Rare laryngotracheobronchial anomalies in children: a retrospective study of 249 bronchoscopic cases in a single center.

Background: Laryngotracheobronchial anomalies in children are rare, and their clinical manifestations are diverse. In this study, we report the clinical aspects and prevalence rates of tracheal bronchus (TB) and congenital subglottic stenosis (CSS) in a select group of patients at our institution and briefly review and discuss the literature to draw attention to these rare anomalies. Case series: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 249 children for whom senior surgeons performed rigid bronchoscopy for suspected or confirmed food choking or foreign body aspiration in children between August 2013 and January 2020. Bronchoscopic findings and demographics of the patients with laryngotracheobronchial anomalies were documented. Four among the 249 patients (1.6 %) had right-sided TB (two males aged 24 and 42 months and two females aged 14 and 60 months), while three (1.2 %) had grade 1 CSS (one male aged eight months and two females aged 11 and 13 months). There was no previous history of endotracheal intubation for any subglottic stenosis (SS), though all three patients were admitted with sudden onset of respiratory difficulty. One of the TB cases had congenital cardiac anomalies, and two were symptomatic before their admission to the emergency department. Conclusions: The prevalence of CSS and TB in the healthy population is low. Physicians dealing with the pediatric airways should consider such anomalies for prompt diagnosis, proper instrumentation, management, and follow-up of these cases. Our data also correlate with previous data, indicating that these anomalies' prevalence rates have not increased during the last few decades. HIPPOKRATIA 2023, 27(2):59-63.

Is Laparoscopy for Non-palpable Testes a Well-known Entity?

ABSTRACT Objective: Laparoscopy has been accepted as the best diagnostic tool and suggested as the treatment of choice for non-palpable testes cases. However, its use in unilateral non-palpable testis cases has been previously debated. Methods: The clinical records of the non-palpable testis cases that were managed with laparoscopy between January 2011 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Laparoscopy was performed in 29 non-palpable testis cases. The cases were divided into three groups according to the laparoscopic findings. Orchiopexy was performed in cases with viable testes, and the internal inguinal ring was left open in these cases. Conclusion: Laparoscopy provided definitive diagnosis and was helpful in the treatment of unilateral, non-palpable testis cases. Leaving the internal inguinal ring open did not result in subsequent indirect inguinal hernia in our cases.

Is rigid endoscopy necessary with childhood corrosive ingestion? a retrospective comparative analysis of 458 cases.

The aim of this study was to determine the necessity of endoscopy in cases in which a corrosive substance was ingested and to find a practical way to avoid unnecessary endoscopies for similar cases in the future. The clinical records of 458 hospitalized cases with clinical histories of corrosive substance ingestion between January 2007 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. The demographics of the cases, the ingested substances, and the rigid endoscopy findings were evaluated. The three most commonly ingested corrosive agents were household bleach (22.9%), household degreaser (15.9%), and drain cleaner (13.1%). Rigid esophagoscopy was performed in 367 of the 458 cases. Corrosive agents were grouped according to their purpose of household use; eight groups were created. The degree of corrosive injury observed in the different groups was compared with the degree of injury caused by household bleach. Among the corrosive agent groups, dishwashing machine products (Gr.1), laundry products (Gr.2), liquid cleaners (Gr.3), and household bleach (Gr.4) did not cause high-grade injuries. The resulting injuries and esophagoscopy results among the above groups, whether symptomatic or not, did not differ from one another. Corrosive agents such as drain cleaner (Gr.6), household degreaser (Gr.7), and several other acidic products (Gr.8) caused high-grade injuries in the esophagus; however, lime remover/HCl (Gr.5) did not. Thus, hospitalization and rigid endoscopy seem unnecessary to assess esophageal injury in most cases, if the ingested corrosive agent fits into group 1, 2, 3, or 4 and if the patient can be easily fed. Esophagoscopy is useful to shorten the hospitalization times in cases where strong corrosive agents were ingested, such as those in groups 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Diagnostic value of hydrodistention of the ureteral orifice.

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: The dynamic hydrodistention (HD) classification is a basic and objective way of rating the ureteral orifice opening. This study evaluated the value of hydrodistention of the ureteral orifice in the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 2012 and March 2013 the HD grade in 106 ureters was prospectively assigned. A 9.5-Fr rigid cystoscope with a 0-degree lens was used in all procedures. Warm saline was used and the irrigation bag was placed approximately 1 m above the bladder level on full flow. The grading is as follows: H0 denotes absence of ureteral dilation; H1 indicates dilation of the ureteral orifice only; H2 allows visualization of the intramural ureter; and H3 allows visualization of the extramural ureter. Indications for cystoscopy were endoscopic and open surgical treatment of VUR, stent removal, and any other diagnostic reasons. Exclusion criteria were patients with: infravesical obstruction, neuropathic bladder, severe detrusor over activity/dysfunctional voiding, duplex system, paraureteral diverticulum, bladder exstrophy and grade-1 VUR. The 51 refluxing ureters (RUs) were compared with 55 non-refluxing ureters (NRUs). Finally, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy rate of HD were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 106 ureters in 61 patients with a mean age of 5.3 ± 3.9 years (range 2 months-15 years, median 5 years) were prospectively assigned. The mean HD grade in the RUs was 2.17 ± 0.55. The mean HD grades were 2.0 ± 0.63, 2.07 ± 0.53, 2.38 ± 0.5 and 2.5 ± 0.57 for VUR grades 2-5, respectively. The mean HD grade in the NRUs was 1.60 ± 0.70. The HD grades were H0 to H3 in 7.3%, 30.9%, 56.4% and 5.4% of the NRUs, respectively. The RUs group (2.17 ± 0.55) showed a statistically higher HD grade than the NRUs group (1.60 ± 0.70) (P < 0.005). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy rate of HD grading in the diagnosis of VUR were 92%, 38%, 58%, 84%, and 64%, respectively. The mean HD grade in contralateral ureters of unilateral VUR was 1.55 ± 0.72 and HD grades were H0-H3 in 0%, 55.6%, 33.3% and 11.1% of these nine ureters, respectively. In these nine non-refluxing contralateral ureters, after endoscopic correction of ipsilateral VUR, new contralateral VUR did not occur. CONCLUSION: Even though HD grade was high in the VUR group and popularity of the HD grading is on the increase, HD grading by itself still has a low diagnostic value.

Thoracoabdominal duplication symptomatic on both sides: a case report.

Thoracoabdominal foregut duplications account for less than 2% of all gastrointestinal duplications. Here, we report a case of thoracoabdominal duplication cyst in an eight-month old boy who presented with both respiratory and abdominal complaints. Excision of both thoracic and abdominal extensions of the thoracoabdominal duplications in the same session is an appropriate and safe option to prevent possible complications.

Extravesical approach in paraureteral bladder diverticulum: a case report.

Bladder diverticulaeare herniations of bladder mucosa through fibers of the detrusor muscle. We present the extravesical approach to a case of paraureteral bladder diverticulum in a six-year-old boy who had a history of recurrent urinary infection. In case of recurrent urinary complaints, the possibility of presence of a bladder diverticulum should be kept in mind. Voiding cystourethrogram is helpful for the differential diagnosis of the bladder diverticulum. Excision by extravesical approach of the paraureteral bladder diverticulum is a good choice.

Multiple and recurrent intestinal perforations: an unusual complication of Henoch-Schonlein purpura.

Intestinal perforation, intussusception, and infarction constitute the major surgical complications in Henoch-Schonlein purpura. Early corticosteroid treatment for intestinal complications is recommended. Here the authors describe the case of a 13-year-old boy with Henoch-Schonlein purpura who had multiple and recurrent perforations that occurred under corticosteroid treatment.