Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Heart in the Infant: Review of the Literature.

Primary heart tumors are extremely rare, constituting approximately 0.02% of all malignancies. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) constitutes <5% of primary heart tumors. Until now, IMT of the heart has been described in 21 infants below 1 year of age. Its etiology remains unknown. IMT usually develops within the right atrial and ventricular endocardium. The main clinical symptoms reported in the affected infants involved increasing respiratory failure, cyanosis, and heart murmurs. Histopathologically, IMT is characterized by the myofibroblast proliferation with inflammatory infiltrates composed of plasmocytes, lymphocytes, and histiocytes. Tumor resection is the treatment of choice in IMT. Such tumor location is associated with the high risk of perioperative failure. Steroid therapy and chemotherapy is reported in the literature as a nonsurgical treatment alternative. Here, we present a review of clinical symptoms, diagnostic and treatment options, based on published case reports of IMT in infants, including our 11-month-old patient with IMT located within the pericardium.

Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations in children and young adults.

Authors observed five cases of lung arteriovenous malformations in children and young adults. Clinical data and morphological pictures of these lesions were presented.

Long-term results after the modified Ravitch procedure performed in children and adolescents - a one-time procedure without the need to use additional support of the sternum. A retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Pectus excavatum is a depression of the sternum. Pectus carinatum, in contrast, is the convexity of the sternum. The mixed form is an intermediate condition. Surgical intervention is the treatment of choice. The techniques most commonly used include the Ravitch and the Nuss procedures. AIM: To assess the immediate and long-term results of the original modification of the surgical treatment for anterior chest wall deformation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The modification is based on the Ravitch procedure. The difference is that the ends of the resected cartilages are shaped like a blade in order to be inserted into the previously prepared wedge-shaped hollows located on both edges of the sternum. The result is long lasting without the need to use additional brackets. RESULTS: The follow-up examinations performed in 72 patients, including 57 boys and 15 girls, were the basis to produce long-term results. As for the type of deformity, out of 57 patients operated on due to pectus excavatum, 43 expressed satisfaction with the very good result. Similar satisfaction was reported in 7 out of 11 patients operated on due to pectus carinatum. There were 4 cases with the mixed form who had very good long-term results. Wound dehiscence was observed in 13 subjects, with one documented recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The alternative treatment we propose is a one-time procedure without the need to use additional support of the sternum. Good long-term results make the procedure suitable to be used more frequently in all types of deformities.

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica - a 61-year-old female with middle lobe syndrome.

The authors present a case of a 61-year-old female patient suffering from tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TBO). Etiology of this unit is uncertain. TBO is characterised by presence of multiple nodules of various size, situated in the submucosa of the trachea and major bronchi. The course is usually benign, until lesion obstructs the bronchial lumen. In the presented case, occluded middle lobe bronchi resulted in peripheral atelectasis of the lung.

[Modern microbiological methods in diagnosis of adverse reactions after BCG vaccination. Case reports]. / Zastosowanie nowoczesnych metod mikrobiologicznych do diagno- zowania powiklan po szczepieniu BCG. Opis przypadków.

The attenuated bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine is administered worldwide to prevent tuberculosis and is considered to have an excellent safety profile. In Poland, since 1955 BCG mass vaccinations have been compulsory. More than 95% newborns and 80% of older children of the population have been vaccinated. Complications of vaccination are uncommon. Although BCG has been used safely for many years, it can cause disease in humans, especially those with cellular immunodeficiencies. The risks associated with BCG vaccination include local complications, extraregional localized disease, and disseminated BCG disease. Identification of M. bovis BCG in laboratory is a very difficult process. Routine identification of mycobacterial isolates in clinical laboratories involves culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex which includes M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. africanum and M. microti and the vaccine strain M.bovis BCG. Most laboratories cannot quickly differentiate between BCG and other members of M. tuberculosis complex and some cases of BCG complications in children may be considered and treated as tuberculosis. Because of difficulties in proper identification of BCG strains isolated from the patients, the prevalence of BCG infections is not know exactly. Knowledge of BCG infection would be of particular interest to the clinician responsible for the therapy. We describe the several methods using in mycobacterial laboratory for identification and suggest the modern algorithm of BCG strains identification including mycolic acids profile by HPLC and 14C PZA resistance methods. The methods allowed us fast and accurate identify M. bovis BCG infection in 5 children which have been described in our paper. Preliminary diagnosis for four children among five tested was tuberculosis. One immunocompromised HIV negative child died, one still excretes BCG bacilli. To our knowledge, this is the first report of BCG complication (AEFI) in Polish children in which HPLC and 14 C PZA methods have been used for rapid identification of M. bovis BCG infection and/or complication.