Journal of pediatric surgery
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Comparative Study
Pectus excavatum repair: experience with standard and minimal invasive techniques.
The Nuss procedure is a minimally invasive pectus repair that helps avoid cartilage resection and osteotomy. This report compares outcomes in patients undergoing a standard pectus repair to patients with the Nuss procedure. ⋯ Although the Nuss repair is associated with shorter operating time, smaller incisions, and less dissection, early results indicate few other advantages. Drawbacks of the Nuss procedure include high complication and reoperation rates and lack of efficacy in older teenagers and those with connective tissue disorders. Long-term follow-up will be necessary to determine final cosmetic and functional outcomes and define the overall risks and benefits of this procedure as compared with the standard technique.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of ultrasonography in the routine management of children with suspected appendicitis in a children's hospital. ⋯ Ultrasound scan improves diagnostic accuracy in children with suspected appendicitis. The high negative predictive value of ultrasound scan, especially when used repeatedly, may reduce the need for admission to hospital for clinical observation to rule out appendicitis.
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Injuries to the pancreas from blunt abdominal trauma in children are rare. Most are minor and are best treated conservatively. The mainstay for treatment of major ductal injuries has been prompt surgical resection. Diagnostic imaging modalities are the key to the accurate classification of these injuries and planning appropriate treatment. Computed tomography (CT) scan has been the major imaging modality in blunt abdominal trauma for children, but has shortcomings in the diagnosis of pancreatic ductal injury. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has been shown recently to be superior in diagnostic accuracy. The therapeutic placement of stents in the trauma setting has not been described in children. ⋯ Acute ERCP should be the imaging modality of choice in suspected major pancreatic ductal injury. Successful treatment by placement of an intrapancreatic ductal stent may be possible at the same time. Surgical resection or reconstruction can then be reserved for cases in which stenting is impossible or fails.
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Pediatric cervical spine injuries are uncommon. Most previous studies have been hampered by the small number of patients available for evaluation. The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence and characteristics of pediatric cervical spine injury utilizing a multiinstitutional pediatric trauma database, and to assess the impact of age and level of spine injury on mortality rate. ⋯ From this, the largest experience with pediatric cervical spine injury, several conclusions can be drawn. (1) Cervical spine injury occurs in 1.5% of injured children. (2) Upper cervical spine injuries are not limited to younger children but are equally prevalent in both age groups. (3) Associated mortality rate is nearly 6-fold higher in patients with upper cervical injury. (4) Seventeen percent of children with cervical spine trauma show no radiologic anomaly, yet 50% of children with cervical spinal cord injury have no initial radiologic abnormalities. (5) Of those in whom cervical spine injury is associated with a neurologic deficit, the deficit is complete in 24% of children.
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The Marmara earthquake, which destroyed more than 150,000 buildings and caused 15,000 deaths and 40,000 casualties, resembled the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in many respects. Previous reports from similar disasters from several centres have not addressed trauma in the pediatric age group. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and laboratory data of pediatric trauma patients referred to a tertiary center after the 1999 Marmara earthquake. ⋯ CI and CS were the most common entities encountered among our pediatric patients after the 1999 Marmara earthquake. The high incidence of ARF indicates the importance of medical management of this age group during rescue. Because neither laboratory data nor clinical findings predicted CS in our patients, we recommend close observation and monitoring of children with CI for the development of ARF.