Journal of pediatric surgery
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In order to determine the possible implication of elastin in spasticity of the aganglionic segment in Hirschsprung's disease the elastic fibers in the colon at rectosigmoid level were studied in seven surgical specimens of aganglionic bowel and in seven normal controls. Elastic fibers in both the muscle layers of normal bowel are thin, tend to be straight, and follow the line of muscle fasciculi. ⋯ The total elastin content is increased by approximately 100% as compared with controls. These structural and quantitative changes in the elastin may contribute both to the spasticity and to the increased elasticity of the aganglionic segment.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Intraoperative bupivacaine during outpatient hernia repair in children: a randomized double blind trial.
Postoperative pain is a major problem following surgery in the ambulatory child. A study was undertaken to test the effect of intraoperative bupivacaine on postoperative pain in children undergoing outpatient hernia repair. Ninety-nine children aged 1 to 7 years underwent outpatient inguinal herniorrhaphy under general anesthesia. ⋯ Activity level at home on the day of surgery did not differ significantly between groups, but activity level over the following 48 hours was higher in group 1 (P less than .05). The two groups were similar with respect to all other parameters. We conclude that intraoperative bupivacaine decreases post-operative pain and analgesic use, and promotes early ambulation in children undergoing hernia repair.
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Over a 3-year period patent ductus arterious (PDA) ligation was performed on a day-case transfer basis on 45 premature infants. The overall survival rate was 93%. We would recommend this practice as an alternative to surgery in the neonatal intensive care unit.
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Modern techniques available for the relief of pain following major surgical procedures or trauma in childhood receive scant attention in pediatric surgical textbooks. A range of options for pain relief have been offered to children in our hospital, which include: regional analgesia; appropriate use of intermittent intramuscular narcotic injections; and variable-rate intravenous narcotic infusions. Since 1982 regional analgesia has been used in more than 2,000 patients following operations on the penis and in the inguinoscrotal region. ⋯ Assessment of effective pain relief has been made on the basis of observation and comment by parents and patients and by medical and nursing staff. The steady increase in demand for the use of this technique is an index of its value. It is concluded that there is a real need to improve pain relief for children by better education of medical and nursing staff and inclusion of this important subject in pediatric surgical text books.