Management of pediatric pleural empyema: a national survey of pediatric surgeons in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To identify how pediatric surgeons manage children with pneumonia and parapneumonic pleural effusion in Brazil. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey with 27 questions was applied to pediatric surgeons in Brazil through the Brazilian Association of Pediatric Surgery. The questionnaire had questions about type of treatment, exams, hospital structure, and epidemiological data. RESULTS: A total of 131 respondents completed the questionnaire. The mean age of respondents was 44 ± 11 years, and more than half (51%) had been practicing pediatric surgery for more than 10 years. The majority of respondents (33.6%) reported performing chest drainage and fibrinolysis when facing a case of fibrinopurulent parapneumonic pleural effusion. A preference for video-assisted thoracic surgery instead of chest drainage plus fibrinolysis was noted only in the Northeast region. CONCLUSIONS: Chest drainage plus fibrinolysis was the treatment adopted by most of the respondents in this Brazilian sample. There was a preference for large drains; in contrast, smaller drains were preferred by those who perform chest drainage plus fibrinolysis. Respondents would rather change treatment when facing treatment failure or in critically ill children.

Management of pediatric pleural empyema: a national survey of pediatric surgeons in Brazil

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify how pediatric surgeons manage children with pneumonia and parapneumonic pleural effusion in Brazil. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey with 27 questions was applied to pediatric surgeons in Brazil through the Brazilian Association of Pediatric Surgery. The questionnaire had questions about type of treatment, exams, hospital structure, and epidemiological data. Results: A total of 131 respondents completed the questionnaire. The mean age of respondents was 44 ± 11 years, and more than half (51%) had been practicing pediatric surgery for more than 10 years. The majority of respondents (33.6%) reported performing chest drainage and fibrinolysis when facing a case of fibrinopurulent parapneumonic pleural effusion. A preference for video-assisted thoracic surgery instead of chest drainage plus fibrinolysis was noted only in the Northeast region. Conclusions: Chest drainage plus fibrinolysis was the treatment adopted by most of the respondents in this Brazilian sample. There was a preference for large drains; in contrast, smaller drains were preferred by those who perform chest drainage plus fibrinolysis. Respondents would rather change treatment when facing treatment failure or in critically ill children.

Uso de matriz de regeneração dérmica em pacientes vítimas de queimaduras em hospital infantil de referência de Santa Catarina: nove anos de experiência / The use of dermal regenerate templates in burned patients in a reference children’s hospital of Santa Catarina: nine years of experience

Objetivo: Análise da utilização da matriz de regeneração dérmica (MRD) no tratamento de queimaduras em fase aguda e sequelas, em crianças atendidas no serviço de Cirurgia Pediátrica do Hospital Infantil Joana de Gusmão (HIJG), e avaliação dos resultados estéticos e funcionais com a Escala Cicatricial de Vancouver (ECV). Método: Foram analisados todos os prontuários de crianças submetidas ao implante de MRD, no período de janeiro de 2002 a dezembro de 2010, totalizando 76 casos. No pós-operatório mínimo de um ano, os pacientes retornaram ao ambulatório de queimados do HIJG para avaliação dos resultados funcionais e estéticos. Resultados: A idade escolar (39,47%) e o sexo masculino (57,89%) predominaram. O álcool foi o agente agressor mais frequente (31,58%). A média da superfície corpórea queimada foi de 32,31%, prevalecendo queimaduras de espessura total (67,11%). As complicações iniciais mais comuns após o implante da MRD foram hematomas (23,68%) e infecções (15,16%), com média de pega da matriz de 91,56%. Dentre as complicações mais frequentes após o autoenxerto epidérmico, destacam-se infecções (10,67%), epidermólise e deslocamento (ambos com 8%). O enxerto dérmico alcançou a média de pega de 87,61%. Conclusões: Os resultados obtidos foram excelentes em 45,07% dos pacientes, com escore médio da ECV de 2 pontos, o que assegura a eficácia da MRD no tratamento de queimados.

Purpose: To analyze the use of dermal regenerate templates (DRT) in the treatment of acute burns and sequelae in the Children’s Hospital Joana de Gusmão and evaluate the functional and aesthetic results according to the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS). Methods: The medical files of all children submitted to DRT application from January 2002 to December 2010 were accessed, in a total of 76 cases. At least one year after the procedure, the patients returned to the hospital, to evaluate the functional and aesthetic results. Results: Most of the patients were scholars (39.47%), males (57.89%), and the liquid alcohol is the major cause of burn (31.58%). The mean total burn surface area was 32.31% and the full-thickness burns (67.11%) were the most implicated. The main complications after DRT application were hematomas (23.68%) and infections (15.16%), resulting in a mean take rate of DRT of 91.56%. Regarding the epidermal auto graft, the associated complications are infections (10.67%), epidermolysis and displacement (both with 8%). The epidermal graft achieved the average take rate of 87.61%. Conclusions: Excellent results were obtained in 45.07%, and VSS average score was 2, which reassure the efficacy of DRT on burns treatment.