Laparoscopic treatment for median arcuate ligament syndrome in children: A case report

In median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS), the median arcuate ligament compresses the celiac trunk and surrounding nerves leading to chronic functional abdominal pain and vague gastrointestinal symptoms. MALS can be effectively treated by dividing the arcuate ligament through open surgery or laparoscopy. This is a rare vascular condition and mostly encountered in adult patients. We hereby report a case of a pediatric patient diagnosed with MALS and treated successfully by laparoscopic approach. An 11-year-old girl presented with severe abdominal cramps for 3 months, accompanied by nonbilious vomiting. Computed tomography (CT) angiography demonstrated clear images of celiac trunk compression suggesting MALS. Laparoscopic surgery to cut the ligament and decompress the celiac artery was performed. The patient was discharged on day 7 postoperative with no recurrence of symptoms after 12 months of follow-up. This report suggested the diagnostic value of CT scan, and the safety and the feasibility of laparoscopic surgical techniques to treat MALS in children.

Gallbladder perforation following trauma in an 18-month-old child with a common bile duct cyst

Gallbladder rupture caused by blunt abdominal trauma is an uncommon injury, particularly in children. This condition occurs even less frequently in children with common bile duct cysts. The history is difficult to obtain, the clinical symptoms are indistinct, and their assessment is obscured by a slew of other lesions. Radiography cannot produce clear images. Thus, the diagnosis is frequently delayed and confirmed only during surgery. Case reports of gallbladder injury after abdominal trauma are relatively rare and there are only 50 case reports in literature for 100 years. Herein, we present the case of an 18-month-old girl who had a ruptured gallbladder funnel due to blunt abdominal trauma caused by domestic violence, with an early clinical presentation of septic shock and chylous effusion. The patient underwent surgery after being diagnosed with chylous ascites that had not responded to medical treatment. Based on the findings, single-stage laparoscopic surgery is confirmed to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of gallbladder injury in the presence of a common bile duct cyst.

Post-traumatic intrahepatic pseudoaneurysm: A case of successful conservative treatment

Although post-traumatic intrahepatic pseudoaneurysms are rare in adults and even more uncommon in children, this serious complication can result in life-threatening bleeding. Most case studies have recommended surgical or endovascular interventions for preventing rupture or managing the bleeding from a ruptured intrahepatic pseudoaneurysm. Some studies also reported pseudoaneurysms could resolve without intervention and advised conservative therapy. In this case study, we describe a 19-month-old boy diagnosed with an intrahepatic pseudoaneurysm, upper gastrointestinal bleeding from the biliary tract, and hematoma infection. The patient received successful conservative treatment. After 36 days, the patient was discharged without signs of gastrointestinal bleeding and the steady shrinkage of the hematoma surrounding the pseudoaneurysm. The pseudoaneurysm and hematoma vanished at follow-up 18 months after the trauma. Conservative treatment may be considered a viable option, particularly for cases of post-traumatic intrahepatic pseudoaneurysms in children.