Purpose
To report the findings of a perception survey on intestinal malrotation conducted by the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons (KAPS) in 2021.
Methods
The perceptions on intestinal malrotation regarding clinical decision making of the KAPS members were collected through web-based survey.
Results
A total of 22 surgeons were answered for this study. The results were presented and discussed at the 37th annual meeting of KAPS, which was held in Seoul on June 18, 2021.
Conclusion
This study provides the clinical decisions of the KAPS members on the intestinal malrotation. The study is expected to be an important reference for improving pediatric surgeons’ understanding and treatment of intestinal malrotation.

Purpose
Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare but progressive cholangiopathy and the leading cause of pediatric liver transplantation worldwide. The Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons (KAPS) has conducted three national surveys (2001, 2011, and 2023) to assess long-term trends in the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of BA. This study provides a comparative analysis of the 2nd and 3rd national surveys, with reference to selected findings from the 1st survey.
Methods
This study included 453 patients from the 3rd national survey (2011–2021) and 435 patients from the 2nd survey (2001–2010), all of whom underwent Kasai portoenterostomy. Data were collected via electronic case report forms from pediatric surgical centers nationwide. Comparisons were made regarding demographics, clinical features, diagnostic patterns, operative details, follow-up outcomes, and survival. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to evaluate long-term survival.
Results
The mean number of BA patients per year remained stable between surveys (43.5 in the 2nd, 41.18 in the 3rd), though centralization of care increased, with 61.5% of cases managed by two major institutions in the 3rd survey. The median age at surgery decreased, and the use of preoperative imaging (especially magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography) increased. The 10-year native liver survival rate declined from 59.8% to 53.7%, while overall 10-year survival improved slightly (92.9% to 93.2%). Postoperative complications, such as cholangitis and liver failure, persisted but were better categorized. The 3rd survey also reported improved mortality (4.9%) and reduced follow-up loss (11.5%) compared to the 2nd survey.
Conclusion
While overall survival after Kasai operation has remained high and even improved, native liver survival has slightly declined. The findings reflect earlier diagnosis, more consistent diagnostic imaging, and increasing centralization of care. These trends underscore the importance of long-term nationwide data collection in guiding future strategies for BA management in Korea.

Inguinal hernia in early infant is a challenging surgical condition. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LH) for small babies in corrected age 3 months compared with the traditional open inguinal hernia repair (OH).

Medical records were retrospectively reviewed in 232 pediatric patients under corrected age 3 months who underwent inguinal hernia repair from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015. The chi-squared and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze the results of the study.

As for operative time, in unilateral/bilateral inguinal hernia repair, OH is faster than LH (p<0.05 vs. p=0.06). But operation time gap is shorter in bilateral hernia than unilateral hernia. As for operation site, bilateral inguinal hernia case was more performed in LH than OH (p<0.05). For comparison with the spontaneous breathing recovery time, there was no statistical difference between the two techniques (p=0.96). As for the recurrence rate, no significant difference was observed between the two techniques (p=0.36), whereas the relative risk of recurrence was higher for OH compared with LH (OR=1.56).

LH is also feasible and safe procedure as OH for small babies in corrected age 3 months for experienced pediatric surgeons.