Congenital eventration of the diaphragm in children: 25 years' experience in three pediatric surgery centers

Eventration of the diaphragm is generally defined as an abnormal elevation of all or a portion of an attenuated but otherwise intact diaphragmatic leaf. Previous studies have indicated that eventration is a relatively rare condition, which can be symptomatic and requires surgery. We aimed to evaluate our patients with diaphragmatic eventration, and to discuss their characteristics in the light of the relevant literature. We retrospectively analyzed age, sex, incidence, location of the eventration, symptoms, associated anomalies, surgical technique, complications and survival in our patients. Between 1974 and 1999, 33 patients were treated in the Pediatric Surgery Departments of Ege University, SSK Children's Hospital and Behçet Uz Children's Hospital, 18 of them boys and 15 girls. The ages of our patients ranged from three days to 12 years. All of the patients had at least one of the respiratory symptoms such as cough, respiratory distress and fever; 3 newborns were admitted with severe respiratory distress while children belonging to higher age groups had symptoms of acute or recurrent pulmonary infections and failure to thrive. The eventration was right-sided in 22, 11 eventrations were left-sided. Diagnosis was performed with the help of a number of radiological studies such as fluoroscopic investigation, contrast study of the upper gastrointestinal system, direct X-ray graphies of the thorax, CT scan and ultrasonography, as necessary. Surgery was performed via thoracotomy in 20 patients and the 12 other patients underwent laparotomy for plication. One patient underwent thoracoabdominal plication. Two patients died because of cardio-respiratory complications in the early postoperative period and the rest of them survived to annual follow-ups. In conclusion, diaphragmatic eventration is an important condition which can eventually be mortal. Early diagnosis is necessary and plication is the treatment of choice.

Askin tumors in children: a report of four cases

Primary malignant tumors of the chest are rare in the pediatric age group. Askin tumor belongs to the peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor family, and typically involves the periosteum, soft tissue and extrapulmonary tissue of the thoracic wall. We report our ten years experience with four cases of this rare tumor.

Is resolution of vesicoureteric reflux by conservative management predictable in patients with myelodysplasia?

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the probable factors that might predict the outcome of conservative management of vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) in myelodysplastic patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective review of 24 children with VUR secondary to neurogenic bladder (15 girls and 9 boys, age range 1-18 years) out of 75 myelodysplasia patients between 1994 and 1996 was made. Patients were grouped according to their response to conservative management: Group I: patients with their VUR resolved or downgraded (n = 15), and group II: patients with their VUR unchanged or increased (n = 9). The following parameters were compared between the two groups: age, sex, VUR grade and laterality, urodynamic parameters (bladder capacity, compliance, leak point pressure), type of bladder neuropathy, accompanying neuropathology (walking problem, anal incontinence).

RESULTS

Most of the parameters studied failed to predict the outcome of conservative management of VUR in patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction. Higher grades of VUR if bilateral seem to benefit more from conservative management than lower grades do. Conservative management appears to be more effective in hyperreflexic bladders than areflexic bladders in terms of VUR resolution.

CONCLUSION

Although prediction of patients resistant to conservative management of VUR could save myelodysplastic children from prolonged risk of renal damage, current methods of evaluation are of very little help in this aspect.

The effect of suturing technique and material on complication rate following hypospadias repair

Ninety-seven children with distal hypospadias were treated surgically using perimeatal-based flap urethroplasty (Mathieu procedure) in a two and a half years period. A review of the medical records revealed two distinct groups of patients according to the suturing type and suture material. In the first group of 36 patients (group I), neourethra was constructed using 6/0 polyglactine (Vicryl) in a single layer, full-thickness, uninterrupted fashion. Skin flaps were approximated using interrupted simple 5/0 polyglactine (Vicryl) sutures. In the second group of 61 patients (group II), 7/0 polydioxanone (PDS) was used in the urethral anastomosis performed in a subcuticular, uninterrupted fashion. The skin flaps were closed using interrupted simple 5/0 rapidly absorbable polyglactine (Rapid Vicryl) sutures. Patients were followed-up from 6 to 12 months. Urethral or meatal stenosis was not observed in any patient. There was no infectious complication. Urethrocutaneous fistula rate was significantly higher in group I (16.6%) compared to group II (4.9%) (p < 0.01). Complication rate following hypospadias repair can be reduced by the use of a subcutaneous suture technique utilizing polydioxanone suture material in urethroplasties.