Is pre-operative imaging of external angular dermoid cysts in children necessary?

AIM: To investigate the frequency and modality of pre-operative imaging in children with an external angular dermoid cyst and whether this influenced subsequent management. METHODS: A retrospective study was undertaken to assess the presentation, investigation, treatment and outcomes in children aged less than 16 years with an external angular dermoid cyst. All children who underwent external angular dermoid cyst excision between January 2008 and April 2021 at a regional children's hospital were analysed. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients (32 boys) were identified. Fifty-four were managed by paediatric surgeons and seven by ophthalmic surgeons. Pre-operative imaging was performed in 19 (31%) patients, including plain radiographs (3), ultrasound scan (14), computerised tomography scan (1), and magnetic resonance imaging scan (2). None of these investigations showed evidence of an intracranial or orbital extension of the cyst or changed management. All cysts were excised under day-case general anaesthesia. There was one minor postoperative complication and two recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: External angular dermoid cysts rarely communicate through the bone with the orbit or anterior cranial fossa. Routine pre-operative imaging is unnecessary unless there are clinical features such as an atypical location (e.g. temporal), eye signs (e.g. strabismus, proptosis and globe displacement) or a draining sinus.

The adequacy of fluoroscopic upper gastrointestinal studies for suspected intestinal volvulus in a tertiary care centre vs. secondary centres: A regional multicentre study.

INTRODUCTION: Early diagnosis and treatment of intestinal volvulus are important to reduce morbidity. A fluoroscopic upper GI study is the gold standard for diagnosis and may be performed in a secondary or tertiary care centre prior to surgery. It is important the reporting radiologist is confident in the findings. We aim to assess whether there is any difference in confidence and study quality between paediatric and general radiologists who work in secondary or tertiary care centres. METHODS: Retrospective review of initial radiology reports and blinded review of the study images by paediatric radiologists. RESULTS: A total of 277 children underwent a fluoroscopic study for intestinal volvulus over a four-year period. The majority were performed at a tertiary care centre, by paediatric radiologists. The confidence of initial reporting was higher in paediatric than general radiologists despite whether they worked in a secondary or tertiary care centre (P-value < 0.001). On retrospective review, studies performed by paediatric radiologists were rated as having a higher confidence in identifying the location of the duodenojejunal flexure. General radiologists tended to have a slightly higher rate of repeat studies but still low at 2.2%. Despite this, there was no significant difference in the diagnosis rates and secondary centre general radiologists excluded malrotation in 62% of studies likely reducing transfer rates. CONCLUSION: Confidence in initial reporting and on review of the duodenojejunal flexure location in suspected intestinal volvulus is higher in paediatric radiologists compared with general radiologists, although diagnosis rates are no different.

Radiographic skeletal survey for non-accidental injury: systematic review and development of a national New Zealand protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Clinically occult fractures from non-accidental injury (NAI) are best detected on radiographic skeletal survey. However, there are regional variations regarding the views included in such surveys. We undertook a systematic review of the evidence supporting skeletal survey protocols to design a protocol that could be implemented across New Zealand. METHODS: In June 2013, we searched Medline, Google Scholar, the Cochrane database, UpToDate and relevant reference lists for English-language publications on skeletal survey in NAI from 1946. We included publications that contained a protocol or reported evidence supporting including, or excluding, specific views in a skeletal survey. All included publications were critically appraised. Based on this systematic review, a draft protocol was developed and presented to an Australian and New Zealand Society for Paediatric Radiology NAI symposium in October 2013. Feedback from the symposium and later discussions was incorporated into the final protocol. RESULTS: We identified 2 guidelines for skeletal survey, 13 other protocols and 15 articles providing evidence for inclusion of specific images in a skeletal survey. The guidelines scored poorly on critical appraisal of several aspects of their methods. We found no studies that validate any of the protocols or compare their performance. Evidence supporting inclusion in a skeletal survey is limited to ribs, spine, pelvis, hands and feet, and long bone views. Our final protocol is a standardised, two-tiered protocol consisting of between 17 and 22 views. CONCLUSION: A standardised protocol for radiographic skeletal survey protocol has been developed in New Zealand. We present it here for consideration by others.

Neonatal hyperparathyroidism and pamidronate therapy in an extremely premature infant.

We describe the use of pamidronate to control marked hypercalcemia in an extremely premature infant with neonatal hyperparathyroidism that resulted from an inactivating mutation (R220W) of the calcium-sensing receptor. Despite improvement in bone mineralization and subsequent parathyroidectomy with normalization of the serum calcium level, the combination of chronic lung disease, osteomalacia, and poor thoracic cage growth ultimately proved fatal. Pamidronate therapy seems to be safe in the short-term and effective in helping control hypercalcemia even in the very premature infant, allowing for planned surgical intervention when it becomes feasible.