Relationship between preoperative nutritional status assessed using anthropometric measures and postoperative complications in pediatric surgical patients.

AIM: To determine the relationship between preoperative nutritional status assessed using anthropometric measures and postoperative complications in pediatric surgical patients. METHODOLOGY: This prospective observational cohort study included 650 patients from 6 months to 18 years undergoing elective surgery at our institution. Elective surgery included procedures such as herniotomy, orchidopexy, urethroplasty, cystoscopy, PUV fulguration, pyeloplasty, ureteric reimplantation, stoma formation/closure, anorectoplasty, pull-through, choledochal cyst excision and repair, VP shunt insertion, lipomyelomeningocele repair, diastematomyelia excision and repair, and cyst excision. Nutritional status was standardized using Z scores for weight, length, and BMI. Patients were monitored for a month following surgery to detect any complications, and they were classified into five grades using the Clavien-Dindo classification. The duration of hospital stays and readmission within 30 days following discharge were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: There were 627 patients of both sexes involved in the study: 350 patients aged 6 months to 5 years (Group A), while 277 were aged between 5 and 18 years (Group B). Wasting status was 47.71% in Group A and 41.52% in Group B. In Group A, 40% of patients were stunted, while 83.75% were in Group B. Group A had 57.14% underweight patients. The complication rate was 39.14% in Group A and 38.99% in Group B. The incidence of postoperative complications was not significantly different in malnourished patients. The patients with prolonged duration of surgery (> 2 h) developed more complications in both groups (Group A-67.2%, Group B-82.6%; p < 0.0001). In addition, the patients who experienced complications had lengthier hospital stays (p < 0.001 in both groups) and increased readmission rates (p = 0.016 in Group A and p = 0.008 in Group B). CONCLUSION: In our study, half of the patients in Group A and nearly two-third in Group B were malnourished. The preoperative poor nutritional status based on anthropometric parameters is not associated with increased postoperative complications. Randomized control trials linking preoperative malnutrition based on anthropometric measures and clinical outcomes in pediatric surgery patients are necessary to provide more robust information on this subject.

Acquired Urethrocutaneous Fistula in Children: Case Series of Unusual Presentations of a Usual Condition.

Urinary-cutaneous fistulas are typically treated by pediatric urologists and typically arise after surgical interventions. The three atypical cases of acquired urethrocutaneous fistula that we present here have variously resulted from an untreated periurethral abscess to complications of an initial urethral calculi. To prevent an intraoperative surprise, learning from our cases put emphasis on the importance of early intervention and a high index of suspicion for underlying calculi. We also cover the pathology, diagnosis, and therapy of these uncommon instances of acquired urethrocutaneous fistula.

Bladder height to width ratio as a surrogate marker for non-physiological storage pressures in children with spinal dysraphism.

INTRODUCTION: Spinal dysraphism is the most frequent cause of neurogenic bladder. Urodynamic study (UDS) is an important component of the follow-up of a child with neurogenic bladder. However, it suffers from a lack of widespread availability and is further hampered by technical difficulties and difficulty in its interpretation in children. A neurogenic bladder often appears vertically elongated; only limited and sparse literature is available regarding objectively defining the bladder shape and the urodynamic parameters in the cohort. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of the bladder's height-to-width ratio (HWR) on cystogram as a screening tool for identifying "non-physiological" bladder pressures in children with spinal dysraphism. A prospective study was undertaken to evaluate children operated for spinal dysraphism. Cystogram, ultrasonography and UDS evaluation were performed. HWR was calculated by the ratio of the maximum height to the maximum bladder width at maximum cystometric capacity (MCC), where MCC was calculated using standard Koff's formula, given by (age in years + 2) *30 ml in children more than one year and weight *7 ml for infants. The children were categorised into groups based on maximum detrusor pressure (MDP) into two groups (MDP ≥ 30 cmH2O and MDP < 30 cmH2O). A receiver-operative characteristic curve was constructed to analyse the sensitivity and specificity of HWR in predicting the MDP. RESULTS: A total of 53 children, operated for spinal dysraphism, met the study criteria during the study period, from March 2021 to September 2022. The median age of children was 4 years (IQR-3-5.5 years). The HWR ratio was compared between the two groups and was significantly higher for the non-physiological pressure bladders than for physiological pressure bladders (mean of 1.55 vs 1.26, p = 0.001). On evaluating the sensitivity and specificity of HWR for discerning children with non-physiological bladder pressures were 87.5% and 48.28%, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.781, with a cut-off value of 1.3. DISCUSSION: We attempted to evaluate the HWR based on bladder shape objectively. We demonstrated a moderate correlation between the bladder shape and the bladder pressures. An HWR of 1.3 or higher could be significant for identifying a non-physiological bladder storage pressure. CONCLUSION: The height to width ratio of the bladder on cystogram is a useful tool as a surrogate marker for non-physiological storage pressures in bladders of children with spinal dysraphism.

Determining the Clinical Value of Routine Post Operative follow up in Common Paediatric Surgical Conditions: A Prospective Observational Study.

Background: The traditional postoperative visit consists of an in-person hospital visit at a predetermined date which requires the investment of time and resources. This implies a need to prioritize visits rather than mandating them, which can be assessed by the requirement of clinical intervention at the time of follow-up. The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical value of routine postoperative physical follow-up in common pediatric surgery conditions, to identify factors determining follow-up, and to estimate the cost of routine follow-up. Materials and Methods: Surgical data of 226 patients admitted for routine pediatric surgical procedures were collected. The postoperative period was documented in detail and interventions done either physically or telephonically at the time of follow-up were used as a proxy measure of clinical value. Results: There were 226 patients enrolled, of which 64.60% followed up physically in outpatient department and 35.40% followed up telephonically. Maximum percentage of patients with postoperative complications belonged to the group of laparotomy at 22.22%, followed by complicated appendicitis at 15.62%. 13.27% of patients required clinical intervention at the time of follow-up. Conclusion: Patients undergoing simpler procedures such as inguinal hernia, hydrocele, and orchidopexy have lesser rate of complications which translates to requirement of fewer clinic visits, whereas those undergoing procedures such as appendectomy and laparotomy require a physical visit after discharge since they are more susceptible to develop complications requiring interventions. By selecting patients for physical visit, we can potentially eliminate unnecessary visits in patients who have low chance of developing complications.

Effect of Multimedia Teaching Tools in Parental Anxiety and Comprehension of Informed Consent Procedure in Pediatric Surgical Procedures: A Single Centre Randomized Control Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Informed consent is an essential component of medical ethics. In children, the parent or legally authorized guardian must consent to any medical or surgical intervention. A number of adjuncts have been developed to supplement the consent process including multimedia tools. Unfortunately, there is little information regarding the use of Multimedia teaching tools (MMT) in pediatric settings in developing countries with diversities in language, socioeconomic and educational status. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to compare the parental comprehension of the surgery through the informed consent obtained either by conventional method or by multimedia tool and the effect of MMT in alleviating parental anxiety against the conventional method and to assess their overall satisfaction. METHODS: A randomized control trial was conducted between 2018 and 2020, including MMT and conventional groups. A novel Multimedia tool with a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation was created. A 5-Question knowledge-based test, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) tool, and a Likert-based questionnaire were used to assess the comprehension, anxiety, and satisfaction of parents. RESULTS: Among 122 randomized cohorts, the mean value of percentage fall in anxiety STAI score in the MMT group was 44.64 ± 10.14 whereas in the Conventional group it was 26.6 ± 11.91 (p < 0.05). MMT cohort scored higher in the knowledge-based test (p < 0.05) and recorded higher parental satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The Multimedia tool aided consent procedure is effective in reducing parental anxiety and improving their comprehension and overall satisfaction. Thus, they can be used as an effective supplement in preoperative surgical education and consent procedure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I.

Effect of Cytomegalovirus Infection on Initial Presentation and Overall Prognosis of Biliary Atresia Patients.

Background and Aim: Biliary atresia is known to have a multifactorial etiology and perinatal infection with hepatotropic viruses such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a probable trigger in a subset of patients. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the effects of CMV association of biliary atresia on the initial presentation of patients and their response to Kasai portoenterostomy. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective, single-center study on 20 patients of biliary atresia and classified them into two groups based on their CMV immunoglobulin M (IgM) positivity. We compared the age of initial presentation, the liver biochemistry at presentation, immediate and delayed follow-up, rate of jaundice clearance following Kasai portoenterostomy, and histopathology of liver between the two groups. Data were reported in terms of means, and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Out of 20 cases of biliary atresia, 60% (n = 12) were CMV IgM positive. Infants with CMV-positive status were noted to be older at presentation (88.5 days [65-150 days] vs. 83 days [45-160 days] P < 0.05) were more jaundiced at presentation (total bilirubin - 13.51 mg/dl [9.09-15.99 mg/dl] vs. 11.83 mg/dl [6.5-13.5 mg/dl] P < 0.05), had higher alkaline phosphatase (751.2 IU/L [387-1951 IU/L] vs. 621.75 IU/L [172-857 IU/L] P < 0.05), higher gamma-glutamyl transferase levels (505.58 IU/L [376-1127 IU/L] vs. 376.75 IU/L [186-624 IU/L] P < 0.05), and had higher incidence of splenomegaly. The rate of resolution of jaundice postKasai portoenterostomy was also evidently less in CMV-positive patients. Four out of 12 patients have bilirubin >2 mg/dl at a 6-month follow-up. Conclusion: CMV-associated biliary atresia patients have delayed initial presentation and impaired jaundice clearance postKasai portoenterostomy. The role of antiviral therapy should be studied in this subset of patients.

The understated issue of caregiver anxiety for pediatric surgical hospital admissions: opening the blindfolds.

KEY MESSAGE: Hospitalization is a nerve-wrecking experience for patients and their families (Lam et al. in Int J Nurs Stud 43:535-545, 2006). The financial burden of hospitalization is the prime perpetrator, however, multiple other factors also contribute significantly to the underlying problem which can be eliminated by efforts of the doctors and other healthcare workers and by modifying the hospital policies (Bassett et al. in J Hosp Med 15:652-658, 2020). We can reduce the number of outpatient visits and switch to telemedicine for rescheduling the cases. The pre-anaesthetic clearance and all the relevant investigations can be done on a single OPD visit thereby reducing the requirement of repeated commutes to the hospital. The free of charge category of the hospital can be extended to the patient requiring prolonged hospital stay or for solid tumor patients who require repeated hospital admissions for chemotherapy. Association with child welfare Non-government organizations (NGO's) can also solve major monetary issues for parents of patients suffering from complex congenital anomalies and solid tumors. The pre-operative NPO period can be shortened to 2-4 h, antibiotic use can be completely avoided or minimized in clean elective cases, children living in the same city requiring dressing/catheter removal after a few days (e.g. hypospadias, posterior sagittal anorectoplasty) can be discharged and called for a OPD visit after 5-7 days if the parents are willing to take care of the child at home. Patients undergoing minor elective surgeries can be followed up on telemedicine visits only. Parents of patients suffering from complex congenital anomalies should be referred to a clinical psychologist and receive periodic counseling sessions. A child psychologist should also be included in the management of cases which have social stigma attached as bladder exstrophy, anorectal malformations, spina bifida requiring lifelong follow-up and bowel washes or repeated clean intermittent catheterisation. Anxiety assessment questionnaires must be incorporated in the management of chronic patients and high-risk parents must be identified (Tiedeman in J Pediatr Nurs 12:110-119, 1997). We hereby propose adoption of family centric approach during the management of a patient as this may minimize the overall burden of the hospitalization of the family. BACKGROUND: Hospital admission of a child leads to a myriad responses in the parents. Thus, we conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression among the primary caregivers of hospitalized children and the factors causing it. METHODS: Parents of 228 children admitted in the pediatric surgery ward at a tertiary care hospital were interviewed using the HADS-A and Hamilton Anxiety Questionnaire to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression during hospital admission. They were also subjected to a questionnaire comprising of 52 questions spread over 5 segments-demographic details, monetary burden, effect on siblings and other family members, practical problems faced, and surgery-specific concerns. FINDINGS: Thirty percent of the parents had severe anxiety and 20% developed depression due to the hospitalization of their child. We tested the association of this depression and anxiety against 56 variables in this study. Exorbitant loan amounts (ra - 0.449, rd- 0.557), repeated commute to the hospital (ra - 0.274, rd - 0.231), monetary burden (ra - 0.193, rd - 0.186), repetitive sampling (ra - 0.248, rd - 0.203), prolonged absence from work (ra - 0.440, rd - 0.424) were found to be the chief perpetrators of this anxiety and depression. INTERPRETATION: The burden of anxiety and depression in the primary caregivers of pediatric surgical patients is enormous. Identification of the implicating factors is essential. Simple reforms such as reduction in the number of OPD visits, extension of free of charge category, association with non-governmental organizations and involvement of a clinical psychologist can significantly meliorate the hospital journey of both the patients and their parents. (rd-correlation coefficient of for depression, ra-correlation coefficient of for anxiety).

Role of urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL), Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1(MCP-1), and Interleukin-6(IL-6) as biomarkers in pediatric patients with hydronephrosis.

OBJECTIVES: The decision to surgically intervene in a hydronephrotic kidney in children is based on many debatable guidelines, some requiring repeated ultrasounds or renal scans. Urinary proteins have the potential to reflect renal disorders and hence can be the alternatives to such scans. Here, we aim to assess the role of urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin, Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1, and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) in such patients. METHODS: Seventeen children had obstructive hydronephrosis requiring pyeloplasty (UPJO), while seven were kept on conservative management in view of non-obstructive dilation (NOD). Urine samples were measured for the three urinary proteins at the time of presentation and following pyeloplasty using commercially available ELISA kits. RESULTS: The levels of all three urinary proteins were significantly higher in patients with UPJO children compared to the NOD group. Cut-off values to differentiate obstructive from non-obstructive hydronephrosis were obtained. A significant fall in the post-operative value of urinary IL-6 was also observed. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the potentiality of urinary proteins as biomarkers in identifying children with hydronephrosis and picking out the ones with obstructive hydronephrosis who will require pyeloplasty. The drop in levels after pyeloplasty can be employed to evaluate the effectiveness of pyeloplasty when sent serially.

TIMP-2 as a noninvasive urinary marker for predicting neurogenic bladder in patients under follow-up for spina bifida.

INTRODUCTION: Neurogenic bladder (NB) post-meningomyelocele (MMC) repair is a major challenge and needs lifelong follow-up. Many cytokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of NB. To avoid repeated urodynamic studies (UDS) and renal scans, we studied urinary tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) levels and correlated with urodynamic profiles to establish their efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective case-control study on children between 6 months to 12 years of age, who were at least 6 months post-MMC repair and had NB on UDS. Patients were evaluated under 4 cohorts of 20 patients each: Group A (NB on treatment), Group B (NB not on treatment), Group C (no NB), and Group D (Controls). All groups underwent radiofrequency thermocoagulation, urine culture, ultrasonography. Urine samples were stored at -800°C and analyzed using a validated Human ELISA kit for TIMP-2. RESULTS: Eighty patients with a mean age of 3.54 ± 2.1 years were studied. A common ultrasound finding was a thickened urinary bladder (33.3%). All UDS parameters showed a statistically significant differences between groups with NB (Groups A and B) and a group without NB (Group C). Analysis of TIMP-2 levels between individual groups was statistically significant. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve between urinary TIMP-2 and cystometric parameters indicated that urinary TIMP-2 levels are highly diagnostic of NB. TIMP-2 value of 358.5 pg/ml was found to be the least value with 93.5 sensitivity and 86.2% specificity. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the potential of urinary marker TIMP-2 as noninvasive and cost-effective test to initially diagnose and predict the progression of disease in NBs with reasonable sensitivity and specificity.