Pediatric surgery international
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Pediatr. Surg. Int. · Jul 2001
Clinical appraisal of Ascaris lumbricoides, with special reference to surgical complications.
Over a period of 4 years (January 1993-December 1997), 509 patients were treated for abdominal colic with or without intestinal obstruction and a history of passage of adult roundworms either in the stool or in vomitus. All patients were below the age of 10 years, the youngest 6 months old, and were treated successfully with antispasmodics and normal saline enemas. When the pain subsided, an anthelminthic drug was given. ⋯ Five patients died in the postoperative period due to various complications. There were no deaths among those treated by conservative management. Early recognition of the condition can prevent serious surgical complications and morbidity.
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Pediatr. Surg. Int. · Mar 2001
Pediatric renal transplantation: anesthesia and perioperative complications.
The appropriate choice of anesthesia for patients (pts) undergoing renal transplantation (Ktx) requires minimal toxicity and accurate monitoring for pts at high risk for metabolic, cardiovascular, and respiratory perioperative complications. We evaluated the anesthetic management and postoperative follow-up in pediatric Ktx performed in the last 12 years in our institution. From 1988 to 1999, 75 ASA class II-III pts (45 males, 22 females) younger than 18 years scheduled for Ktx were studied: 49 received a graft from a cadaveric donor (CD) and 26 from a living donor (LD). ⋯ Recent advances in surgery, anesthesia, immunosuppression, and antimicrobial prophylaxis have made Ktx a more predictable procedure even in pediatric pts. For high-risk pts, mortality and morbidity can be controlled by accurate surgical, anesthetic, and postoperative management. Pts younger than 12 years and with BW less than 25 kg are more likely to develop peri- and postoperative complications.
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We describe our experience using the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) in children to facilitate diagnostic procedures in fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB). Two cases of stridor, two cases of protracted pneumonia, and one case of laryngotracheomalacia were studied. Intravenous atropine (0.02 mg/kg) was given, and induction was carried out by either inhalation of a mixture of halothane-nitrous oxide-oxygen (n = 3) or IV injection of propofol (n = 2). ⋯ A 2.7-mm-OD flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope was introduced through the LMA and the diagnostic procedure was performed. Ventilation and oxygenation were maintained, and no serious morbidity was associated with the procedure. We found the use of the LMA to facilitate FOB to be useful, easy to perform, and safe, avoiding nasal trauma and providing a patent airway.
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To investigate the value of Doppler ultrasound scan (USS) assessment of internal jugular vein (IJV) patency after previous open central-venous cannulation (CVC), a prospective study of 66 consecutive children (median age 4.5 years; range 4 months-17 years) who had previously undergone open insertion of at least one indwelling IJV line and required further CVC for completion of therapy was undertaken. All underwent Doppler USS examination prior to surgery. Where patency of the previously cannulated vein was suggested ultrasonographically, the accuracy of this finding was confined at open surgical exploration. ⋯ Overall, successful recannulation was possible in 74.6% of all previously accessed veins. In children requiring repeated CVC, Doppler USS of neck veins is a valuable but not entirely reliable guide to the presence of underlying vessel patency and should be interpreted with caution. At least three-fourths of previously cannulated IJVs remain patent after catheter removal and can be reused for CVC.
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We review our experience and the literature in treating 4 patients with Wilms' tumor (WT) with intracardiac extension among 92 patients with this neoplasm. Cardiopulmonary bypass with circulatory arrest and profound hypothermia was used. There were 3 boys (3 years, 4 years 5 months, and 15 years) and 1 girl (6 years). ⋯ We propose that preoperative chemotherapy should be used, as it shrinks the thrombus and causes desirable adherence of the thrombus to the venous wall, reducing the probability of thromboembolism during the surgical procedure. We also find this method safer than in our 1st case, where neither cardiac arrest nor hypothermia was used. Our results agree with the literature that intracardiac extension of WT does not worsen its prognosis when a rational surgical approach is used.