A Novice User of Pediatric Emergency Point-of-Care Ultrasonography Avoids Misdiagnosis in a Case of Chronic Abdominal Distention.

A 13-year-old adolescent girl with chronic abdominal distention was referred to the pediatric emergency department after the outpatient workup suggested moderate ascites. Point-of-care ultrasonography performed by the emergency physicians ruled out ascites, instead demonstrating a well-circumscribed cystic mass subsequently identified as an ovarian mucinous cystadenoma.

Impact of In-Hospital Timing to Appendectomy on Perforation Rates in Children with Appendicitis.

Background: There is controversy regarding whether in-hospital time delay to appendectomy in children with appendicitis affects risk for perforation.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the impact of time delay from emergency department (ED) presentation to operating room (OR) appendectomy on rates of developing appendiceal perforation in children who present with computed tomography (CT)-confirmed, uncomplicated (no radiographic evidence of perforation) appendicitis.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective case review of 248 consecutive children aged ≤18 years with CT-confirmed uncomplicated appendicitis during a 4-year period.