Biomedical subjects

T E Lobe

Publications and source records attributed to T E Lobe.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Analysis of the costs of surgery for Hirschsprung's disease: one-stage laparoscopic pull-through versus two-stage Duhamel procedure.

The purpose of this report is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a single-stage laparoscopic pull-through for Hirschsprung's disease compared to the traditional two-stage Duhamel procedure. In this series of 33 children, the length of hospitalization (2.5 +/- 3.5 vs 10.6 +/- 3.9, p < 0.01), cost (19,088 +/- 13,075 vs 34,110 +/- 19,443, p < 0.05), and complications were all significantly less with the laparoscopic assisted pull-through compared to the more traditional open approach.

Child↗

PubMed1999

Physiologic consequences of pneumonectomy. Long-term consequences of pneumonectomy done in children.

Lung resections in children are performed for a variety of reasons including congenital malformations, infections, bronchiectasis, and tumors. There are no long-term reports on pneumonectomy alone in children, but those on lung resection as a group state that children tolerate these operations well, with mild sequelae if any, and that the majority of them in adulthood can perform non-physically demanding jobs adequately. The authors' findings concur with the reports that younger patients can endure pulmonary resections with minimal functional limitations.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Laparoscopic pyloromyotomy: a safer technique.

A modified technique of laparoscopic pyloromyotomy was used to treat infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. Introducing a 5-mm periumbilical port for visualization, two stab wounds are made on either side laterally to directly insert 2.7-mm instruments for manipulation. From the left, the stomach is grasped - not the duodenum! From the right, an inexpensive disposable arthroscopy knife is used to incise the serosa and begin the myotomy, which is completed with a laparoscopic spreader until the muscle is separated sufficiently to relieve the obstruction. Twenty-nine children treated with laparoscopic pyloromyotomy were compared to 125 children treated with the conventional open Ramstedt pyloromyotomy. There were no statistically significant differences in the presentation or results between groups, suggesting that the laparoscopic technique is a safe and equal alternative.

Female↗

PubMed1998

Laparoscopic surgery in children.

The surgeon should be aware of the extensive applications of endoscopic surgery in the pediatric patient. The ability to provide surgical care in association with either outpatient or short-stay hospitalizations appear to be cost-effective and appropriate state-of-the-art medical care. Because the array of surgical instruments continues to evolve, new and innovative endoscopic procedures will continue to become increasingly available.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1998

Laparoscopic surgery in girls and female adolescents.

The realm of laparoscopic surgery has extended to include the neonate as well as the pediatric patient. The advent of new and smaller instrumentation has facilitated this goal. Previous procedures exclusively relegated to laparotomy can now be accomplished as outpatient procedures. Removal of the acute appendix, correction of torsion of an adnexa, as well as the appropriate diagnosis and initial treatment of acute pelvic inflammatory disease are now well established laparoscopic procedures. This article provides insight into the laparoscopic evaluation and management of a number of challenging clinical problems for the endoscopic surgeon, thus providing a minimally invasive approach for patients ranging from neonates to adults.

Adnexal Diseases↗

PubMed1998

Current status of laparoscopic appendectomy in children.

Appendectomy is the most common surgical emergency in children. Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA), first performed by Semm in 1983, has increased in popularity for both uncomplicated and ruptured appendicitis. The authors perform early laparoscopic appendectomy for acute uncomplicated appendicitis, but use aggressive antibiotic therapy for obvious ruptured appendicitis. Patients presenting with accessible abscesses have drainage using image guidance. Antibiotic therapy is continued at home until the fever has resolved and the white blood cell and differential counts have normalized. An interval appendectomy is performed 2 to 3 months later. Children with ruptured appendicitis for whom aggressive medical management had failed usually had a persistent pattern of small bowel obstruction noted 72 hours after initiation of treatment. The authors' preferred technique for laparoscopic appendectomy employs linear stapling of the mesoappendix and appendix. LA patients had a shorter hospital stay and a lower wound infection rate. The operating times for open and laparoscopic appendectomy were similar.

Appendectomy↗

PubMed1998

Interval appendectomy for perforated appendicitis in children.

To determine the efficacy, safety, and cost of managing perforated appendicitis with intravenous antibiotics followed by an interval appendectomy, the charts of 87 children with ruptured appendicitis were retrospectively reviewed. These patients were treated with intravenous fluid resuscitation and antibiotics (consisting of clindamycin and ceftazidime) and underwent appendectomy, either on that admission (n = 46) or as a delayed interval procedure (n = 41). Antibiotics in all cases were discontinued either at home or in the hospital after the child was a febrile for 48 hours with normal white and differential blood cell counts, and the two groups were compared. Seven patients (17%) "failed" the interval appendectomy protocol. All but one "failure" was due to the development or persistence for >72 hours of a bowel obstruction. The data are described below as percent or mean +/- 1 standard deviation. [table: see text] We conclude that antibiotics and interval appendectomy is a safe effective alternative for the management of perforated appendicitis. When successful, hospitalization, charges, and morbidity are less with this approach. A persistent bowel obstruction for 72 hours is an indication to proceed with appendectomy on admission.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Thoracic sarcomas in children.

OBJECTIVE: This study reviews the experience of the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Studies (IRS) II and III with thoracic sarcomas. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Thoracic sarcomas in children present special problems with histologic diagnosis, total resection of tumor, and local control. Previous studies have shown high rates of local and distant relapse. METHODS: Data from evaluable patients enrolled in IRS II and IRS III were reviewed. Progression-free and overall survival were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and statistical differences were calculated by the log-rank test. The multivariate regression analysis of data was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: A total of 84 patients presented with thoracic sarcomas during IRS II (51 patients) and IRS III (33 patients). Of these, 76 were chest wall tumors, 3 were lung tumors, 4 were pleural tumors, and 1 arose from the heart. The average age at diagnosis was 8.5 years (range, 1 month-20.5 years). Thirty-three patients had alveolar histology, 17 had embryonal histology, and 12 had extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma, with indeterminate, undifferentiated, and pleomorphic histologies in the remaining 22 patients. Thirteen patients presented as group I (localized disease completely resected), 18 as group II (microscopic residual or nodal disease), 31 as group III (gross residual disease or biopsy only), and 22 as group IV (distant metastatic disease). Sixty patients (71%) achieved a complete response. Thirty-nine patients had a local relapse, and 22 had a distant relapse. Thirty-five patients (42%) survived with a mean follow-up of 1.8 years (range 0.7-11.7 years); 49 (58%) have died with an average survival of 1.1 years (range 0.3-11.7 years). Four patients (5%) died of infection or treatment complications. Progression-free survival was not significantly associated with histology, site, clinical group, or IRS study. Overall survival was significantly associated with clinical group, size, and local or distant recurrence, but not with histology or IRS study by univariate analysis. In a multivariate analysis, only clinical group and local and distant recurrence showed statistical significance (p < 0.002, < 0.006, and < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: As expected, outcome was better for patients with totally resected or microscopically residual tumor after resection. A higher rate of recurrence in group I versus group II,although not statistically significant, suggests that identification of margin status may be difficult, and these patients may require more intensive efforts for local control. These patients continued to have a high rate of local and distant relapse, and new strategies for preventing these are under development.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Current status of laparoscopic appendectomy in children.

Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in children. Open appendectomy has been the standard treatment for decades, with excellent results. Owing to advances in pediatric laparoscopic instrumentation and increased experience with the technique of laparoscopy, however, many centers are routinely performing laparoscopic appendectomy in children. Most studies show a marginal advantage of laparoscopic appendectomy over open appendectomy with regard to length of hospitalization, postoperative analgesia use, length of time until return to full activity, and wound infection rate. There is a wide range of clinical presentation in children with acute appendicitis, from mild inflammation of the appendix to ruptured appendicitis with diffuse peritonitis or localized abscess formation. Patients with ruptured appendicitis have many more complications regardless of the surgical approach. Prospective, randomized studies specifically in children are needed to answer remaining questions regarding any potential benefit of laparoscopic appendectomy and for which patients this technique is best suited.

Appendectomy↗

PubMed1998

Laparoscopic appendectomy in children.

Laparoscopic appendectomy is a common surgery in most pediatric surgical centers. Many studies, mostly retrospective reviews in adults, show the advantages of the laparoscopic approach to be less wound infections, shortened postoperative recovery, and faster return to normal activities. In addition, less analgesic medication is required postoperatively. Potential disadvantages of laparoscopic appendectomy include an increased operative time, elevated costs when disposable instruments are used, and possibly more infectious complications when performed for complicated appendicitis. There are no prospective, randomized trials comparing laparoscopic versus open appendectomy in children. Until these studies are completed, questions will persist regarding the benefits of laparoscopic appendectomy in children.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Infradiaphragmatic extralobar pulmonary sequestration masquerading as an intra-abdominal, suprarenal mass.

Three infants were found to have infradiaphragmatic masses by prenatal ultrasound. Postnatal imaging studies confirmed the presence of these masses, which were suspected of being intra-abdominal malignancies (neuroblastoma). The other principal differential diagnosis was extralobar pulmonary sequestration (EPS). Intraoperative findings were consistent with EPS, which was confirmed by histologic examination. We present these three infants, review the literature, and discuss the evaluation and treatment of infradiaphragmatic EPS.

Abdominal Neoplasms↗

PubMed1997

Perinatal management of enteric duplication cysts of the tongue.

Intra-oral enteric duplication cysts are rare. We recently treated two infants with prenatally diagnosed large sublingual enteric duplication cysts. Antenatal aspiration of the cyst was attempted in one infant without success. Because of the potential for airway obstruction and respiratory distress at delivery, preparation for an immediate tracheostomy was made in case oral intubation was impossible. Fortunately, aspiration of the cyst provided adequate access to the oropharynx for intubation in both infants. The placental cord was not divided until the airway was secured to minimize the potential for anoxic injury. Complete excision of the cyst was subsequently done in one patient. The other infant had an initial marsupialization and laser ablation of the cyst mucosa but the cyst recurred. Cyst excision at 9 months of age resolved the problem. Pathological examination revealed columnar-lined mucosa consistent with enteric duplication cysts. An enteric duplication cyst may present as a large sublingual mass with potential for airway obstruction in the newborn infant. Antenatal diagnosis allows for the proper preparation of personnel and equipment in the management of these neonates during delivery. If the airway is compromised, aspiration of the cyst can be done to improve the access to the oropharynx for intubation. Preparation for emergent tracheostomy should be done before delivery in case oral intubation is not possible. Subsequent complete cyst excision is the treatment of choice.

Airway Obstruction↗

PubMed1997

Laparoscopic common duct exploration in a child with recurrent pancreatitis due to a primary fungus ball in the terminal common bile duct.

We report on a case of a fungus ball obstructing the distal common bile duct and causing recurrent pancreatitis in an otherwise healthy 3-year-old boy. Laparoscopic exploration of the common bile duct was performed using a 10 french rigid fiberoptic cystoscope and a Dormia basket. This is the first example of a primary fungus ball in common bile duct presenting as a pancreatitis and treated laparoscopically.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1997

Acute abdomen. The role of laparoscopy.

The child with an acute abdomen presents the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the benefits of minimal-access surgery. There are a wide variety of conditions, acquired and congenital, for which minimal-access techniques provide the distinct advantages of a cost-effective diagnosis and therapy with minimal discomfort for the patient. In the present report, the management of children with abdominal pain of unclear etiology is outlined, along with discussions of the value of minimal-access surgery in appendicitis and other conditions. Several algorithms are provided as a guideline for suggested approaches to management.

Abdomen, Acute↗

PubMed1996

Laparoscopic evaluation and treatment of intestinal malrotation in infants.

Infants with intestinal malrotation present with bilious emesis and the diagnosis is generally obtained by an upper gastrointestinal barium study. Malrotation is suspected if the ligament of Treitz is not positioned to the left of the vertebral body. Barium enema may also be used to detect malrotation by noting the abnormal position of the cecum from its usual placement in the right lower quadrant, but this study is not as reliable due to the mobility of the cecum. Some infants may not have classic radiographic findings for malrotation, yet the contrast studies are not entirely normal. We recently treated two infants with recurrent vomiting whose UGI studies suggested intestinal malrotation. Laparoscopic exploration confirmed the diagnosis of malrotation. Laparoscopic correction (Ladd's procedure) of malrotation was carried out in one infant. The second infant underwent a traditional Ladd's procedure. The technique of laparoscopic Ladd's procedure is described. Laparoscopy may be used for the diagnosis and treatment of infants with intestinal malrotation. It may be especially helpful to verify the diagnosis in patients who do not have classic radiographic findings. Whether laparoscopy should be used in patients with midgut volvulus is debatable. Laparoscopic derotation of the volvulus in a setting where the bowel is markedly distended may be difficult and dangerous.

Female↗

PubMed1996

The argument for conservative, delayed surgery in the management of prostatic rhabdomyosarcoma.

Exenteration is no longer required for most patients who have rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) of the prostate. This site comprised only about 5% of newly diagnosed cases in the IRS-III (1984-1991). The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 5.3 yrs (range, 0 to 19 years). Most tumors were relatively large, had embryonal histology, and were clinically localized but unresectable without major loss of organ function. The 44 patients with group III tumors (gross residual disease) were treated according to the IRS-III protocol. Forty-three of them underwent biopsy only, and one patient had subtotal resection as the initial procedure. The average number of surgical procedures per patient was two (range, one to five). Six of the 44 patients had no additional surgery. The second-look procedures performed in the other 38 patients included exenteration (14), prostatectomy (7), cystoscopic/perineal needle biopsy (8), laparotomy with biopsy (6), and subtotal excision with bladder salvage (3). Additional surgery was required for four patients, for evaluation of a residual mass, postoperative fistula, ureteral stricture, or small bowel obstruction. Six patients with relapse or residual disease underwent additional chemotherapy and late exenteration (3), prostatectomy (1), or biopsy (2). Four of the six have been cured, one is in treatment for a second malignancy, and the other has residual disease after exenteration. Thirty-six of the 44 patients with group III tumors have been cured (minimum follow-up period, 6 years; range, 6 to 11 years), compared with 23 of the 47 in IRS-II (1978-1984) (P = .001). Two of the six deaths in this group were caused by infection. The bladder salvage rate for those cured of their disease also was better (64% v 57% for IRS-II). The two patients with group IIA tumors were cured by gross primary excision, local radiotherapy, and vincristine and actinomycin therapy. By contrast, all patients with metastatic disease (group IV) died of the tumor. Conservative, delayed surgery, performed after intensive chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy, yields a better cure rate while maintaining a high rate of bladder salvage in children with group III prostatic RMS.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Complications of minimal-access surgery in children.

Minimal-access surgery (MAS) is rapidly becoming the surgical approach of choice for a variety of surgical disorders in adults, but its use in children remains a relative novelty. Most pediatric surgeons continue to harbor justifiable concerns about the morbidity of this modality owing to the cumbersome nature of the instruments and the technical difficulty associated with two-dimensional views. The purpose of this study was to determine the complication rate and the lessons learned from the use of MAS in performing a variety of procedures in a large series of children. To determine complications, the authors reviewed the medical records of all children (n = 636; age range, 1 month to 19 years) who underwent laparoscopy (LAP) or thoracoscopy (THO) during a 5-year period (January 1, 1990 through December 31, 1994). The follow-up ranged from 1 week to 45 months. THO was performed in 62 children. Conversion to thoracotomy occurred in eight children (13%), because of inability to localize the lesion (3), unresectibility (2), inadequate tissue sample (1), unsafe access (1), hypoxemia (1), or inadvertent esophagotomy (1). Postoperatively, two ventilator-dependent children had tension pneumothorax after lung resection and required chest tubes. LAP was performed on 574 children, with conversion to laparotomy occurring in 15 (2.6%), because of technical reasons (10) or intraoperative complications (5). The complication rate of LAP was 2% (12 of 574). Early in the experience, intraoperative complications that led to laparotomy included hemorrhage during appendectomy (2), cholecystectomy (1), and splenectomy (1); and esophagotomy during a fundoplication (1). Other technical problems in the postoperative period were a malpositioned Nissen fundoplication and a gastric volvulus after gastrostomy and Nissen fundoplication owing to improper gastrostomy tube position. In addition, two children had a hernia at the umbilical trocar site that had been used for contralateral inguinal exploration, and cellulitis developed in three patients when a gastrostomy tube was brought out through a trocar site. Other complications not specific to MAS included pelvic abscess after appendectomy (5); small bowel obstruction after jejunostomy catheter placement (1) and combined cholecystectomy/appendectomy (1); enterocolitis (1) and severe hyponatremia (1) after pull-through for Hirschsprung's disease; and pneumonia after splenectomy (1). The overall complication rate of MAS was 4% (26 of 626), and there were no deaths. The initial use of MAS was associated with technical errors, which decreased with experience. Based on this study, the authors recommend (1) routine placement of a thoracostomy tube in children after THO if they require postoperative ventilator support; (2) using the open hernia sac to place a 70 degrees telescope for contralateral inguinal exploration; and (3) not using a trocar site for gastrostomy tube placement in immune-suppressed patients. With appropriate training and experience, MAS can be used safely in children, for a wide variety of diseases, with minimal morbidity and mortality.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

A comparison of laparoscopic and traditional open splenectomy in childhood.

This study aimed to determine whether laparoscopic splenectomy is more advantageous than open splenectomy in pediatric patients. Data from 61 patients treated between June 1983 and September 1994 were reviewed. Length of hospitalization, hospital costs, operating time, and postoperative complications were evaluated. Forty-seven patients had open splenectomy. Nineteen of these underwent concomitant procedures. Fourteen patients had laparoscopic splenectomy, and four had concomitant cholecystectomy. The data show a trend toward a 1-day reduction in hospital stay associated with laparoscopic splenectomy (P < .02). Operating time was 83% longer for the laparoscopic approach (P < .001), and operating costs were almost $3,000 more (P < .001) than for open splenectomy. The total hospital cost also was greater for laparoscopic procedures (P < .1), primarily reflective of a more than $3,000 difference for splenectomy alone (P < .02). Two of the fourteen laparoscopic patients (14%) had complications. One patient with Evan's syndrome had pneumonia that required antibiotics. Another patient required conversion to an open procedure because of poorly controlled hemorrhage from a short gastric vessel. Twelve of the open splenectomy patients (25%) had complications: atelectasis (3), fever (4), wound infection (2), pneumonia (1), laryngospasm (1), and pancreatitis (1). The authors conclude that laparoscopic splenectomy is a safe but currently more expensive alternative to open splenectomy, primarily because of the use of disposable instruments. Benefits include a shorter hospital stay, no greater risk of postoperative complications, and subjective improvement in the cosmetic result. Disadvantages include increased operating time and cost. Evaluation of larger series will be needed to determine the significance of the difference in complication rates between the two procedures.

Adolescent↗