Management strategy and outcomes of sacrococcygeal teratoma - an Egyptian multicenter experience.

OBJECTIVES: Nationwide criteria regarding patients with sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) are still lacking in Egypt. We aimed to present a multicenter study regarding the management and outcomes of this tumor to evaluate our national treatment strategy. METHODS: A retrospective analysis including all patients with SCT who were managed at four major Egyptian centers between 2013 and 2023. Clinical data, surgical approaches, and short- and long-term outcomes were discussed. RESULTS: The study included 95 patients (74 were females). Antenatal diagnosis was reported in 25% of patients. Seventy-one patients (74.7%) were classified as Altman type I/II. Surgery was performed via a perineal approach in 75 patients, whereas the remaining 20 underwent a combined abdominoperineal approach. Vertical elliptical incision with midline closure was conducted in 51.5% of patients, followed by classic or modified chevron incisions. Benign mature teratoma was detected in 82% of patients. At a median follow-up of 57 months, eight patients (8.5%) had relapsed. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) of all patients were 94% and 91%, respectively. In the after-care monitoring, 19 patients (20%) had urinary or bowel dysfunctions. Nine of them were managed using medications. Clean intermittent catheterization was practiced in another five patients. The remaining five underwent further surgical interventions. CONCLUSION: Favorable outcomes were achieved in our country during the last decade. Diverse perineal incisions were performed for resection, and vertical elliptical with midline closure was the commonest. During follow-up, 20% of patients developed urological or bowel dysfunctions that required medical and surgical treatment modalities to improve their quality of life.

Perforated gallbladder in neonates with review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Neonatal perforated gallbladder is a rare and implausible surgical emergency. Pneumoperitonium and neonatal intestinal obstruction are the main clinical presentations. Many cases of neonatal perforated gallbladder had no clear pathology. Most proper treatment is cholecystectomy during formal exploration. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a case of male neonate in his first days of life, presented with abdominal distention and pneumoperitonium and so, surgical exploration revealed perforated gallbladder for which cholecystectomy done. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Idiopathic gallbladder perforation is seldom condition and is hard to discover before exploration. Besides, pathogenesis remains unknown. In our presented case, the real cause of perforation was unknown and main presentation was pneumoperitonium. CONCLUSION: Although perforated gallbladder is a rare entity and in most of cases does not cause pneumoperitonium, but perforated gallbladder should be taken in account of all cases of pneumoperitonium.

Efficacy of dexmedetomidine versus magnesium sulfate as an adjuvant to intraperitoneal bupivacaine in pediatric laparoscopic surgery: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the efficacy of dexmedetomidine versus magnesium sulfate as an adjuvant to intraperitoneal (IP) bupivacaine in pediatric laparoscopic inguinal herniorrhaphy. METHODS: Ninety-seven male children, ASA I-II, 1-6 years old, undergoing laparoscopic inguinal herniorrhaphy, were randomized to receive before peritoneal insufflation, IP 2 mg.kg-1 bupivacaine 0.5% combined with either 1 µg.kg-1 of dexmedetomidine (Group D), 30 mg.kg-1 of magnesium sulfate (Group M), or normal saline (Group C). All tested drugs were diluted to the volume of 10 mL with normal saline. FLACC pain scores, need for rescue analgesics, time to flatus and first stool, emetic events, adverse effects, functional recovery, and parents' satisfaction were recorded for the first 48 h postoperatively. RESULTS: FLACC scores were significantly higher in Group C than in the other two groups at 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, and 48 hours after surgery with no differences between Groups D and M. Rescue analgesia was significantly higher in Group C with none of the children in Groups D and M requiring rescue analgesia (p = 0.001). Times to first flatus and stool, emetic events, and adverse effects did not differ among groups. Times to return to normal functional activity were comparable in all groups. Parents' satisfaction was greater in Groups D and M than in Group C (p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine and magnesium sulfate added to IP bupivacaine improved the analgesia afforded by bupivacaine in the first two postoperative days in children scheduled for laparoscopic herniorrhaphy.

An Audit of Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive Surgeries in Children: Early Experience from a Tertiary Care Center in India.

Background: Over the last decade, a significant rise in pediatric robot-assisted minimally invasive surgeries has been observed. Apart from the urological surgeries in children, robot assistance for complex nonurological reconstructions is being explored increasingly. This study highlights our preliminary experience of robot-assisted minimally invasive surgeries in children. Materials and Methods: An ethical waiver was given by the Institute's Ethics Committee in view of the retrospective nature of the study and all procedures being performed as a part of the routine care. A retrospective analysis was done to include all the pediatric robot-assisted surgeries performed at our hospital over a 4-year period (January 2017-January 2021). The surgeries were categorized based on the involved organ system and the total study duration was divided into four 12-month time periods. A comparison of the total number of surgeries done in each time period was also done. A log of the surgeon's console duration for each surgery was also kept. Results: A total of 65 patients, with the majority (50/65; 77%) undergoing reconstructive surgeries for anomalies within the genitourinary system, were included. Almost two-thirds of the total surgeries were technically complex. The number of procedures performed during the four 12-month time periods was 18, 18, 15, and 14. The average (range) surgeon's console time was 95 minutes (45-327 minutes) and showed a progressive improvement with the passage of time. Only 1 patient required conversion to an open approach, and none had major complications during the postoperative period. Conclusion: Our early experience of robot-assisted minimally invasive surgeries in children reaffirms its safety and feasibility in complex reconstructive surgeries. It also highlights the advantages of robot assistance in smaller children with nonurological anomalies.

Conjoined twins: A report of four cases.

BACKGROUND: Conjoined twin is a rarely seen congenital anomaly associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The most common types of conjoined twins are thoracopagus. Conjoined twins are either symmetrical twins or asymmetrical or heteropagus. This report records the successful separation of 2 cases of asymmetrical twins and one symmetrical twin with fused livers and diaphragm and communicating peritoneal cavities. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study amended and strictly followed the ethical guidelines of the Helsinki declaration, our study included 4 case reports on conjoined twins (CT), 2 male and three female patients; 3 of them were parasitic and one was conjoined. We operated upon 2 parasitics and one conjoined. The 1st case died preoperatively. RESULTS: Four living children is our result. CONCLUSION: As connections between the bowel and bone of the parasite and the respective organs in the autosite are often absent, the parasite could be excised easily without any effect on the autosite. We recommend the separation of the parasite and the autosite as early as possible. In many cases, surgery results in the death of one or both of the conjoined twins, particularly if they are joined at the head or share a vital organ. Our separated twins are yet the youngest living separated twins. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03388684.