Ultrasound-guided percutaneous sclerosis of congenital splenic cysts using ethyl alcohol 96% and minocycline hydrochloride 10%: A pediatric series.

Introduction: The management of congenital splenic cysts continues to evolve. In the past the standard treatment was splenectomy, but increased knowledge about the spleen's immunologic function has led most pediatric surgeons to preserve splenic tissue. A great number of studies using sclerosing substances have been published, but to date reports in children have been limited.

Local control in metastatic neuroblastoma in children over 1 year of age.

Background: Local control is always considered in metastatic neuroblastoma (NBL). The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of radical surgery on survival in children over 1 year of age.

Methods: Fifty-eight patients older than 1 year of age with metastatic NBL were treated with conventional plus high-dose chemotherapy with or without addition of local radiotherapy (RT, 21Gy).

Selective arterial embolization of giant renal tuberous sclerosis.

Different minimally invasive methods have been proposed to treat renal manifestation of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), in order to preserve kidney parenchyma and avoid nephrectomy. The case of a boy with bleeding giant angiomyolipoma treated by selective arterial embolization is discussed. The extensive renal lesions resulted significantly decreased, with resolution of arterial hypertension and abdominal symptoms.

Short topotecan-based induction regimen in newly diagnosed high-risk neuroblastoma.

Purpose: Topotecan is an active drug in relapsed neuroblastoma. We investigated the efficacy and toxicity of a topotecan-based induction regimen in newly diagnosed neuroblastoma.

Methods: Patients older than 1 year with either metastatic or localised stage 2-3 MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma received 2 courses of high-dose topotecan (HD-TPT) 6mg/m(2) and high-dose cyclophosphamide (HD-CPM) 140 mg/kg, followed by 2 courses of ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide (ICE) every 28 days.

Successful treatment of trilateral retinoblastoma with conventional and high-dose chemotherapy plus radiotherapy: a case report.

Trilateral retinoblastoma (TRB) is a rare condition characterized by an intracranial neuroblastic tumor associated with bilateral or unilateral retinoblastoma (RB). The outcome is almost always fatal. An 18-month-old patient with familial bilateral RB was referred for a pineal lesion detected on a screening by magnetic resonance imaging.

Intima-media thickness and liver histology in obese children and adolescents with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between biopsy-proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) in children and adolescents.

Methods: A case-control study was performed. Cases were 31 mostly obese children and adolescents, with NAFLD detected at ultrasonography, and confirmed by liver biopsy.

Is juvenile liver biopsy unsafe? Putting an end to a common misapprehension.

Background: Percutaneous needle biopsy of the liver is the most common procedure used in clinical hepatology for histopathological examination and assessment of liver disease, and remains the cornerstone in the evaluation and management of parenchymal liver diseases. Liver biopsy is generally regarded as a safe procedure, but mortality rates up to 1:10,000 have been reported. In 2003, our group showed that routine use of US as a guide to liver biopsy reduces the rate of complications and provides a higher diagnostic yield.

Blind and ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsy in children.

Background: Percutaneous biopsy of the liver is the most commonly used procedure to obtain tissue for histopathological assessment of liver disease. Although, intuitively, image-guided liver biopsy might be expected to reduce the risk of bleeding, haematoma caused by a penetrating injury of a branch of the hepatic artery or portal vein, and puncture of the gallbladder, no trial has been large enough to show reduced mortality or morbidity with US guidance, and the mechanisms by which the use of US can reduce the risk of bleeding remain speculative.

Objective: To compare the mortality and morbidity of blind liver biopsy with that of US-guided liver biopsy.