Efficacy of adhesive strapping on umbilical hernia in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Background: Although adhesive strapping (AS) for pediatric umbilical hernia (UH), which was once obsolete, has been reconsidered as a common practice in Japan, its efficacy is still unclear. This study aimed to evaluate its efficacy by reviewing related articles.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and Igaku Chuo Zasshi via Ichushi-Web was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement.

Surgical tricks of handling a needle and grasping forceps during laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (LPEC) for pediatric inguinal hernia.

Introduction: Laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (LPEC) is an alternative to open repair for pediatric inguinal hernias; however, its application for boys remains controversial. In this study, we developed a technique to enhance the safety and feasibility of LPEC.

Material And Surgical Technique: In our technique, forceps are used to pull up the peritoneum ahead on the route, creating a space between the peritoneum and structures, including gonadal vessels and vas deferens.

Hepatoblastoma with multiple tumors in a school-aged child.

Clinicians need to consider hepatoblastoma in the differential even in school-aged children or adolescents presenting with multiple liver tumors.

Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) mRNA expression immediately after living-donor liver transplant.

Objectives: The forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) gene is considered to be the master gene of regulatory T cells. The significance of regulatory T cells in liver transplant has been investigated in previous reports, but quantitative FOXP3 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression after living-donor liver transplant has not been assessed. The objective of this study was to determine whether the human FOXP3 gene is a good marker for regulatory activity in T cells in living-donor liver transplant recipients during the immediate posttransplant period.

[Current status and perspective of pediatric liver transplantation in Japan].

In Japan, the annual number of pediatric liver transplantation (LT) has been stable around 140 in the last few years. Almost all of them are from living donors. Three fourth are indicated for cholestatic liver diseases, mainly biliary atresia.

Duct-to-duct biliary reconstruction in pediatric living donor liver transplantation.

The results of duct-to-duct biliary reconstruction in six pediatric patients who received a living donor liver transplant aged from 2 months to 11 yr old are reported. The graft was either entire or a part of the left lateral segments. The orifice of the bile duct of the graft was anastomosed to the recipients' hepatic duct in an end-to-end fashion by interrupted suture using 6-0 absorbable material.