[Azygo-portal disconnection using the thoracic approach in children].

Porto-azygos disconnection is one of the therapeutic choice of portal hypertension. This technique have been used in a 13 year old boy with bleeding oesophageal varices during the evolution of a cirrhosis caused by active hepatitis. Disconnection was done in emergency using a total ligature of the oesophagus by left thoracotomy upon a clip introduced by oral way.

[Sigmoid volvulus in children. About 6 cases (author's transl)].

About six of sigmoid volvulus m children, the authors underline the rarity of this etiology in large bowel obstruction. Two cases happened during neonate and four cases are associated with other pathologic diseases (2 neurologic ans 2 Hirschsprung diseases). Diagnosis is based on baryum enema and the best surgical management in emergency is resection and derivation with secondary anastomosis.

Rectoanal pressures and rectal sensitivity studies in chronic childhood constipation.

Rectoanal pressures and rectal sensitivity studies were performed in 32 control children and 144 chronically constipated children. The rectoanal inhibitory reflex threshold, the maximal anal resting closure pressure, and the conscious rectal sensitivity threshold were studied in these children. The rectoanal inhibitory reflex threshold was increased in 6.

Surgical treatment of high imperforate anus with definition of the puborectalis sling by an anterior perineal approach.

An operative technique in which the sling of the puborectalis muscle is seen through an anterior perineal approach in the treatment of high imperforate anus is described. The operation has been performed, on children with previous colostomies, and on older children with unsuccessful previous abdomino-perineal pull-through procedures. While our series of patients is still small, 24 children, operated upon sufficiently long ago for follow-up purposes, have generally shown good to excellent functional results.

[The lungs in congenital diaphragmatic hernias (author's transl)].

In congenital diaphragmatic hernias, the presence of abdominal viscera in the thoracic cavity will arrest the development of the ipsilateral lung, and occasionally of the controlateral lung also. The lung may thus be either compressed or hypoplastic in varying degrees. Its state of development conditions the prognosis of this disease.