Diagnosis and Management of Congenital H-Type Tracheoesophageal Fistula: Results of a National Survey.

Background: Congenital h-type tracheoesophageal fistula (H-TEF) without esophageal atresia (EA) represents about 4% of congenital esophageal anomalies. The diagnosis is challenging, and surgery is considered curative. The aim was to report a national survey on the diagnosis, management, and outcome of patients with congenital H-TEF.

Pediatric Solid Cancers: Dissecting the Tumor Microenvironment to Improve the Results of Clinical Immunotherapy.

Despite advances in their diagnosis and treatment, pediatric cancers remain among the leading causes of death in childhood. The development of immunotherapies and other forms of targeted therapies has significantly changed the prognosis of some previously incurable cancers in the adult population. However, so far, the results in pediatric cohorts are disappointing, which is mainly due to differences in tumor biology, including extreme heterogeneity and a generally low tumor mutational burden.

Lung Function Evaluated By Structured Light Plethysmography in Children After Lung Surgery: A Preliminary Analysis.

Structured light plethysmography (SLP) is a novel light-based method that captures chest wall movements to evaluate tidal breathing. Thirty-two children who underwent lung surgery were enrolled. Their clinical history was collected along with spirometry and SLP.

Breast implant surface topography triggers a chronic-like inflammatory response.

Breast implants are extensively employed for both reconstructive and esthetic purposes. However, the safety of breast implants with textured surfaces has been questioned, owing to a potential correlation with anaplastic large-cell lymphoma and the recurrence of breast cancer. This study investigates the immune response elicited by different prosthetic surfaces, focusing on the comparison between macrotextured and microtextured breast implants.

Congenital lung malformations: a nationwide survey on management aspects by the Italian Society of Pediatric Surgery.

Introduction: Over the years, congenital lung malformations (CLM) management remains a controversial topic in pediatric thoracic surgery. The Italian Society of Pediatric Surgery performed a national survey to study the current management variability among centers, trying to define national guidelines and a standardized approach of children with congenital lung malformations.

Methods: Following a National Society approval, an electronic survey including 35 items on post-natal management was designed, focusing on surgical, anesthesiology, radiology and pneumology aspects.

Evaluation of diagnostic time in pediatric patients with eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders according to their clinical features.

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs) are chronic/remittent inflammatory diseases associated with a substantial diagnostic delay, often attributable to misdiagnosis and variable clinical presentation in adults. In the pediatric population, few studies have been conducted worldwide reporting EGID diagnostic delay and its consequences on patients. This study aims to analyze and identify potential clinical factors and complications associated with a longer diagnostic time.

Hypertensive pneumothorax with cystic lesions: Pleuropulmonary blastoma in an infant.

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare primitive malignant lung cancer that occurs in pediatric age. Its main differential diagnosis is congenital cystic pulmonary malformation (CPAM). A 30-day-old infant with respiratory failure obtained a chest x-ray and a computed tomography scan (CT) which revealed hypertensive pneumothorax with multifocal bilateral cysts.

Meta-Analysis on Long-Term Outcomes of Pediatric Renal Cancer Survivors Following COG and SIOP Protocols.

Background:  Pediatric renal cancer survivors have higher rate of chronic renal disease and hypertension. These patients have similar survival rates when treated according to either Children's Oncology Group (COG) or International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) protocols. We aimed to compare the late outcome of these two approaches.

Congenital Lung Malformations: Clinical and Functional Respiratory Outcomes after Surgery.

Congenital lung malformations (CLMs) involve anomalies of the lungs and respiratory tree such as congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM), pulmonary sequestration (PS), bronchogenic cysts, congenital lobar emphysema, and bronchial atresia (BA). Although symptomatic lesions require surgical resection, the appropriateness of surgery for patients with asymptomatic malformations is a matter of ongoing debate. Limited data are available concerning the long-term follow-up of affected subjects.

Pediatric robotic surgery: issues in management-expert consensus from the Italian Society of Pediatric and Neonatal Anesthesia and Intensive Care (SARNePI) and the Italian Society of Pediatric Surgery (SICP).

Background: Pediatric robotic-assisted surgeries have increased in recent years; however, guidance documents are still lacking. This study aimed to develop evidence-based recommendations, or best practice statements when evidence is lacking or inadequate, to assist surgical teams internationally.

Methods: A joint consensus taskforce of anesthesiologists and surgeons from the Italian Society of Pediatric and Neonatal Anesthesia and Intensive Care (SARNePI) and the Italian Society of Pediatric Surgery (SICP) have identified critical areas and reviewed the available evidence.

46, XY Disorders of Sexual Development: a case report and theoretical framework.

Background And Aim: Disorders of sexual differentiation (DSD) with karyotype 46,XY include gonadal developmental differences such as complete gonadal dysgenesis, partial gonadal dysgenesis, testicular regression and ovotesticular sexual differentiation disorder, differences in androgen synthesis or action, such as androgen synthesis deficiency, androgen action deficits, LH receptor deficiency, AMH synthesis or action deficits, and other conditions such as severe hypospadias, cloaca estrophy, etc. Methods: A 17 years-old girl came to our attention for hirsutism, clitoral hypertrophy, primary amenorrhea, and bilateral mammary hypoplasia. According to clinical features and anamnesis, the diagnosis of 46, XY DSD was made.

Recurrent reactive non-sexually related acute genital ulcers: a risk factor for Behcet's disease?

Background And Aim: Lipschutz ulcers (LU) are idiopathic genital lesions characterized by the sudden appearance of painful, usually symmetric vulvar ulcers, typically occurring in sexually inactive adolescents. LU is a diagnosis of exclusion. As these lesions heal spontaneously, in the absence of tissue scarring, the therapy is mainly symptomatic and focuses on pain relief.

Robotics-Assisted Pediatric Oncology Surgery-A Preliminary Single-Center Report and a Systematic Review of Published Studies.

Aim: The use of robotics-assisted surgery in oncology has been proved effective and safe in adults. Despite these results, the use of robotics has been rarely reported for pediatric oncology. Our review aims to evaluate the safety and feasibility of robotics-assisted surgery in this field, analyzing our experience and performing a systematic review of the most recent studies.

The Role of Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery in Pediatric Oncology: Single-Center Experience and Review of the Literature.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been widely used in the last decades. Nevertheless, the pros and cons of thoracoscopy vs. open surgery in pediatric oncology are still under debate.

The Effectiveness of Abdominal Lymphangioma Laparoscopic Removal in Children: A Single Center Experience.

Lymphangiomas represent 5% of all benign pediatric tumors. Abdominal lymphangiomas (ALs) are extremely rare. Therapy includes surgery, sclerotherapy, or pharmacological treatment.

Effectiveness of Articulating Linear Stapler for Total and Partial Laparoscopic Splenectomy in Children.

We performed a retrospective study to determine the effectiveness and feasibility of articulating linear stapler in laparoscopic total splenectomy (LTS) and laparoscopic partial splenectomy (LPS), focusing on technical laparoscopic skills that could help pediatric surgeons to avoid intra- and postoperative complications. Retrospective cohort study of children younger than 18 years who underwent laparoscopic spleen surgery between January 2008 and March 2020. Age, sex, indication for surgery, operative time (OT), intra- and postoperative complications, and postoperative length of hospital stay (LHS) were analyzed.

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders in children and adolescents: A single-center experience.

Background: To date, few studies have been conducted in Italy on pediatric eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs).

Aims: To assess clinical features of pediatric patients with EGIDs who are followed in a tertiary pediatric center.

Methods: From January 2015 to December 2019, we retrospectively enrolled patients with EGIDs, and collected clinical, endoscopic, and histological data.

Eosinophilic colitis in children: a new and elusive enemy?

Purpose: Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders are rare in children and present with a broad spectrum of non-specific symptoms. To date, no guidelines for diagnosis, therapy and follow-up are validated. Aim of our study is to focus on eosinophilic colitis (EC), to determine a possible correlation between associated disorders, macroscopic findings and treatment/follow up.

Visceral plexiform schwannoma: A case series.

Plexiform schwannoma (PS) is a benign tumour of the peripheral nerve sheath that is typically found in the skin. Fewer than 15 cases of visceral PS have been reported to date in both adults and children. We herein discuss a series of 3 patients (2 male and 1 female) with abdominal PS, aged 10-16 years (mean age, 12 years).

Malignant sacrococcygeal germ cell tumors in childhood: The Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP) experience.

Purpose: To evaluate clinical features at diagnosis, prognostic factors, and outcomes of malignant sacrococcygeal germ cell tumors (SC-GCTs) in patients enrolled in the Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP) TCG 2004 protocol.

Patients And Methods: A prospective analysis was conducted on all consecutive patients diagnosed with malignant SC-GCTs between January 2004 and May 2017. Patients with stage I underwent surgery and subsequent surveillance, the others received pediatric cisplatinum-etoposide-bleomycin (pPEB) regimen and eventual deferred surgery.

Esophageal Atresia: Nutritional Status and Energy Metabolism to Maximize Growth Outcome.

Background: Long-term negative sequelae of esophageal atresia (EA) may induce poor growth and impaired nutritional status in childhood. We describe the nutritional profile and energy metabolism of children with repaired EA to identify malnutrition risk factors and optimize growth management.

Methods: Twenty-one children (>4 years) were included, and anthropometric measurements, nutritional assessment, and energy metabolism were considered.

Bedside surgery in the newborn infants: survey of the Italian society of pediatric surgery.

Introduction: This is the report of the first official survey from the Italian Society of Pediatric Surgery (ISPS) to appraise the distribution and organization of bedside surgery in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Italy.

Methods: A questionnaire requesting general data, staff data and workload data of the centers was developed and sent by means of an online cloud-based software instrument to all Italian pediatric surgery Units.

Results: The survey was answered by 34 (65%) out of 52 centers.