"Pantaloon" phytobezoar: an unusual cause of intestinal obstruction associated with Meckel's diverticulum.

An unusual cause of small bowel obstruction associated with Meckel's diverticulum is described in two boys, aged 10 and 11 years. The causal factor was a phytobezoar lodged in the diverticulum in a Y-shaped "pantaloon" fashion.

[Retrorectal cystic hamartoma].

The pathogenesis of retrorectal cystic hamartomas in the presacrococcygeal space, while known to be related to embryological remnants of the caudal region, is controversial. These lesions are rarely found in children; in the early stages of their development they may be symptomless. Diagnosis is usually made when the tumor is large enough to cause pain or intestinal obstruction, or when it becomes infected.

[Vascular injuries in children].

Vascular trauma in children differs in some respects from that in adults. In infants and children the total blood volume is smaller, and despite effective compensatory mechanisms, critical blood loss is also smaller. Gentle and meticulous technical skill is needed to correct injuries of minute vessels and allow adequate blood flow.