Laparoscopic surgery in children with congenital heart disease.

Purpose: The study aim was to determine outcomes of children with congenital heart disease who underwent laparoscopic procedures.

Methods: A single-institution, institutional review board-approved, retrospective review was conducted including children younger than 5 years with congenital heart disease who underwent laparoscopic or open abdominal procedures. Patient demographics, operative details, complications, and 30-day mortality were examined.

The parental perspective regarding the contralateral inguinal region in a child with a known unilateral inguinal hernia.

Purpose: The management of the contralateral region in a child with a known inguinal hernia has been debated by surgeons for more than 50 years. However, the perspective of the child's parents has not been sought, and this study was designed to evaluate parental views on this topic.

Methods: After IRB approval, all patients less than 10 years of age with a unilateral inguinal hernia seen by the senior surgeon were studied prospectively from November 2001 through February 2003.

Thyroid transcription factor-1 expression in the human neonatal tracheoesophageal fistula.

Background/purpose: Esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) is a relatively common congenital anomaly, but its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Previous studies using the experimental Adriamycin-induced rat model of EA/TEF suggest that the fistula tract, or "distal esophagus," is derived from respiratory epithelium and expresses the respiratory-specific transcription factor TTF-1. To better correlate the experimental rat model of EA/TEF with the human anomaly, we looked for evidence of a respiratory-derived origin in the neonatal TEF.