Inguinal hernia is the most common disease treated by the pediatric surgeon. There are several controversial aspects of management 1)the optimal timing of surgical repair, especially for preterm babies, 2)contralateral groin exploration during repair of a clinically unilateral hernia, 3)use of laparoscope in contralateral groin exploration, 4)timing of surgical repair of cord hydrocele, 5)perioperative pain control, 6)perioperative management of anemia. In this survey, we attempted to determine the approach of members of KAPS to these aspects of hernia treatment. A questionnaire by e-mail or FAX was sent to all members. The content of the questionnaire were adapted from the “American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Surgery hernia survey revisited (J Pediatr Surg 40, 1009-1014, 2005)”. For full-term male baby, most surgeons (85.7 %) perform an elective operation as soon as diagnosis was made. For reducible hernia found in ex-preterm infants already discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), 76.2 % of surgeons performed an elective repair under general anesthesia (85.8 %). 42.9 % of the surgeons performed the repair just before discharge. For same-day surgery for the ex-premature baby, the opinion was evenly divided. For an inguinal hernia with a contralateral undescended testis in a preterm baby, 61.9 % of surgeons choose to ‘wait and see’ until 12 month of age. The most important consideration in deciding the timing of surgery of inguinal hernia in preterm baby was the existence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (82.4 %), episode of apnea/bradycardia on home monitoring (70.6 %). Most surgeons do not explore the contralateral groin during unilateral hernia repair. Laparoscope has not been tried. Most surgeons do not give perioperative analgesics or blood transfusion.

Meckel's diverticulum (MD) occurs in approximately 2 % of the population. The major complications of MD are bleeding, intestinal obstruction, infection and perforation. Perforation is the least common but most serious complication, the incidence od which is about 5-10 %. The causes of perforation are inflammatory diverticulitis and peptic ulceration. the purpose of study is to review the characteristics of perforated MD in children. Six patients with perforated MD who had been operated upon at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital from April 1984 to July 2001 were included. Male predominated in a ratio of 5:1 and there were 2 neonates. The chief complaints were abdominal pain and distension. Half of the children showed a past history of bloody stools. The average age was 4 year and 9 months. The mean distance from the ileocecal valve to the diverticulum was 60 cm. Average length of the diverticulum was approximately 3 cm and width was 1.7 cm. The perforation site was the tip of the diverticulum in 3 cases, the base in 2 cases and along the lateral border in one. In two patients, ectopic gastric mucosa was found in the specimen. All of the patients were operated upon with a diagnosis of peritonitis of unknown etiology. In conclusion, when a child shows symptoms of acute abdomen or peritonitis, especially in boys, with the history of bloody stools and episodic abdominal pain, perforated MD should be suspected.

The major complications of Meckel's diverticulum(MD) are bleeding, intestinal obstruction, infection, umbilical fistula and perforation. Although the relative incidences vary between authors, bleeding is the most common complication in children. The aim of our study is to show the symptomatic guideline for the diagnosis of the bleeding MD. Eight cases with bleeding MD which were operated upon at the department of Pediatric Surgery, Yeungnam University Hospital from April 1985 to April 2001 were reviewed. Half of the patients were under 2 years of age and all patients were male. All patients were preoperatively diagnosed by previous history of intestinal bleeding (melena, hematochezia) and 99mTc pertechnetate MD scan. Segmental resection and end-to-end anastomosis was performed in 6 patients and diverticulectomy in 2 patients. Heterotropic gastric mucosa was found in 6 patients. Postoperative complication was not observed in any cases. In conclusion, in any male children with obscure intestinal bleeding, especially less than 2 years of age, bleeding MD must be suspected. It seems to us that 99mTc pertechnetate MD scan is a useful tool to diagnose bleeding MD.

Pancreatoblastoma is uncommon in children and is exceedingly rare in adults. Prognosis is known to be good if the tumor is discovered prior to metastasis. Complete tumor resection is the most important factor for long survival. We report two cases of pancreatoblastoma in a 4 year and 7 year-old females. Palpable abdominal mass was accidentally discovered by their parents. Abdominal CT scan showed huge retroperitoneal mass of unknown origin in one case and of the pancres in the other case. At laparotomy, well encapsulated tumor mass (10×10 cm in diameter) was noted in the body of pancreas in one case, and well encapsulated tumor mass (8×7 cm in diameter) in the tail of pancreas in the other case. We resected the tumor and saved spleen in both ases. Histologic examination revealed that the tumors were pancreatoblastoma. Patients received postoperative chemotherapy with 6 cycles of cisplatinum, adriamycin, ifosfamide and etoposide and are alive in good condition 19 months and 17 months after operation.

Pathologic lead points are found in a few intussusception patients. To evaluate the pathologic lead points in childhood intussusception, a retrospective review of 227 operated cases of intussusception treated at the Yeungnam University Hospital from January 1986 to April 1999. The patients were divided into 2 groups; idiopathic group 209 cases, (92.1 % and lead points group 18 cases, 7.9 %). Intussusception developed between age two months and six months in both groups. Enteroenteric type of intussusception was relatively more frequent in the lead point group than in idiopathic group. The lead points were veil (10 cases, 52.6 %), Meckel's diverticulum(3 cases, 15.8 %), lymphoma(3 cases, 15.8 %), ectopic pancreas(2 cases, 10.5 %), Henoch-Schonlein purpura(l cases, 5.3 %). The bowel resection rate was 44.4 % in the lead point group and 8.6% in idiopathic group. The recurrence rate was 5.56 % in lead points group and 1.44 % in idiopathic group.

Splenic cysts are uncommon and classified as either primary(true) or secondary(pseudo-) depending on the presence or absence of a true epithelial lining. True cysts (epidermoid cyst) of the spleen are very rare. Three cases of splenic cysts in childhood were treated at the Yeungnam University Hospital in the last eleven years(1989 - 1999). Two of patients were girls. The ages at diagnosis were 7, 12 and 15 years. Abdominal ultrasonography and computerized tomography were utilized for the diagnosis. Radionuclide scanning was performed in one patient. Surgical resection(one partial splenectomy and two total splenectomies) was performed. The sizes of cysts were 4, 6.5 and gem in maximum demension.

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stensosis(IHPS) occurs in three of 1000 live births, and is a major cause of nonbilious vomiting of early infancy. It's etiology and pathogenesis however are still obscure. The operation of pyloromyotomy described by Ramstedt in 1912 remains the standard treatment. From January 1990 to July 1997, 64 infants with IHPS were treated at the Department of Pediatric Sursery, Yeungnam University Hospital. The ratio of male to female was 7:1, and the most prevalent age ranged from 2 weeks to 8 weeks(81.2%) of age. Fifty-seven infants were first born (57.8percent). The body weight of all patients at admission was below the 50 percentile. Age of onset of symptoms was between 2 and 4weeks of age in 23 cases(35.9 %). All infants had a history of nonbilious vomting, generally projectile in nature. Hypokalemia was noted in 14 cases(21.9%) and hypochloremia in 26 cases(40.6%). In the preoperative ultrasonography, the average muscle thickness, diameter, and length of the pylorus were 6.3 mm, 12.3 mm, and 17.8 mm. A total of 13 associated anomalies were noted in 12 patients. All cases were treated with Fredet-Ramstedt pyloromyotomy. Postoperative wound infection occured in 3 cases. Thirteen cases(20.3%) presented intermittent nonprojectile vomiting after operation. With control of oral intake vomiting subsided within one week in 63 patients, and in thirteen days in another.

Esophageal atresia(EA) with a double tracheoesophageal fistula(TEF) is rare. It accounts for only 0.7% of all cases of EA and TEF. A male newborn weighing 2860g was born by normal vaginal delivery at 41weeks' gestation to a 27-year-old mother who had a normal pregnancy. But immediately developed recurrent choking and respiratory distress. Feeding tube was inserted and chest X ray showed the feeding tube coiled in the proximal pouch(T-2 level). With a preoperative diagnosis of EA and distal TEF, the thoracotomy was performed on the third day of life. At thoracotomy, TEF was proved to be a double fistula. Both fistulas were divided and an esophageal anastomosis was performed. The postoperative course was uncomplicated until the eighth postoperative day when a minor anastomotic leak. The patient was discharged at 103 days of age.

Nesidioblastosis in one of the causes of hyperinsulinemic hypoglysemia in infancy. The most important goal of treatment for persistent hypoglycemia is the prevention of permanent brain damage. The early surgical management is satisfactory to this goal in nesidioblastosis and maintains normal blood sugar level without administration of drugs or supplement of sugar postperatively in many cases.

We experienced a female infant of 3 months old who has suffered from persistent hypoglysemia due to hyperinsulinism and was suspected nesidioblastosis for ' its cause clinically. She underwent 95% distal pancreatectomy. The histologic findings of nesidioblastosis was confirmed postoperatively.

No postoperative complication was occured and her blood sugar levels were maintained within normal range without medical treatment.

Neuroblastoma is the most common solid malignancy in childhood. However, a neuroblastoma presenting as bilateral and multifocal is very rare. A male newborn weighing 2.7 kg was born by normal vaginal delivery at 39 weeks' gestation to a 27-year-old mother who had a normal pregnancy. He was in good condition at birth but presented palpable masses in the both upper abdomen and both side of the neck. Ultrasound examination showed the lesions to be 3 × 3cm sized calcified mass in right suprarenal area and 5 × 3cm sized homogenous mass in left suprarenal area. The abdominal mass was also examined by computed tomography with similar findings. With the impression of bilateral neuroblastoma or metastatic spread, the laparotomy was performed on the 13th day of life. Frozen section of biopsy of the left neck mass was obtained, which showed neuroblastoma. Intraoperative findings revealed bilateral adrenal masses which were distinct and anatomically separate. Bilateral adrenalectomy was accomplished and the initial postoperative course was unevenful. The patient was discharged for hopeless and expired at age 45 days. We present bilateral adrenal neuroblastoma considered to be simultaneous occurrence rather than metastases from one site to another.