Single-port laparoscopy-assisted surgery is being performed for various operations in pediatric patients recently. The aims of this study were to prove the safety and find well-matched indications of small bowel resection using single-site umbilical laparoscopic surgery (SSULS).
From 2011 to 2016, 29 pediatric patients underwent SSULS. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed.
A total of 29 patients were included and 30 SSULS were performed in this study. The mean age at operation was 5.7 years, and the mean weight was 21.9 kg. Meckel's diverticulum was the most common indication for SSULS, followed by small bowel intussusception due to leading point mass, small bowel duplication, and Crohn's disease. In most cases, estimated blood loss was negligible except in Crohn's disease with severe inflammation. While answering post-discharge questions about scars, most parents responded that they were satisfied with the postoperative wound.
SSULS is a useful operation to try even for surgeons who do not have advanced laparoscopic skills. Complication rates of single-port operations do not differ from those of conventional laparoscopic operations. Most lesions of the small bowel could be indications of SSULS. Careful attention is required when performing SSULS in patients with Crohn's disease.
We analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcome of ileocecal and small bowel intussusceptions (ICI and SBI) in the pediatric patients. From August 2003 to July 2010, 144 children with intussusception were included in this study. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records and imaging study findings. A total of 86 children with ICI and 58 children with SBI were diagnosed. Children with SBI were older than ICI (36.6±24.6 months vs. 24.2±21.6 months, p=0.002). Typical symptoms such as irritability, abdominal mass, bloody stool were more frequent in ICI than SBI (p<0.05) patients. In the ICI group, intussusceptums were reduced with air reduction (84.5%), surgery (17.4%), and spontaneity (1.2%). All patients in the SBI group were reduced spontaneously. SBI occurred in older age and was reduced spontaneously more frequently than ICI. Conservative management with close observation with follow-up by ultrasonography is recommended for SBI.
Unreduced small bowel intussusception requires operative treatment although the rate of spontaneous reduction is 60 to 70%. The aim of this study is to compare clinical characteristics and outcome between spontaneous reduction and operation group and to analyze factors related to decisions to treat small bowel intussusceptions. The records of 25 patients with small bowel intussusceptions treated in Seoul National University Children's Hospital from January 1999 to August 2009 were reviewed respectively. Spontaneous reduction group (n=12, 48%) had signs and symptoms of vomiting, abdominal pain, currant jelly stool, abdominal distension, fever, increased CRP but no rebound tenderness. One of them had been diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura and no one displayed pathologic leading point by image study. Operation group (n=13, 52%) consisted of patients who had primary surgery. Their signs and symptoms were similar to spontaneous reduction group. Seven of them had underlying diseases such as Crohn' disease, ALL, Lymphoma, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (n=3), post-transplanted state of liver and 2 of them displayed Peutz-Jeghers polyp and Meckel's diverticulum as pathologic leading point by preoperative ultrasonography. Mean relieve interval (interval between onset of symptoms and reduction/operation) was 1.78 days in spontaneous reduction group and 2.25 days in operation group (p=0.341). Seven of operation group had manual reduction and 6 out of 7 received segmental resection of the small bowel. No one of them underwent manual reduction and all of them underwent segmental resection were found to have pathologic leading points [Peutz-Jeghers polyp (n=3), Meckel's diverticulum (n=2), lymphoma (n=1)] during operation. In conclusion, 48% of small bowel intussusceptions resolved spontaneously. Patients' symptoms and relieve intervals were not related to the operative decisions. We therefore recommend significant factors for determining treatment plan such as change of clinical symptoms, underlying disease or pathologic leading point by imaging.
Idiopathic small bowel ulceration distal to the duodenum is rare. Less than 5 % of the reported cases were in children. In the majority of the patients, a single ulcer of unknown cause is found in the jejunum or ileum. The diagnosis is difficult and usually made at the time of surgical exploration for complications, such as perforation, hemorrhage or obstruction. We treated a pediatric patient with perforation of an idiopathic ileal ulceration. The child was an ll-year-old boy who sustained blunt abdominal trauma. The involved ileal segment was resected. Pathologic findings were compatible with idiopathic small bowel ulceration. The clinical and pathological aspects of idiopathic ulcerations are discussed, and the literature reviewed.