Journal of pediatric urology
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The Emergency Department (ED) is being increasingly utilized as a pathway for management of acute conditions such as the urinary tract infections (UTIs). ⋯ In children presenting to the ED with a primary diagnosis of UTI, total ED charges are increasing at an alarming rate not commensurate with the increase in overall ED visits. While the preponderance of children presenting to the ED for UTI are treated and discharged, 4.7% of patients were admitted to the hospital for further management. The strongest predictors of inpatient admission were pyelonephritis, younger age, male gender, higher comorbidity status, and concurrent hydronephrosis, stone disease, or sepsis. Managing these at-risk patients more aggressively in the outpatient setting may prevent unnecessary ED visits and subsequent hospitalizations, and reduce associated healthcare costs.
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Comparative Study
Adenotonsillectomy improves quality of life in children with sleep-disordered breathing regardless of nocturnal enuresis outcome.
Nocturnal enuresis (NE) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) have both been associated with impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The following were investigated: (1) whether tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy (T&A) significantly affect the HRQoL in children with NE and SDB, and 2) differences in HRQoL between children with NE persistence versus resolution post-T&A. ⋯ T&A significantly improved HRQoL in all children with SDB and NE, regardless of NE outcomes. These findings support recommendations for T&A in children with SDB with or without NE.
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The clinical tests currently in use for obstructive nephropathy (such as renal ultrasonography, differential radionuclide renal scans and urinary creatinine concentration data) are not efficient predictors of the subsequent clinical course. Novel and simple biomarkers are required which, if proven, could be clinically beneficial in determining if a patient is eligible for surgery or reno-protective therapy. More recently, the interest of clinicians has focused on the potential of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL), urinary kidney injury molecule-1 (uKIM-1) and urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding proteins (uL-FABP) as biomarkers for renal function in children with hydronephrosis (HN). ⋯ The study clearly demonstrated that pediatric patients with hydronephrosis and dysfunction had significantly higher uNGAL to creatinine concentrations as compared with controls.
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Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is being utilized more frequently as a surgical technique in general surgery and in paediatric urology. It is associated with a steep learning curve. Currently, the centre does not offer a MIS training programme. It is hypothesized that the number of MIS procedures performed in the low-volume specialty of paediatric urology will offer insufficient training potential for surgeons. ⋯ Even in a high-volume, paediatric urology educational centre, the number of major MIS procedures performed remains relatively low, leading to limited training potential.
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Comparative Study
A comparison of outcomes after percutaneous nephrolithotomy in children and adults: a matched cohort study.
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has surpassed open stone surgery as the operation of choice for large and complex stone burdens (figure). Although the procedure was developed in adults, its principles have been extrapolated to children. There is a paucity of literature comparing outcomes of PCNL in adults and children for similar stone burdens. ⋯ Although principles of PCNL were developed in adults, this study affirms the safety and efficacy of PCNL in both pediatric and adult patients.