Does Mechanical Bowel Preparation Reduce the Risk of Developing Infectious Complications in Pediatric Colorectal Surgery? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: To evaluate whether the application of mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) before colorectal surgery reduces the risk of developing infectious complications in children.

Study Design: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched to identify all articles comparing pediatric patients receiving MBP with pediatric patients not receiving MBP before colorectal surgery. Results are presented with weighted risk differences based on the number of events and sample size per study.

Thoracoscopic posterior tracheopexy during primary esophageal atresia repair: a new approach to prevent tracheomalacia complications.

Background: Esophageal atresia (EA) is usually accompanied by some form of tracheomalacia (TM). During the early phases in life, excessive dynamic collapse of the trachea can cause a wide spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild complaints to apparent life-threatening events (ALTE's) or brief resolved unexplained events (BRUE's). Therapeutic strategies for severe TM include aortopexy to lift the anterior weakened cartilaginous rings or posterior tracheopexy of the floppy membranous tracheal intrusion.

The Effect of Gastrostomy Placement on Gastric Function in Children: a Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: A gastrostomy placement is frequently performed in pediatric patients who require long-term enteral tube feeding. Unfortunately, postoperative complications such as leakage, feeding intolerance, and gastroesophageal reflux frequently occur. These complications may be due to postoperative gastric dysmotility.

Laparoscopic antireflux surgery increases health-related quality of life in children with GERD.

Introduction: Improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is increasingly recognized as an essential part of patient care outcome. Little is known about the effect of laparoscopic antireflux surgery (LARS) on the HRQoL in the pediatric patients. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of LARS on HRQoL in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and to identify predictors that influence HRQoL outcome after LARS.

Esophageal mucosal integrity improves after laparoscopic antireflux surgery in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Background: Esophageal intraluminal baseline impedance reflects the conductivity of the esophageal mucosa and may be an instrument for in vivo evaluation of mucosal integrity in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Laparoscopic antireflux surgery (LARS) is a well-established treatment option for children with proton pump inhibitory (PPI) therapy resistant GERD. The effect of LARS in children on baseline impedance has not been studied in detail.

Validation of a Novel 3-Dimensional Sonographic Method for Assessing Gastric Accommodation in Healthy Adults.

Objectives: A novel automated 3-dimensional (3D) sonographic method has been developed for measuring gastric volumes. This study aimed to validate and assess the reliability of this novel 3D sonographic method compared to the reference standard in 3D gastric sonography: freehand magneto-based 3D sonography.

Methods: A prospective study with 8 balloons (in vitro) and 16 stomachs of healthy volunteers (in vivo) was performed.

Evaluation of Gastric Volumes: Comparison of 3-D Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

To investigate gastric accommodation, accurate measurements of gastric volumes are necessary. An excellent technique to measure gastric volumes is dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Unfortunately, dynamic MRI is expensive and not always available.

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes After Neonatal Surgery for Major Noncardiac Anomalies.

Context: Increasing concerns have been raised about the incidence of neurodevelopmental delay in children with noncardiac congenital anomalies (NCCA) requiring neonatal surgery.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the incidence and potential risk factors for developmental delay after neonatal surgery for major NCCA.

Data Sources: A systematic search in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library was performed through March 2015.

Efficacy and adverse events of laparoscopic gastrostomy placement in children: results of a large cohort study.

Introduction: A gastrostomy placement is frequently performed in pediatric patients who require long-term enteral tube feeding. However, data on efficacy, perioperative complications and postoperative gastroesophageal reflux (GER) after laparoscopic gastrostomy (LAG) placement is limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate long-term efficacy and adverse events after LAG in a large cohort and determine whether routine preoperative 24-h pH monitoring should be used to predict postoperative GER.

Laparoscopic Thal fundoplication in children: a prospective 10- to 15-year follow-up study.

Objective: To study long-term (10-15 years) efficacy of antireflux surgery (ARS) in a prospectively followed cohort of pediatric patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, using 24-hour pH monitoring and reflux-specific questionnaires.

Background: Studies on short-term outcome of ARS in pediatric patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease have shown good to excellent results; however, long-term follow-up studies are scarce, retrospective, and have not used objective measurements.

Methods: Between 1993 and 1998, a cohort of 57 pediatric patients (ages 1 month to 18 years; 46% with neurological impairment) underwent laparoscopic anterior partial fundoplication (Thal).

The effects and efficacy of antireflux surgery in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease: a systematic review.

Background: Antireflux surgery (ARS) for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most frequently performed major operations in children. Many studies have described the results of ARS in children, however, with a wide difference in outcome. This study aims to systematically review the efficacy of pediatric ARS and its effects on gastroesophageal function, as measured by gastroesophageal function tests.

Barrett's esophagus in children: does it need more attention?

Background: Few studies have reported on Barrett's esophagus (BE) in children. Moreover, information on the age at diagnosis and the duration between reflux-symptoms and diagnosis is lacking.

Methods: A review of the literature was performed in PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane database.