Fertility and Sexual Function in Males with Hirschsprung's Disease: A Nordic Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: The aim was to assess fertility, sexual function and sexual quality of life in males with Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) in the Nordic countries with a cross-sectional study using self-reported validated questionnaires.

Summary Background Data: Data on fertility and sexual function in males with HSCR are limited.

Methods: This multi-center study targeted all males born between 1970-2003 who underwent pull-through surgery at a pediatric surgery center in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, or Finland.

National centralization of Hirschsprung's disease in Sweden: a comparison of postoperative outcome.

Background: In Sweden, surgical treatment of Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) was centralized from four to two pediatric surgery centers 1st of July 2018. In adults, centralization of surgical care for complex or rare diseases seems to improve quality of care. There is little evidence supporting centralization of pediatric surgical care.

Including the liver in the visceral allograft: Impact on donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies and long-term outcomes.

Humoral immunity emerges as a risk factor for graft failure after visceral transplantation (VTx) and development of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSAs) has been linked with poor outcomes. In most cases, a simultaneous liver transplant can be safely performed in sensitized patients with DSA and appears protective against lymphocytotoxic antibodies. We investigated the incidence of acute (AR) and chronic rejection (CR) in 32 VTx without any B cell-depleting pre-treatment (6 isolated intestinal transplants (IT) and 26 liver-containing, multivisceral transplants (MVT) and assessed the presence of donor-specific antibodies (DSA) pre- and post-transplantation.

A nordic multicenter study on contemporary outcomes of pediatric short bowel syndrome in 208 patients.

Background & Aims: Despite advances in the management of short bowel syndrome related intestinal failure (SBS-IF), large-scale contemporary pediatric studies are scarce. The aim of this multicenter study was to assess key outcomes and clinical prognostic factors in a recent Nordic pediatric SBS-IF population.

Methods: Patients with SBS-IF treated during 2010-2019, whose parenteral support (PS) started at age <1 year and continued >60 consecutive days were included and retrospectively reviewed.

Transabdominal ultrasound of rectal diameter in healthy infants: a prospective cohort study during the first year of life.

Aim: Transabdominal rectal ultrasound (TRU) is used to measure transverse rectal diameter (TRD) in order to diagnose functional constipation (FC) and megarectum, and to evaluate treatment. The proposed cut-off value is 3.0 cm.

Bowel Control, Bladder Function, and Quality of Life in Children with Cloacal Malformations.

Introduction: Long-term outcomes of cloacal malformations remain unclear. We evaluated postoperative bowel control, bladder function and quality of life in patients under 18 years of age with cloaca.

Materials And Methods: This was a multi-center cross-sectional observational study accomplished by the Nordic Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium.

High-Resolution Anorectal Manometry-A Prospective Cohort Study in Healthy Infants.

Objectives: Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGD) are common during early childhood. In severe defecation disorders, anorectal manometry (AM) is done to exclude aganglionosis. High-resolution anorectal manometry (HRAM) can probably improve diagnostics but normative data in infants are scarce.

Using trigger tools to identify triage errors by ambulance dispatch nurses in Sweden: an observational study.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess whether trigger tools were useful identifying triage errors among patients referred to non-emergency care by emergency medical dispatch nurses, and to describe the characteristics of these patients.

Design: An observational study of patients referred by dispatch nurses to non-emergency care.

Setting: Dispatch centres in two Swedish regions.

Patient-reported Swedish nationwide outcomes of children and adolescents with total colonic aganglionosis.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the nationwide outcome of children with total colonic aganglionosis (TCA) during the last 20years.

Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional study where all patients with TCA, including aganglionosis of 0-50cm of ileum, born in Sweden 1995-2014 were included. Data were collected from the medical records.

In Vivo Application of Tissue-Engineered Veins Using Autologous Peripheral Whole Blood: A Proof of Concept Study.

Vascular diseases are increasing health problems affecting > 25 million individuals in westernized societies. Such patients could benefit from transplantation of tissue-engineered vascular grafts using autologous cells. One challenge that has limited this development is the need for cell isolation, and risks associated with ex vivo expanded stem cells.

Fifteen years' experience of intestinal and multivisceral transplantation in the Nordic countries.

Objective: Intestinal and multivisceral transplantation have gained acceptance as treatment modalities for patients with: intestinal failure and life-threatening complications of parenteral nutrition (PN), rare cases of vascular abdominal catastrophes and selected cases of low-grade neoplastic tumors such as neuroendocrine pancreatic tumors and desmoids involving the mesenteric root. The aim was to describe the survival and nutritional outcome in the transplanted Nordic patients and the complications attributed to this procedure.

Method: The authors included all Nordic patients transplanted between January 1998 and December 2013.

Megarectosigmoid in children with anorectal malformations: long term outcome after surgical or conservative treatment.

Purpose: Megarectosigmoid (MRS) is commonly seen in children with anorectal malformations (ARM) and contributes to the high incidence of constipation. Surgical resection has been advocated by some, whereas others propose intense bowel management as the treatment of choice. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcome of both bowel function and configuration after surgical or conservative treatment of MRS in ARM patients.

Longitudinal study of lower urinary tract function in children with anorectal malformation.

Unlabelled: Neurogenic bladder dysfunction (NBD) in children with anorectal malformation (ARM) has been reported in many publications, but with variations in prevalence and connection to type of ARM and spinal cord/sacral malformations. The prevalence of ARM patients with functional nonneurogenic dysfunction, on the contrary, has been addressed only sparsely. Since constipation and soiling have been shown to often accompany functional urinary tract symptoms in children without malformations, and treatment of constipation often improves bladder symptoms, it is interesting to assess such a connection in ARM patients.

Longitudinal study of bowel function in children with anorectal malformations.

Purpose: Longitudinal follow-up of changes in bowel function in children with anorectal malformations (ARMs) with or without spinal cord pathology and neurogenic bladder dysfunction (NBD) as they grow. Another purpose was to identify predictors influencing bowel functional outcome.

Material And Methods: The study included 41 patients with ARM, excluding perineal fistula (21 boys and 20 girls).

Transplantation of an allogeneic vein bioengineered with autologous stem cells: a proof-of-concept study.

Background: Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction can have severe health consequences. Variceal bleeding associated with this disorder causes upper gastrointestinal bleeding, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality. We report the clinical transplantation of a deceased donor iliac vein graft repopulated with recipient autologous stem cells in a patient with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction.

Abdominal pathology requiring laparotomy in very preterm infants is associated with need for surgical closure of patent ductus arteriosus.

Background: Extensive intestinal surgery in very preterm infants and its influence on somatic growth is of major concern. There is little consensus as to which is the most appropriate surgical approach in extremely low-birth-weight infants with abdominal pathology. Laparotomy is currently advocated, but peritoneal drainage is also discussed.

Impact of spinal cord malformation on bladder function in children with anorectal malformations.

Purpose: Risk factors for the presence of neurogenic bladder dysfunction (NBD) in children born with high anorectal malformations (ARMs), were investigated, to identify the need for urodynamics in these patients.

Material And Methods: The study included 37 patients with high ARMs (21 boys and 16 girls). Bladder function was evaluated with urodynamics both before and after anorectoplasty (posterior sagittal anorectoplasty [PSARP]).