Pediatric surgery international
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Pediatr. Surg. Int. · Jul 2004
Review Case ReportsSevere esophageal damage due to button battery ingestion: can it be prevented?
Batteries represent less than 2% of foreign bodies ingested by children, but in the last 2 decades, the frequency has continuously increased. Most ingestions have an uneventful course, but those that lodge in the esophagus can lead to serious complications and even death. Medline was used to search the English medical literature, combining "button battery" and "esophageal burn" as keywords. ⋯ These data suggest that manufacturers should replace large batteries with smaller ones and thus eliminate most of the complications. When the battery remains in the esophagus, endoscopic examination and removal done urgently will allow assessment of the esophageal damage, and treatment can be tailored accordingly. There is a need for more public education about the dangers of battery ingestion; this information should be included as part of the routine guidelines for childproofing the home.
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Pediatr. Surg. Int. · Jul 2004
Comparative StudyIntrapleural fibrinolytic treatment of multiloculated pediatric empyemas.
Our objective was to compare the efficacy of adjunctive intrapleural fibrinolytic agents (IPFA) (streptokinase, urokinase) on fibrinopurulent stage empyema and chronic stage empyema in children. IPFA were used in 78 pediatric patients with empyema (36 fibrinopurulent stage empyemas, 42 chronic stage empyemas) between December 1994 and September 2002. Pleural biopsy was done for staging in all cases. ⋯ Although an invasive method, the pleural biopsy technique may be an alternative way of more properly staging thoracic empyema in selected children in whom staging based on radiographic and biochemical findings is doubtful. Intrapleural fibrinolytic treatment is an effective and safe therapy of choice and may have significant benefit in most children with fibrinopurulent phase empyema, except for those with bronchopleural fistula. IPFA do not seem to be effective in children with chronic phase empyema.
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Pediatr. Surg. Int. · Jul 2004
Treatment strategy when using intraoperative peritoneal lavage for perforated appendicitis in children: a preliminary report.
We attempt to quantify the amount of peritoneal irrigation required to significantly decrease the intraperitoneal bacteria in children with perforated appendicitis, as no ideal volume of peritoneal lavage has yet been determined. A series of 11 children who were operated on for peritonitis caused by perforated appendicitis were reviewed retrospectively. All children were treated with our treatment protocol that included intraoperative peritoneal lavage using a large volume of saline. ⋯ In contrast, 5.8+/-1.54 l/m2 of peritoneal lavage fluid was necessary to completely eradicate the intraperitoneal bacterial flora. The residual bacteria showed a greater decrease when lavage fluid in excess of 6 l/m2 was used. Although this is only a preliminary report, these findings could be used to justify a true prospective randomized trial in the future.
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Chest trauma in children is an indicator of injury severity and is associated with a high mortality rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of pulmonary contusion-laceration on short and long-term outcome of pediatric patients after blunt thoracic trauma. A retrospective analysis of records of 41 children aged 10 months to 17 years who were treated for pulmonary and associated injuries between 1986 and 2000 was done concerning mode of injury, types of injuries, management and outcome. ⋯ Patients from the MVA group suffered more frequently bilateral pulmonary lesions and needed more often chest tube placement ( p<0.05), 5 patients died (12%) all from the MVA group. The follow-up investigation of 34 patients showed unremarkable chest x-rays and normal lung function in all but 1 patient with bronchial asthma. In conclusion, children who recover after a pulmonary contusion-laceration trauma do not suffer from significant late respiratory problems.
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Pediatr. Surg. Int. · Apr 2004
Lung growth induced by prenatal instillation of perfluorocarbon into the fetal rabbit lung.
The study's aim was to evaluate whether prenatal instillation of perfluorooctylbromide (PFOB, a perfluorocarbon) into the lungs of fetal rabbits leads to increased lung growth. Hysteroamniotomy was performed in eight pregnant New Zealand white rabbits on gestational day 27. In each mother, four fetuses were randomized to undergo either 1) endotracheal intubation and intrapulmonary instillation of 1 ml PFOB, 2) intrapulmonary instillation of 1 ml 0.9% NaCl solution (saline), 3) no fetal manipulation (control), or 4) tracheal occlusion (TO). ⋯ We concluded that prenatal intrapulmonary PFOB instillation leads to increased lung growth in the late gestation rabbit model. Although PFOB instillation resulted in lower wet FLBW than TO, the increase in dry lung weight is comparable. This novel technique may be a less invasive and less noxious treatment strategy for pulmonary hypoplasia associated with diaphragmatic hernia.