Pediatr Ann
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Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of emergent surgery in children. Historically, surgical dogma dictated emergent appendectomy due to concern for impending perforation. Recently, however, there has been a paradigm shift in both the understanding of its pathophysiology as well as its treatment to more nonoperative management. ⋯ Rather, uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis are now considered two distinct pathophysiologic entities. This change requires not only educating the patients and their families but also the general practitioners who will be managing treatment expectations and caring for patients long term. In this article, we review the pathophysiology of appendicitis, including the differentiation between uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis, as well as the new treatment paradigms. [Pediatr Ann. 2016;45(7):e235-e240.].
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Nursemaid's elbow and elbow fractures are both common causes of acute elbow pain, but the mechanism of injury is quite different. In children, falls frequently go unwitnessed and children are often inaccurate when recounting the sequences of a fall, making the mechanism difficult to ascertain. A common clinical mistake is to treat all elbow injuries as a nursemaid's elbow. ⋯ Occult fractures, also known as "hairline" elbow fractures, may not be visible on initial X-rays, but clues to the diagnosis, especially the posterior fat pad, can be helpful in evaluation. When an occult fracture is suspected based on history and radiographic findings, the patient's elbow should be immobilized, not manipulated. This article also reviews successful reduction maneuvers for nursemaid's elbow. [Pediatr Ann. 2016;45(6):e214-e217.].
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A 13-year-old boy with a strong family history of hereditary pancreatitis was found to have a PRSS1 mutation after being tested at age 5 years during his first documented incident of pancreatitis. Since then, a multidisciplinary team has been treating him for the diagnosis of hereditary pancreatitis. ⋯ He is now pain free and does not require any insulin. This leads us to the questions of what is hereditary pancreatitis and how is it diagnosed? What are the management and follow-up strategies needed for these patients? This article addresses these questions and informs the reader about this diagnosis and the importance of having a high index of clinical suspicion.
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Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) or sudden cardiac death (SCD) in children and adolescents is a devastating event. Although the true incidence is unclear, the etiologies are not. Strategies for prevention include both primary as well as secondary prevention strategies, and these strategies are not mutually exclusive. ⋯ It is critically important to promote and advocate for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) education for everyone, including all students prior to graduation from high school. CPR and AEDs save the lives of children, adolescents, and adults. A society that is able and willing to perform CPR will result in an increase in the incidence of lay-rescuer CPR and will undoubtedly save more lives.