Life on the farm-children at risk.

BACKGROUND: More than 1 million children live, play, and work on farms, surrounded by animals and machinery. This symbiotic relationship between work and home exposes children to unique risks. METHODS: Children presenting with a farm-related injury (November 1994 to August 2001, 82 months) were included. Trauma registry parameters included injury severity score (ISS); Glascow Coma Scale (GCS); time to presentation; season and day of injury; emergency room, intensive care unit, and total length of stay type; and mechanism of injury; and operations. RESULTS: A total of 1,832 pediatric trauma patients were evaluated. Ninety-four children were identified with farm-related injuries. Mean age was 10.75 years. Mean ISS was 7.38. Three children died. Four children wore protective equipment. Forty-four percent of injuries occurred during summer, 31% during spring, and 55% on weekends. Average time to initial presentation was 39 minutes. A total of 177 minutes elapsed before transfer to regional trauma center. Seventy-two children required admission. LOS was 0 to 28 days, mean, 2.76 days. Twenty-six children (28%) required operations. Injuries included dislocations/fractures (52%), lacerations/avulsions (38%), concussions (31%), contusions (30%), and burns (14%). Mechanism included animals (41%), falls (34%), motor vehicles (28%), all-terrain vehicles (20%), and firearms (4%). CONCLUSIONS: Farm injuries occur most commonly during weekends, summer, and spring months, resulting in significant morbidity. Most injuries required hospitalization. Unless unstable, initial transfer to a regional pediatric trauma center should result in the most cost-effective, prompt, and highest quality of care.

Pancreatic trauma: an unusual soccer injury.

We report a case of pancreatic duct laceration and acute pancreatitis resulting from blunt abdominal trauma sustained in a youth soccer match. Since this sports injury is unusual, a brief discussion of soccer injuries and of the management of pancreatic trauma in childhood is provided.

Should laparoscopic appendectomy be avoided for complicated appendicitis in children?

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Laparoscopic appendectomy is becoming the preferred technique for treating acute appendicitis. However, recent literature on adults suggests that laparoscopic appendectomy may increase the risk for postoperative infectious complications in complicated (gangrenous or perforated) cases. This study was undertaken to compare the results of open versus laparoscopic appendectomy for complicated appendicitis in children. METHODS: A retrospective review from two institutions was performed for all children treated operatively for complicated appendicitis from January 1994 through November 1996. RESULTS: Fifty-six cases were identified. Twenty-seven children underwent laparoscopic appendectomy, whereas 22 underwent open appendectomy. Seven children underwent conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery. Operating times and length of hospital stay did not differ significantly between the laparoscopic and open groups. Postoperative complications developed in 24 children (42.8%). Complications were more frequent after laparoscopic appendectomy compared with open appendectomy (56% v 18%, P = .002). A postoperative intraabdominal abscess (IAA) developed in 14 children (25%). An IAA occurred in two children after open appendectomy compared with 11 children after laparoscopic appendectomy (9% v 41%, P = .01). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that laparoscopic appendectomy should be avoided in children who have complicated appendicitis because of the increased risk for postoperative intraabdominal abscesses. The authors propose a prospective, randomized trial to verify this finding.

A prospective randomized trial comparing open versus laparoscopic appendectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The authors determined whether there was an advantage to laparoscopic appendectomy when compared with open appendectomy. SUMMARY/BACKGROUND DATA: The advantages of laparoscopic appendectomy versus open appendectomy were questioned because the recovery from open appendectomy is brief. METHODS: From January 15, 1992 through January 15, 1993, 75 patients older than 9 years were entered into a study randomizing the choice of operation to either the open or the laparoscopic technique. Statistical comparisons were performed using the Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were assigned to the open appendectomy group and 38 patients were assigned to the laparoscopic appendectomy group. Two patients were converted intraoperatively from laparoscopic appendectomies to open procedures. Thirty-one patients (81%) in the open group had acute appendicitis, as did 32 patients (84%) in the laparoscopic group. Mean duration of surgery was 65 minutes for open appendectomy and 87 minutes for laparoscopic appendectomy (p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in length of hospitalization, interval until resumption of a regular diet, or morbidity. Duration of both parenteral and oral analgesic use favored laparoscopic appendectomy (2.0 days versus 1.2 days, and 8.0 days versus 5.4 days, p < 0.05). All patients were instructed to return to full activities by 2 weeks postoperatively. This occurred at an average of 25 days for the open appendectomy group versus 14 days for the laparoscopic appendectomy group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomies have a shorter duration of analgesic use and return to full activities sooner postoperatively when compared with patients who underwent open appendectomies. The authors consider laparoscopic appendectomy to be the procedure of choice in patients with acute appendicitis.

Combined laparoscopic and endoscopic management of cholelithiasis and choledocholithiasis.

With the advent of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, optimal management of common duct stones remains controversial. Seven hundred six patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in our institution from January 1990 through January 1992. From this group of patients, 50 were identified as having clinical or radiographic evidence of common duct stones. Thirty-one patients demonstrated preoperative risk factors for common duct stones and underwent preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The risk factors included jaundice (19%), pancreatitis (23%), elevated liver function tests (52%), and ultrasound evidence of choledocholithiasis (6%). Preoperative ERCP was performed in 94% of patients. There were two failures due to periampullary diverticula. Common duct stones were identified in 18 patients (62%) and successfully removed by endoscopic sphincterotomy in all of these patients. Nineteen patients were found to have unsuspected common duct stones on intraoperative cholangiography. Eighteen patients (95%) underwent successful ERCP and endoscopic sphincterotomy with stone extraction. Overall, major morbidity was 2% and included one patient who experienced endoscopic sphincteroplasty. The three endoscopic failures were managed by open common duct exploration, laparoscopic duct exploration, and combined laparoscopic and open common duct exploration. We conclude that combined laparoscopic and endoscopic therapy is a viable option for the management of cholelithiasis with choledocholithiasis.

What are the contraindications for laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Acute cholecystitis, morbid obesity, and previous upper abdominal surgery have been reported as relative contraindications to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. An analysis of 706 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed at our institution was undertaken to determine if these relative contraindications led to increased morbidity, an increased rate of conversion to the open technique, or longer operating time. One hundred ninety-seven patients demonstrated one or more relative contraindications to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Morbidity was not increased in patients with these risk factors, but conversion to open cholecystectomy was required in a greater percentage of patients with acute cholecystitis. We favor an attempt at laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with these risk factors; however, they should be counseled as to the increased risk of conversion to open cholecystectomy in the presence of acute cholecystitis.

Endoscopic laser ablation of obstructing congenital duodenal webs in the newborn: a case report of limited success with criteria for patient selection.

Standard approaches to intrinsic obstructing duodenal lesions in the newborn include laparotomy with enteroenterostomy, bypassing the obstruction, or duoduodenotomy with excision. The advent of improved pediatric flexible fiberoptic endoscopes and fiberoptic laser technology makes endoscopic ablation of duodenal webs and windsocks in the newborn possible.

Neurenteric cyst: surgery and diagnostic imaging.

Neurenteric cysts are rare, with fewer than 30 cases noted in the literature. We report the case of a newborn infant with respiratory distress caused by a large neurenteric cyst that was identified by prenatal ultrasound. Treatment consisted of excision of the mass through a right posterolateral thoracotomy. The cyst adhered to the spine at the level of the first thoracic vertebra and communicated with the jejunum through a posterior diaphragmatic defect. Postoperative studies with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) disclosed an anterior meningocele and tethering of the spinal column. This is the second reported case of a neurenteric cyst demonstrated by prenatal ultrasound. The presence of an intrathoracic cyst associated with spinal abnormalities is characteristic of this anomaly. With imaging techniques such as MRI and CT, we may detect residual intraspinal disease associated with neurenteric cysts.

Malignant melanoma in children: its management and prognosis.

Malignant melanoma is rare in children, representing 1% to 3% of all pediatric malignancies. Thirty-three children with malignant melanoma were treated at St Jude Children's Research Hospital from 1967 to 1988. Their ages ranged from 1 day to 20 years (median, 12 years); 23 were boys and 10 were girls; and 5 of the 33 (15%) were black. Four of the 33 children had been treated for a previous malignancy. In 3, melanoma arose within a bathing trunk nevus. The extremity was the most common site (13), followed by the trunk (9), head and neck (7), and perineum (1). In 3 patients the primary site could not be determined. Upon initial presentation to St Jude Hospital, 17 patients had localized disease (stage I), 10 had regional node involvement (stage II), and the remaining 6 patients had disseminated disease (stage III). Using both Clark's level and Breslow's thickness as indicators, the incidence, initial stage, prognosis, and survival were compared. By Clark's level, 7 patients, (6 of whom were stage I) were level II or III, and 22 patients were level IV or V. Though 16 of 22 level IV and V patients were initially stage I, 10 patients eventually developed progressive disease. Similar observations were noted when using Breslow's thickness to evaluate the primary. In 5 of 27 evaluable patients, Breslow's depth of invasion was less than 1.5 mm. All 5 of these patients were diagnosed with stage I disease and have not shown progressive disease.

Fatal refractory hyperkalemia due to tumor lysis during primary resection for hepatoblastoma.

Infants with large, rapidly growing tumors of the liver who exhibit preoperative signs of tumor necrosis (elevated uric acid or K+), having received no prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy, may be at risk for acute hyperkalemia during operative manipulation of the mass. In these patients, consideration should be given to careful monitoring of serum potassium throughout operative manipulation; cardiopulmonary bypass, to protect the heart from acute hyperkalemia; or to primary biopsy of the tumor with resection planned after chemotherapy. A case of fatal refractory hyperkalemia due to tumor lysis during a trisegmentectomy for hepatoblastoma in a 7-month-old girl who presented with a large, rapidly growing tumor and hyperuricemia is described.

Abdominal wall defect with liver appendage.

We present an unusual case in which an appendage of the liver was the only herniated organ through a small defect on the left lower quadrant of the abdominal wall. To our knowledge this is the first case reported with this malformation.