Publications by authors named "Erika A DE Marco"

The vascular supply of the pelvic structures and the external genitalia can be easily injured during the one-stage delayed bladder closure and radical soft-tissue mobilization (Kelly procedure) for bladder exstrophy surgical repair. Aiming to help surgeons assessing and confirming tissue perfusion and viability, indocyanine green (ICG)-based laser angiography was incorporated into the operative approach to reduce the risk of ischemic injuries. The EleVision IR system (Medtronic Ltd) was adopted to confirm the identification of the vascular pedicles and assess the tissue perfusion in real-time in a 5-month-old with bladder exstrophy undergoing the one-stage delayed bladder closure and radical soft-tissue mobilization (Kelly procedure).

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First described by Duckett in 1981, and initially employed for the surgical correction of mid-penile hypospadias, the onlay preputial island flap urethroplasty has progressively gained increasing popularity, extending its indication to proximal forms. However, with the complexity of the penile anomaly, the rate of postoperative complications related to poor tissue perfusion (including skin and glans dehiscence, urethral stenoses, and fistulas) has also increased. Conventionally, the visual assessment of the onlay preputial island flap is the only option available to establish the appropriate tissue vascularization during surgery.

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We present the first case of a patient born with congenital fusiform megalourethra who underwent the successful placement of an inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) and mesh phalloplasty due to primary erectile dysfunction (ED). After an extensive psychosexual assessment and a preoperative MRI scan, an IPP was successfully implanted. The procedure was carried out through a penoscrotal approach, which offered excellent exposure to the crura and the proximal ends of the corpora cavernosa.

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Introduction: Antegrade sclerotherapy (Tauber) effectively treats varicocele. However, fluoroscopy exposes young males to ionizing radiation. We aimed to evaluate radiation exposure and surgical outcomes after the Tauber procedure.

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Fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS), three-dimensional (3D) imaging technologies, and other innovative devices are rapidly revolutionizing the field of urology, providing surgeons with powerful tools for a more complete understanding of patient-specific anatomy. Today, several new intraoperative imaging technologies and cutting-edge devices are available in adult urology to assist surgeons in delivering personalized interventions. Their applications are also gradually growing in general pediatric surgery, where the detailed visualization of normal and pathological structures has the potential to significantly minimize perioperative complications and improve surgical outcomes.

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New technological innovations and cutting-edge techniques have led to important changes in the surgical management of pediatric urolithiasis. Miniaturized technologies and minimally invasive approaches have been increasingly used in children with urinary stones to minimize surgical complications and improve patient outcomes. Moreover, the new computer technologies of the digital era have been opening new horizons for the preoperative planning and surgical treatment of children with urinary calculi.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examined the fatty acid composition in whole blood among young people aged 46 days to 19 years, focusing on the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and blood fatty acids.
  • Researchers found that while some fatty acids remained stable across age groups, others varied significantly, particularly showing an increase in omega-6 fatty acids with age and a decrease in omega-3 fatty acids.
  • The majority of subjects had low to medium adherence to the MedDiet, and this adherence was linked to certain fatty acid balances, indicating that better adherence might relate to healthier blood fatty acid profiles, especially in younger children.
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Fetal lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO) is associated with high mortality and postnatal morbidity caused by lung hypoplasia and impaired kidney function. Specific diagnostic features that can guide clinical approach and decisions are lacking; thus, the European Reference Network for Rare Kidney Diseases established a work group to develop recommendations regarding the clinical definition, diagnosis and management of prenatally detected LUTO. The work group recommends the use of antero-posterior diameter of renal pelvis as the most reliable parameter for suspecting obstructive uropathies and for suspecting prenatal LUTO in the presence of fetal megacystis.

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Surgical treatment of kidney stones has changed over the years. The use of Mini Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (MiniPCNL) instrumentation is associated with a reduction of major complications but it lengthens the operative time (OT). This limit may be overcome by a semi-closed-circuit vacuum-assisted MiniPCNL system, characterized by a continuous inflow and a suction-controlled outflow.

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Hypotonia-Cystinuria syndrome (HCS) is a rare disease, caused by a mutation in two contiguous genes (SLC3A1 and PREPL) localized on chromosome 2p21, and it is characterized by both renal involvement with cystine stones and nervous involvement with hypotonia. We here describe a 2 years old child with HCS associated with other clinical features as congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract (primary obstructed megaureter, POM), cryptorchidism and cardiac involvement (patent foramen ovale with atrial septum aneurysm). To the best of our knowledge, cryporchidism and POM have never been reported before in patients with HCS.

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Introduction: Surgical treatment of pediatric kidney stones has changed dramatically in recent years because of the miniaturization of surgical instruments and the availability of intracorporeal lithotripters. The retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) technique is nowadays considered an effective and safe procedure but studies in very young children are lacking and use of a ureteral access sheath (UAS) has also been debated.

Objective: To assess safety and efficacy of RIRS using UAS in children weighing < 20 kg.

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 The aim of the study was to investigate perinatal outcome of fetuses with hyperechogenic bowel (HB) in relation to gestational age at diagnosis.  This is a retrospective observational study of fetal HB cases from 2002 to 2012. Patients were divided into three groups according to trimester at diagnosis.

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The aim of this study is to compare the outcomes and the complications between the 2 most adopted procedures for gastrostomy placement: percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and laparoscopic gastrostomy (LG) in children. We present our study on 69 patients (male: 46/female: 23): group 1 (37 patients, 54%) undergoing PEG, group 2 (32 patients, 46%) undergoing LG. A total of 5 major complications were observed all in the PEG group (13.

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Urachal anomalies are relatively uncommon; they usually present in childhood as urachal cysts, urachal sinuses, diverticula, and patent urachus. The malignant involvement of the urachus, although rare in children, is commonly found in adulthood when adenocarcinoma accounts for the majority of the cases, representing up to 20-30% of all adenocarcinomas of the bladder. Urachal tumors of variable histology have been reported in children and adolescents as single case report.

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Background: The Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) system has become an effective treatment for acute and chronic wound defects. Although its use has been reported in wound care of children and premature infants, the management of the device in this population has not been well established.

Case Presentation: We report the satisfactory results in two neonates (one full-term and one preterm) with complex wounds secondary to major abdominal surgery.

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