Hepatoblastoma Cancer Stem Cells Express PD-L1, Reveal Plasticity and Can Emerge upon Chemotherapy.

The biology of cancer stem cells (CSCs) of pediatric cancers, such as hepatoblastoma, is sparsely explored. This is mainly due to the very immature nature of these tumors, which complicates the distinction of CSCs from the other tumor cells. Previously, we identified a CSC population in hepatoblastoma cell lines expressing the CSC markers CD34 and CD90, cell surface Vimentin (csVimentin) and binding of OV-6.

Ovarian lesions and tumors in infants and older children.

Objectives: Ovarian lesions are rare but frequent in children. Patients could present with abdominal pain, but ovarian lesions could also be incidentally found on ultrasound. Awareness is required in cases with acute, severe lower abdominal pain, as ovarian torsion could be the cause.

Multidisciplinary Treatment Strategies for Wilms Tumor: Recent Advances, Technical Innovations and Future Directions.

Significant progress has been made in the management of Wilms tumor (WT) in recent years, mostly as a result of collaborative efforts and the implementation of protocol-driven, multimodal therapy. This article offers a comprehensive overview of current multidisciplinary treatment strategies for WT, whilst also addressing recent technical innovations including nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) and minimally invasive approaches. In addition, surgical concepts for the treatment of metastatic disease, advances in tumor imaging technology and potentially prognostic biomarkers will be discussed.

Outcome of esophageal atresia: inborn versus outborn patients.

Esophageal atresia (EA) is a rare congenital disease which is usually not of the detected prenatally. Due to the lack of prenatal diagnosis, some newborns with EA are born outside of specialized centers. Nevertheless, centralized care of EA has been proposed, even if a clear volume-outcome association in EA management remains unconfirmed.

Abdominal cocoon in children: A case report and review of literature.

Background: Abdominal cocoon or "encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis" (EPS) is an uncommon and rare cause of intestinal obstruction. Only a few cases have been reported in paediatric patients. Typically, EPS is described as the primary form in young adolescent girls from tropical and subtropical countries because of viral peritonitis due to retrograde menstruation or a history of peritoneal dialysis.

Co-Expression of CD34, CD90, OV-6 and Cell-Surface Vimentin Defines Cancer Stem Cells of Hepatoblastoma, Which Are Affected by Hsp90 Inhibitor 17-AAG.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are nowadays one of the major focuses in tumor research since this subpopulation was revealed to be a great obstacle for successful treatment. The identification of CSCs in pediatric solid tumors harbors major challenges because of the immature character of these tumors. Here, we present CD34, CD90, OV-6 and cell-surface vimentin (csVimentin) as reliable markers to identify CSCs in hepatoblastoma cell lines.

Comparison of perioperative outcomes between laparoscopic and open partial splenectomy in children and adolescents.

Background: In order to avoid consequences of total splenectomy, partial splenectomy (PS) is increasingly reported. The purpose of this study was to compare perioperative outcomes of laparoscopic PS (LPS) and open PS (OPS) in children and adolescents.

Aim: To compare perioperative outcomes of patients with LPS and OPS.

How can fertility counseling be implemented for every newly diagnosed pediatric patient facing gonadotoxic treatment?-A single-center experience.

Since the survival rates of pediatric patients undergoing cancer treatment or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) have increased rapidly in recent decades, the late effects of treatment are now an important focus of patient care. Access to fertility preservation (FP) procedures as well as their financing differs considerably across Europe. However, some countries in Europe have recently changed the legal basis for financing FP procedures; therefore, the implementation of structures is mandatory to give patients access to FP.

Comparison of outcomes between complete and incomplete congenital duodenal obstruction.

Background: Congenital duodenal obstruction (CDO) can be complete (CCDO) or incomplete (ICDO). To date there is no outcome analysis available that compares both subtypes.

Aim: To quantify and compare the association between CCDO and ICDO with outcome parameters.

Symptomatic Meckel's Diverticulum in Pediatric Patients-Case Reports and Systematic Review of the Literature.

Our aim was to highlight the characteristics of pediatric Meckel's diverticulum with a special focus on its complications. We report a group of seven patients with Meckel's diverticulum and its resection from the Department of Pediatric Surgery between 2012 and 2017. We reviewed all patient records, clinical presentation, and intraoperative findings.

Complications of newborn enterostomies.

Aim: To evaluate the occurrence and severity of enterostomy complications in newborns suffering from different intestinal disorders.

Methods: A 10-year retrospective cohort study (2008-2017) investigated newborns that underwent enterostomy formation and reversal for different intestinal disorders. Only infants less than 28 d old at the time of enterostomy creation were included in the study (corrected age was applied in the cases of preterm neonates).

Laparoscopic versus open surgery for the repair of congenital duodenal obstructions in infants and children.

Background: Laparoscopic repair of congenital duodenal obstruction (LCDO) was described more than 15 years ago. However, studies comparing outcomes of LCDO with open repair (OCDO) are rare. Standardized assessments of complications using the Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC) and the comprehensive complication index (CCI) are not available.

Radical Surgery Improves Survival in Patients with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma.

Background: Neuroblastoma (NBL) is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children. Despite a good overall prognosis in NBL patients, the outcome of children with stage 4 disease, even with multimodal intensive therapy, remains poor. The role of extended surgical resection of the primary tumor is in numerous studies controversial.

Tunneled central venous catheters in children with malignant and chronic diseases: A comparison of open vs. percutaneous implantation.

Purpose: Tunneled central venous catheters (tCVCs) are routinely used for long-term venous access in children with cancer and chronic diseases. They may be inserted by surgical venous cut-down or percutaneously. The aim of this study was to compare the operative times and intraoperative complications of both techniques.

Identification of intestinal ganglioneuromatosis leads to early diagnosis of MEN2B: role of rectal biopsy.

Background/purpose: Gastrointestinal symptoms are very common in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B (MEN2B) syndrome. Herein, we present a case of intestinal ganglioneuromatosis (IGN) in MEN2B syndrome and a systematic literature review with a special focus on gastrointestinal symptoms prior to the diagnosis of MEN2B.

Methods: Literature search was performed (years 1966-2015) using the "Pubmed" and "Scopus" databases.

Systematic review shows that pathological lead points are important and frequent in intussusception and are not limited to infants.

Unlabelled: Intussusception is the most clinically relevant cause of bowel obstruction in infancy and can be idiopathic or occur as a result of pathological lead points. The incidence of these pathological lead points varies from 0.3 to 20%, and they can be mucosal, intramural or extrinsic structures.

Ultrasound-guided reduction of intussusception: a safe and effective method performed by pediatric surgeons.

Objectives: Ultrasound has developed as the method of choice for diagnosing intussusception. Ultrasound-guided enema reduction is the standard method for treating intussusception. This retrospective study evaluates the efficacy and safety of ultrasound in diagnosis and treatment of intussusception performed solely by pediatric surgeons.

Adenomyoma of the small intestine a rare pathological lead point for intussusception in an infant.

Introduction: Intussusception is a typical abdominal emergency in early childhood.

Case Description: We report a case of an infant in the typically affected age group with an intussusception triggered by a rare benign intramural intestinal adenomyoma as a pathological lead point. The infant had the typical symptoms of a recurrent idiopathic ileocolic intussusception.

Primary laparotomy is effective and safe in the treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis.

Introduction: There is ongoing controversy regarding the surgical treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in infants with extremely low birth weight (ELBW). We hypothesize that primary laparotomy is a safe and effective treatment for all infants with surgical NEC.

Methods: We retrospectively compared a group of ELBW infants (<1,000 g, group A, n = 39) with preterm infants (≥1,000 g, group B, n = 18) with surgical NEC during a 4-year period (10/2008-09/2012).

Changes of smooth muscle contractile filaments in small bowel atresia.

Aim: To investigate morphological changes of intestinal smooth muscle contractile fibres in small bowel atresia patients.

Methods: Resected small bowel specimens from small bowel atresia patients (n = 12) were divided into three sections (proximal, atretic and distal). Standard histology hematoxylin-eosin staining and enzyme immunohistochemistry was performed to visualize smooth muscle contractile markers α-smooth muscle actin (SMA) and desmin using conventional paraffin sections of the proximal and distal bowel.

Embryology of the distal urethra and external genitals.

Faulty ventral openings of the urethra constitute a broad spectrum of malformations that are subsumed under the term "hypospadia." The normal development of the urethra and the genitals critically depends on the following events: (a) formation of the external genitalia, (b) fate of the cloacal membrane, and (c) formation of the distal urethra. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate these events using microsurgical techniques and scanning electron microscopy in staged rat embryos.

Embryology of the testicular descent.

Numerous researchers studied the morphology of the testicular descent, including the possible function of the gubernaculum. However, a clear illustration of this process is still missing. The aim of this paper was to illustrate the embryology of the testicular descent in the rat by scanning electron microscopy.