on the basis of these findings that the patient prognosis is increasingly determined by the manifestations of primary brain damage vs. the development of secondary complications.

Long-term results of Rehbein's procedure: a retrospective study in German-speaking countries.

AIM: In contrast to other countries, no collective study of Rehbein's procedure in German-speaking nations has been performed. Therefore, our intention was, analogously to Goto and Ikeda's (10) Japanese study in 1984, Kleinhaus's (13) study on Swenson's procedure in 1979, Bourdelat's (2) French-Canadian investigation into Duhamel's technique in 1997 and Martuciello's (11) and Teitelbaum's (16) follow-up in the year 2000, to perform a follow-up study of Rehbein's technique of deep anterior resection. METHODS: The data of 200 patients from 22 German-speaking centers in Switzerland, Austria and Germany were collected. These data were gathered by questionnaire and the children were followed up in the individual participating hospitals for at least 3.5 years after the procedure. The procedure was performed between 1993 and 1997, over a 5-year period. The questionnaire contained 74 items including anamnestic data, diagnostic postoperative treatment and reoperations. RESULTS: Concerning the incidence of anastomotic leaks and resolving anastomotic strictures there was no significant difference between the results in our series and those of the collective analyses made by Hofmann von Kap-herr (7), Holschneider (9) and Sherman (18). In 6.6 % of the 191 patients an anastomotic leak and in 9.9 % a rectal stricture, which had to be dilated, was observed. Concerning late complications, 22.8 % of the children suffered from constipation, 4.3 % from encopresis, 10.6 % from enterocolitis and only 0.5 % from enuresis. The frequency of constipation diminishes over the years. A comparison of the different large series in the literature clearly shows that the incidence of constipation is higher after Rehbein's procedure and the frequency of urinary incontinence and encopresis higher following Swenson's, Soave's and Duhamel's techniques. The incidence of enterocolitis is less after Rehbein's procedure than after Swenson's, Soave's and Duhamel's techniques. CONCLUSIONS: The different results in the literature are due to the individual experience of the author, the very different follow-up methods and the date of follow-up. Therefore, the different results are hard to compare with our study. Nevertheless, Rehbein's anterior resection still could be presented as an adequate and important method to treat Hirschsprung's disease.

[Appendicitis in childhood]. / Appendizitis im Kindesalter.

From 1989 to 1995 high-resolution ultrasonography (US) was performed in 3,546 children (age: 1-17 years) with clinically suspected appendicitis. A total of 518 patients underwent laparotomy; 420 had histologically proven acute or perforated appendicitis (prevalence 11.8%). In these children, the sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy of US examination were 90%, 97% and 96% respectively. The use of US in clinically doubtful acute abdomen may allow earlier diagnosis of acute appendicitis; in 1995 the rate of unnecessary appendectomy was reduced to 13%.

[Thoracic trauma in childhood. Radiologic findings]. / Thoraxtrauma im Kindesalter. Radiologische Befunde.

In childhood blunt trauma to the chest wall is more frequent than penetrating injuries. Most of these are the result of traffic accidents. Solitary or serial rib fractures are seen more often than fractures of the sternum. Complications of thoracic injuries are pulmonary contusion, hemothorax and, less frequently, pneumothorax. Pulmonary contusion can result in post-traumatic pneumatocele or chronic pulmonary hematoma. Injuries of the heart, the great vessels and bronchotracheal rupture, presenting initially with pneumothorax, followed by atelectasis, rarely occur. Blunt thoracic trauma is frequently associated with further injuries (head and/or blunt abdominal trauma). The prognosis also depends on the concurrent injuries. The initial evaluation of an injured child is based on the chest X-ray and abdominal ultrasound examination. Additional information can be obtained by a CT scan in mediastinal injuries.

[Pancraniofacial synostosis--indications for early craniofacial operation]. / Pankraniofaziale Synostose--Indikation zu frühzeitiger kraniofazialer Operation.

Premature synostosis of all major cranial sutures represents a rare craniofacial anomaly often leading to serious consequences. It is regularly associated with Kleeblattschädel-syndrome (clover-leaf skull) but can also be observed in Crouzon's craniofacial dysostosis, Apert's acrocephalosyndactyly, Pfeiffer's-syndrome and severe plagiocephaly. Since the disease not only affects the cranial vault but also the facial skeleton, we simply termed it pancraniofacial synostosis (PCS). Radical surgical therapy is frequently necessary after birth for vital indication. This study presents results and complications of 12 children with PCS. Eleven children were operated on by subtotal craniectomy and advancement of the fronto-orbito-facial skeleton. Concomitant hydrocephalus was shunted preoperatively. Four children with impending loss of vision and intracranial hypertension had to be operated on under emergency conditions only a few weeks after birth. One child with normal intracranial pressure has been closely followed for over ten years without surgery. Lethal complications occurred in three of four children that had been operated on under emergency conditions. Craniofacial surgery significantly improved intracranial hypertension, exorbitism, nasopharyngeal obstruction, and aesthetic appearance in all of the remaining children. Total craniofacial correction in PCS can safely be achieved at an age of three to twelve months. Emergency surgery carries a much higher risk. Simultaneous mid-face advancement should be avoided in those cases if at all possible.

Early radical treatment of pancraniofacial synostosis.

Premature fusion of all major cranial and facial sutures, termed pancraniofacial synostosis by us, was first described as "Kleeblattschädel deformity," but can also be found in anomalies such as Crouzon's disease, Apert's syndrome, Pfeiffer's syndrome, and severe forms of plagiocephaly. This rare craniofacial anomaly often presents an immediate threat to life right after birth. Early subtotal craniectomy frequently combined with frontoorbitofacial advancement must be performed to decrease intracranial pressure, preserve vision, and open up the blocked upper airway. Concomitant hydrocephaly is shunted preoperatively for internal decompression. Eleven patients with pancraniofacial synostosis underwent craniofacial surgery in infancy or early childhood. Only shunting of the hydrocephalus was done in 1 child. Two children died in the course of an emergency procedure and 2 children died after secondary operations for miniplate removal and revision of a valve shunting the hydrocephalus several months after the initial successful craniofacial surgery. The remaining 8 children have developed satisfactorily so far. Further corrective surgeries had to be performed in 2 patients. Good functional and aesthetic improvement could be obtained. In view of the high mortality especially after emergency procedures, we believe that early total craniofacial mobilization should be reserved for severe cases where the natural course is dismal without immediate intervention and temporary procedures such as shunting and tracheostomy are not sufficient. Elective surgeries after the age of 3 months can be performed safely in milder cases.

Asymmetrical cranio-orbital facial stenosis.

Cranio-orbital facial scoliosis is the result of unilateral premature stenosis of the craniofacial skeleton. Plagiocephaly is only a subform of the syndrome. The deformity progresses unless operative treatment is given. Operative treatment is indicated for functional, aesthetic, and psychosocial reasons. We advocate early operation in infancy (3 to 6 months) consisting of wide resection of the stenosed sutures of the cranium and orbit, repositioning, and remodeling relying on the spontaneous autodynamic reshaping of the nasoethmoidal complex and the midface structures during the course of further growth. In adolescents and adults, multisegmental osteotomies and remodeling into a definitive position are necessary.

[Plastic surgery correction of combination craniofacial malformations. A survey for the obstetrician]. / Plastische Korrektur komplexer Schädel-Gesichtsmissbildungen. Eine Ubersicht für den Geburtshelfer.

Complex malformations of the skeleton of the cranium and face are mostly first discovered by the obstetrician. Almost all anomalies can be corrected already at infant age by means of update craniofacial surgery, provided they are diagnosed well in time and treatment is initiated directly. Surgery should be performed by a team that is well-versed in craniofacial surgery. A few examples are given to illustrate the most important malformations. Pointers to the best possible time of operation, indication and method are supplied.

Early operation in craniofacial dysostosis.

Craniofacial dysostosis is encountered in different congenital malformations such as Kleeblattschädel deformity, Crouzon's disease, and Apert's, Chotzen's, Pfeiffer's, and Carpenter's syndromes. Premature closure of cranial and facial sutures leads to characteristic disfigurement of the skull with orbital and maxillary hypoplasia. Operative treatment should be performed as early in life as possible to prevent further functional and esthetic deficiencies, and psychosocial problems. Correction is done by an intracranial approach with mobilization, remodeling, and advancement of the deformed skull. Thirty-two children have been operated during the first year of life with a maximum follow-up of 8 years. Most favorable results were obtained in 28 cases. The rate of complications were lower than in a series of children operated on later in life. We advocate that complex 1-stage corrections of craniofacial syndromes may be safely carried out during infancy utilizing modern techniques, expert pediatric anesthesia, and postoperative intensive care.

[Sacral teratomas in childhood. An analysis of long-term results in 87 children]. / Steissbeinteratome im Kindesalter. Eine Analyse der Langzeitergebnisse von 87 Kindern.

52 patients were followed up out of a total of 87 children with sacrococcygeal teratomas, within a period of 25 years, from three paediatric surgery hospitals and out of altogether 73 survivors. The results in 35 children where the operation had been performed more than three years ago, were classified as "late results". From this group, 18 children were followed up by clinical examination only, without detecting any dysfunctions. By the additional use of electromanometry of urinary bladder and rectum, however, bladder and rectum dysfunctions were seen in about 40% of 17 further children. These dysfunctions were partly myogenic and partly neurogenic in nature and were directly related to the size, tumour status and intrapelvic extension of the sacrococcygeal teratoma.

Radical treatment of craniofacial anomalies in infancy and the use of miniplates in craniofacial surgery.

The radical treatment of craniofacial anomalies in infancy is indicated for medical, technical, and psychosocial reasons. The major problems around the cranium, the orbits, and the face may be safely corrected by osteotomy, suture resection and disjunction, mobilization, repositioning, and reshaping of the various skeletal segments. This radical approach has been possible through the introduction of miniplate fixation. The plates and screws are removed after 3 to 6 months to take optimal advantage of the great formative power of the growing brain, which expands rapidly within the first 2 years of life. In infants, disjunction is more important than advancement, making this approach a dynamic one in contrast with the static procedures for the adolescents and adults. The complete, one-stage procedures are superior to a delayed or two-stage procedure. Experienced administration of pediatric anaesthesia and intensive care are mandatory.

[Sclerosis of oesophageal varices in children with portal hypertension (author's transl)]. / La sclérose des varices oesophagiennes dans l'hypertension portale chez l'enfant.

Results of treatment of oesophageal varices in children with portal hypertension, employing sub-mucous sclerosing injections, are reported. Indications for this type of therapy are of three types : acute haemorrhage, preparation for a shunt operation, and single treatment when hepatic function is such that a portocaval shunt will probably not be successful. The technique employed involves both injection of the varices, and injections into the oesophageal submucosa in order to sclerose the wall vessels. The choice between a rigid and flexible apparatus is discussed. The advantages and inconveniences of this method are illustrated by the results obtained in 16 patients. Complications are exceptional, and the technique appears to be extremely beneficial in many cases.

Parenteral nutrition with a "breast milk adapted" solution of amino acids in infants and children after abdominal surgery.

Plasma amino acid levels as well as urinary and plasma concentrations of nitrogen were determined in 24 infants and 12 children on five consecutive days after major abdominal surgery. Parenteral nutrition was carried out by means of two different amino acid solutions. One formula (PE) was based on the amino acid composition of potato-egg protein, the other (BM) on that of human breast milk. Control subjects received glucose only. The controls showed decreased plasma levels of most amino acids as well as negative nitrogen balances. In contrast, in the patients treated with amino acids the plasma concentrations of most amino acids were found in the normal range. In the infants elevated plasma amino acid levels were found more often in the BM-group than in the PE-group. Among the children, however, the PE-group showed an elevation in the plasma levels of amino acids more frequently than the BM-group. There is no significant difference in the positive nitrogen balance between the BM-groups and the PE-groups. Therefore, it can be concluded that the use of BM has no clear advantage over that of PE.

[Circadian rhythm in response to surgery and postoperative complications in childhood (author's transl)]. / Der Einfluss der Operation und des gestörten postoperativen Verlaufes auf die circadiane Periodik im Kindesalter.

The influence of operation and post-op. course on the circadian periodicity was examined in 27 children. The parameters chosen were heart-rate, respiratory rate, blood-pressure and temperature. Measurements were taken over 6.1 days on average, of which 5.1 days were post-op. 5-minute values were used in the evaluation. It could be proved that the circadian periodicity is disturbed by the operation. Resumption depended on the gravity of the operation, and on the further clinical course. Studies of the circadian periodicity may provide a contribution to research on operation-trauma.