Correlation of Prenatal and Postnatal Diagnosis in Umbilical-Portal-Systemic Venous Shunts.

Introduction:  Umbilical-portal-systemic venous shunts (UPSVS) are rare anomalies in the development of the fetal venous system. There are several postnatal and prenatal classifications of hepatic venous anomalies but the link between them is missing. We aimed to review the prenatal to postnatal diagnosis correlation in UPSVS at our center.

Efficacy and Safety of Taulinoplasty Compared with the Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum Approach to Correct Pectus Excavatum.

Minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) technique is the current most used surgical method for pectus excavatum (PE) correction. To avoid MIRPE-required invasion of the mediastinum or pleural cavity, we developed taulinoplasty approach as an alternative option for the reduction of the sunken chest. This is a single-center unblind nonrandomized prospective pilot study, involving 26 MIRPE and 23 taulinoplasty patients.

Reliability of the Hirschsprung-Associated Enterocolitis Score in Clinical Practice.

Introduction:  There is a lack of an agreed Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (HAEC) definition. In 2009, a HAEC score was proposed for the diagnosis of HAEC episodes. Our aim was to apply the HAEC score on HAEC episodes to determine its diagnostic efficiency and whether it correlated to its severity.

Is Intraoperative Fluoroscopy Necessary for Central Venous Port System Placement in Children?

Introduction:  Central venous port (CVP) placement is traditionally performed under fluoroscopy guidance. However, efforts for radiation dose reduction in children have allowed the introduction of ultrasound guidance (USG) and anatomic landmarks as an alternative technique for CVP placement. The aim of this study is to determine whether intraoperative fluoroscopy (IF) is required to confirm the correct position of the catheter tip in children.

Prognostic Factors for Liver Transplantation in Unresectable Hepatoblastoma.

Aim:  Hepatoblastoma is the most frequent hepatic tumor in children, and its initial presentation will affect treatment and prognosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate long-term results of liver transplantation in children with unresectable hepatoblastoma.

Patients And Methods:  This is a retrospective review of patients with hepatoblastoma who underwent liver transplantation, analyzing risk factors, tumor presentation, treatment, and long-term survival to identify prognostic factors.

Long-Term Results after Diversion Surgery in Extrahepatic Portal Vein Obstruction.

Aim:  Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO) is a frequent cause of noncirrhotic portal hypertension in children. The aim of this study is to analyze long-term results after diversion surgery.

Patients And Methods:  Retrospective review of EHPVO patients who underwent diversion surgery analyzing number of platelets, leukocytes, prothrombin activity, splenomegaly, and gastrointestinal bleeding 10 years after surgery.

Nuss Procedure for a Patient with Negative Haller Index.

 Minimally invasive repair for pectus excavatum (MIRPE) is controversial in extremely severe cases of pectus excavatum (PE) and an open repair is usually favored. Our aim is to describe a case of a patient with an extremely severe PE that underwent a minimally invasive approach.  An 8-year-old girl with severe sternum depression was assessed.

Surgical Emergencies in Intestinal Venous Malformations.

Background:  Venous malformations (VMs) can occur in any part of the body; however, the gastrointestinal tract is a frequent location. These are usually asymptomatic, thus, representing a challenge to diagnosis. Intestinal location of VMs can be associated with severe complications that ultimately require an emergency surgery.

Penile Reconstruction with Skin Grafts and Dermal Matrices: Indications and Management.

 The penis eventually needs specific cutaneous coverage in the context of reconstructive procedures following trauma or congenital anomalies. Local flaps are the first choice but are not always available after multiple previous procedures. In these cases, skin graft and dermal matrices should be considered.

Advantages of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Severe Pectus Excavatum Assessment in Children.

Aim:  Cardiac function can be impaired in patients with pectus excavatum (PE) due to anatomic and dynamic compression of the heart. Efforts for radiation dose reduction in imaging techniques have allowed cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (c-MRI) to play a major role in PE assessment. The aim of our study is to describe the findings of c-MRI 18 months after we changed the PE assessment protocol from chest computed tomography to c-MRI.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Referral to a Transplantation Unit.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), although being infrequent, is the second-most common primary hepatic malignancy in children, after hepatoblastoma (HB). The prognosis is very poor. We present our series of children with HCC referred to our transplant unit to be assessed as candidates for liver transplantation (LT).