Retrosternal (Morgagni) hernia with small bowel obstruction secondary to a Richter's incarceration.

Retrosternal (Morgagni) hernias in children are usually asymptomatic or may be associated with mild respiratory distress or gastrointestinal symptoms. Incarceration of bowel in a retrosternal hernia is unusual with only four reported cases, all in adult patients. This report details an unusual case of complete small bowel obstruction in which the Morgagni hernia sac itself contained the defect through which a portion of small bowel incarcerated as a Richter's hernia.

Routine contrast enemas for diagnosing and managing strictures following nonoperative treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis.

A study to determine the value of contrast enemas in diagnosing and managing intestinal strictures following nonoperative treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis was performed from 1978 through 1983. From 1974 through 1977, 17 patients survived nonoperative treatment of NEC and three developed symptomatic strictures, an incidence of 18% (3/17). Since then a total of 31 infants were treated for NEC; three patients survived operation for perforation and there were seven deaths, leaving 21 in the study group. Sixteen patients had contrast enemas three to six weeks after resolution of NEC, which revealed strictures in five patients. Four of the five patients with strictures demonstrated on contrast enema were without obstructive symptoms. Three of the four remained asymptomatic without treatment, and one eventually required surgery for intestinal obstruction. The fifth patient developed intestinal obstruction while still in the nursery and a contrast study demonstrated an ileal stricture. A sixth patient had a normal contrast study and developed intestinal obstruction from an ileal stricture. The incidence of strictures was 38% (6/16). In five patients, appointments for contrast studies were not kept, although clinical follow-up was complete in all. The incidence of symptomatic strictures for the contrast study period was therefore 14% (3/21). Although some authors have recommended routine contrast enemas in patients surviving nonoperative treatment of NEC, contrast enemas had no advantage over clinical follow-up in the management of patients in this study. We have discontinued the use of routine contrast enemas in favor of close follow-up and careful instruction to parents as to the early signs of intestinal obstruction.

Mediastinal hematoma mimicking aortic rupture.

The case of a child who fell a relatively short distance and had clinical and x-ray findings consistent with a ruptured aorta is presented. At surgery, a mediastinal hematoma was found. Diagnostic and therapeutic implications are discussed.

Therapeutic and diagnostic implications of acquired choledochal obstruction in infancy: spontaneous resolution in three infants.

Three infants aged 2 days to 11 weeks with conjugated hyperbilirubinenemia, had sonographically documented dilated common hepatic bile ducts, and echogenic material in the gallbladder. A 2-day-old infant, born to a diabetic mother, had none of the classic predisposing factors for cholelithiasis, and two infants had received total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and TPN plus furosemide. The first infant after receiving 4 1/2 weeks of TPN and furosemide, developed common duct obstruction with increasing bilirubin and hepatic duct caliber over a 12-day period. An operation was scheduled; however, on the following day the bilirubin dropped abruptly and surgery was canceled. The experience with this infant encouraged conservative management in two subsequent infants with similar clinical and sonographic findings. Spontaneous resolution occurred 9 days after the onset of common duct obstruction in one infant and after 16 days in the other.

Esophageal dysmotility as a serendipitous observation on ventilation-perfusion imaging of the lungs.

Tc-99m DTPA aerosol is often swallowed during inhalation for lung ventilation scans. The authors evaluated a 16-year-old girl with a known history of mixed collagen disorder (positive lupus anticoagulants) for symptoms of cough and acute shortness of breath. Tc-99m DTPA accumulated in the distal esophagus during aerosol inhalation and remained there at the end of the perfusion study, a period of approximately 1 hour. This serendipitous observation antedates clinical signs and symptoms of dysphagia.

Massive chylous ascites and transected pancreas secondary to child abuse: successful non-surgical management.

A case of massive chylous ascites associated with transection of the pancreas secondary to occult child abuse is presented. Computed tomography and ultrasound demonstrated exquisitely the location and extent of the clinically occult pancreatic injury. Also demonstrated was the complete resolution of the chylous ascites and the resolving and later completely resolved pancreatic injury following non-operative conservative treatment with total parenteral nutrition.

Burkitt's lymphoma with mandible, intra-abdominal and renal involvement--initial presentation of HIV infection in a 4-year-old child.

Burkitt's lymphoma of the jaw was first described as a jaw tumor occurring endemically in African children. We report a case of Burkitt's lymphoma in a child presenting with a painful jaw mass which proved to be Burkitt's lymphoma; renal involvement was also noted. The child was found to be HIV positive. Burkitt's may be the initial manifestation of HIV infection in the pediatric population.

Ultrasound in the diagnosis of systemic candidiasis (renal and cranial) in very low birth weight premature infants.

Premature infants, (in whom prolonged hyperalimentation long term indwelling catheters are used), serve as the ideal hosts for overwhelming Candida sepsis. Two cases of disseminated Candidiasis were studied. Case 1 had sonographically enlarged and highly echogenic kidneys. Case 2 had diffusely enlarged echogenic kidneys with actual fungus balls in the collecting system. This infant also developed hydrocephalus with debris in the ventricular system and abnormal brain parenchymal echogenicity.

Left-sided posterior mediastinal thymus--MRI findings.

Anomalous descent of the thymus may result in ectopic thymic tissue in the neck and/or the mediastinum and can mimic an abnormal mediastinal mass. We present one case of a "posterior mediastinal mass" that was diagnosed as a posterior mediastinal thymus utilizing CT plus MRI.

Febrile infants less than 3 months old: value of chest radiography.

In the febrile infant less than 3 months old, a chest radiograph is commonly obtained to identify the cause of the fever. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the necessity of obtaining chest radiographs in this population. The clinical records and chest radiographs of 192 febrile infants (greater than 100.5 degrees F, rectal) were reviewed. Nineteen patients had signs of respiratory distress; seven had positive findings on chest radiographs. Of the 173 patients without signs of respiratory distress, five had positive findings on chest radiographs. When chest radiography was considered the gold standard for the presence or absence of pneumonia, findings of respiratory distress on physical examination had a sensitivity of 58% and a specificity of 93% for the detection of pneumonia. The prevalence of positive findings on chest radiographs in febrile infants less than 3 months old was 6%. A chest radiograph should be obtained in febrile infants only when signs of respiratory distress are present.

Tuberculosis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children. A family infection.

OBJECTIVE: To study the epidemiologic and clinical features of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children and their families. PATIENTS AND CLINICAL SETTING: Sixty families of children with HIV infection, children of HIV indeterminate status, and seroreverters underwent follow-up in a comprehensive multidisciplinary program for children and families. METHODS: Infection with M tuberculosis was diagnosed based on a positive Mantoux test result or a positive culture. RESULTS: Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection was diagnosed in seven children (three infected with HIV, three seroreverters, and one uninfected sibling of an infected child) from four families (6%). All infections were detected in the period from March 1990 through January 1992. Six of seven children had a history of exposure to M tuberculosis in an HIV-infected adult (parent) who was an intravenous drug user, homeless, and/or noncompliant with the medical regimen. All HIV-infected children and one seroreverter had pulmonary tuberculosis. One child died of complications of tuberculosis and HIV infection. The M tuberculosis isolated from this child was resistant to isoniazid, rifampin, and streptomycin sulfate. CONCLUSIONS: Tuberculosis is a growing problem among inner-city children born to HIV-infected parents. Children infected with HIV in this study had symptomatic and severe disease with tuberculosis, which reflected the drug susceptibility pattern of M tuberculosis seen in our community.

Human immunodeficiency virus infection and multilocular thymic cysts.

PURPOSE: Pathologic changes of the thymus, often seen in children with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), reflect direct invasion by the virus, followed by involution of the gland. A previously unknown form of thymic response to HIV infection, that of a multilocular thymic cyst, is reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Findings were examined in three HIV-positive patients, two children and one adult first seen with large thymic masses. RESULTS: All three had large, septate low-attenuation areas at computed tomography consistent with multilocular thymic cysts. The cystic nature of the lesions was confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging in two. Histopathologic examination, performed in two instances, helped establish the diagnosis. All patients remained in clinically stable condition. They all had parotid gland enlargement and lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Multilocular thymic cysts are probably another manifestation of the diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome, usually associated with a milder course of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.