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PubMed2026

Stapled versus hand-sewn intestinal anastomosis in pediatric surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal anastomosis is a core procedure in pediatric gastrointestinal surgery, performed for conditions such as necrotizing enterocolitis, intestinal atresia, Hirschsprung's disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. Although stapled anastomosis (SA) may improve operative efficiency, its safety and effectiveness compared with hand-sewn anastomosis (HA) in children remain uncertain. This meta-analysis compared clinical outcomes of SA and HA in pediatric patients. METHODS: The study followed PRISMA guidelines and was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251177257). A systematic search of PubMed, Dimensions, and the Cochrane Library was conducted through June 2025. Studies including children under 7 years undergoing intestinal SA or HA were eligible. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction, and risk-of-bias assessment using ROB 2 and ROBINS-I tools. Statistical analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (v3) with a random-effects model. RESULTS: Eleven studies involving 903 patients met inclusion criteria, including two randomized controlled trials. Of these, 333 patients underwent SA and 570 underwent HA. SA was associated with significantly shorter operative time (mean difference [MD] = -19.26 min; 95% CI: -24.24 to -14.28; p < 0.001) and earlier initiation of oral feeding (MD = -2.32 days; 95% CI: -3.78 to -0.86; p = 0.002). No significant differences were found in anastomotic leakage, stricture formation, reoperation rate, or length of hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: Stapled anastomosis appears as safe as hand-sewn techniques in pediatric intestinal surgery while offering shorter operative duration and faster postoperative feeding recovery. Selective use of stapled techniques is supported when anatomically feasible, though further multicenter randomized trials are needed.

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PubMed2026

The future of pediatric vesicoureteral reflux management.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a common condition in pediatric urology, yet important uncertainties persist regarding risk stratification, imaging strategies, and prevention of long-term renal damage. Emerging technologies may help address these challenges. This review provides a forward-looking overview of recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and immunomodulation that may influence future management of pediatric VUR. METHODS: A forward-looking literature review was performed using the PubMed database (January 2000-March 2025), focusing on studies addressing AI, immunomodulation, or vaccination in the context of VUR and urinary tract infections. Criteria of inclusion were the relevance to pediatric VUR, the novelty of the proposed concept, the potential clinical implications and, for the AI literature, the existence of a clinical evaluation of the algorithm on a dataset from patients. KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: AI-based models show promising performance in supporting clinical decision-making, including prediction of the need for voiding cystourethrography, automated grading of VUR, estimation of recurrent urinary tract infection risk and prediction of chemoprophylaxis. These tools may facilitate more individualized diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, although current evidence is largely retrospective and requires prospective validation. Immunization and immunomodulatory approaches aim to reduce infection burden and modulate inflammatory pathways associated with renal scarring. While early experimental and adult clinical data are encouraging, pediatric-specific evidence remains limited, and clinical applicability in children with VUR is not yet established. CONCLUSION: Artificial intelligence and immunologically targeted strategies represent complementary, emerging approaches that may contribute to more personalized management of pediatric VUR. At present, both should be regarded as exploratory tools whose clinical impact will depend on further validation and appropriately designed pediatric studies.

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PubMed2026

Risk factors and management strategies for needle disengagement from the visual field in pediatric robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify risk factors for suture needle disengagement from the visual field during pediatric robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty (RALP) and propose effective strategies for prevention and management. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study analyzed clinical data from 339 pediatric patients who underwent RALP for ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) at a single institution between August 2017 and December 2020. Patients were categorized based on the occurrence of needle disengagement from the visual field. Various patient demographics and surgical procedural factors were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression, along with LASSO regression, identified independent risk and protective factors. RESULTS: Needle disengagement occurred in 38 (11.21%) of 339 cases. Multivariate logistic regression identified five independent risk factors for needle disengagement: use of a 3-mm auxiliary trocar (OR = 4.69, 95% CI: 1.98-12.53, P < 0.001), non-standard needle holder use (OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.04-5.18, P = 0.038), unshaped suture needles (OR = 3.16, 95% CI: 1.44-7.19, P = 0.005), simultaneous use of ≥2 intra-abdominal sutures (OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.15-5.48, P = 0.023), and clamping the needle shank during withdrawal (OR = 3.42, 95% CI: 1.40-8.21, P = 0.006). Conversely, sufficient assistant experience (>10 cases) was identified as a protective factor (OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.18-0.88, P = 0.021). CONCLUSION: Suture needle disengagement from the visual field during pediatric RALP is associated with specific technical and instrumental factors. Implementing targeted strategies-such as mandating specialized needle holders, preoperative needle shaping, a single-needle workflow, prioritizing clamping the suture thread over the needle shank during withdrawal, and ensuring adequate assistant training-has the potential to significantly reduce significantly mitigate the risk of needle loss and enhance overall surgical safety in pediatric RALP.

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PubMed2026

Low-Dose Perineural Dexamethasone Enhances Analgesia After Pediatric Hand Surgery Without Elevating Systemic Stress Markers: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Supraclavicular brachial plexus block is a widely used technique for upper limb surgery in children. Although perineural dexamethasone has demonstrated efficacy in prolonging analgesia in adults, data on its optimal dosing and systemic safety in pediatric patients are limited. This study aimed to evaluate whether low-dose perineural dexamethasone can prolong postoperative analgesia without increasing systemic stress markers in young children undergoing hand or wrist surgery. METHODS: In this triple-blinded, randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06086392), 90 children aged 3 months to 6 years undergoing elective upper extremity surgery were assigned to receive supraclavicular brachial plexus block with 0.2% ropivacaine combined with either normal saline (control), dexamethasone 0.05 mg/kg, or dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg. The primary outcome was time from arrival in the postanesthesia care unit to first administration of rescue opioid analgesia. Secondary outcomes included total opioid consumption, postoperative pain intensity using the FLACC scale, blood glucose levels, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and time to motor recovery. RESULTS: Both dexamethasone groups demonstrated significantly prolonged time to first opioid use compared with the control group (mean±SD: 19.4±2.2 h in the 0.1 mg/kg group, 16.0±1.9 h in the 0.05 mg/kg group, and 8.5±1.3 h in controls; P <0.0001). Total opioid consumption was significantly reduced in the dexamethasone groups. Postoperative pain scores were lower in both intervention groups, especially during the first 12 hours. No significant differences were found among groups in blood glucose, inflammatory markers, or incidence of nerve deficits. Motor recovery was delayed in the dexamethasone groups but did not interfere with early mobilization. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose perineural dexamethasone (0.05 to 0.1 mg/kg) safely and effectively prolongs postoperative analgesia and reduces opioid needs in children undergoing upper limb surgery, without causing systemic metabolic or inflammatory disturbances. The 0.05 mg/kg dose may offer a more favorable balance between analgesic efficacy and motor recovery time. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I-randomized controlled trial.

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PubMed2026

Real-time intraoperative perfusion assessment using indocianine green in pediatric extrinsic ureteropelvic junction obstruction with crossing vessel.

INTRODUCTION: In vascular hitch (VH) particular attention must be paid to preserving lower pole perfusion. Hypoperfusion is normally excluded by macroscopic visual assessment of parenchyma appearance. Our aim is to explore the possible role of indocyanine green (ICG) in highlighting focal hypoperfusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included pediatric patients with UPJO caused by crossing vessels, treated with robot-assisted VH. Intraoperative evaluation assessed UPJ appearance, reduction of hydronephrosis after vessel mobilization, and the adequacy of pelvic drainage during diuretic testing. ICG was used to assess renal perfusion via NIRF imaging. A 25 mg ICG solution was prepared in 10 mL and administered in 1 mL doses. Fluorescence distribution, operative time, and complications were recorded. Follow-up at 3, 6, and 12 months included clinical evaluations, blood pressure measurements, and Doppler ultrasound. RESULTS: Eight patients (median age 8years) were enrolled between October 2023 and February 2025. ICG assessed renal perfusion post-procedure; one case of focal hypoperfusion due to vessel tension was resolved with intraoperative revision. At a median follow-up of 18 months, no hypertension, pain, or UTIs were observed. Ultrasound demonstrated improved hydronephrosis and normal Doppler flow. CONCLUSION: ICG angiography is a safe and effective tool for the real-time assessment of renal perfusion during pediatric VH procedures.

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PubMed2026

Intraoperative indocyanine green near-infrared fluorescence imaging for assessing testicular viability in pediatric testicular torsion: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of indocyanine green near-infrared fluorescence (ICG-NIRF) imaging versus conventional surgery for assessing testicular viability and guiding decision-making in pediatric testicular torsion (TT). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 225 pediatric patients undergoing emergency scrotal exploration for TT between January 2019 and January 2025. Patients were categorized into a conventional surgery group (n = 118) relying on visual grading and an ICG-NIRF imaging group (n = 107). Primary outcomes included intraoperative testicular preservation rates and postoperative success rates. Multivariate Cox regression was utilized to identify factors influencing testicular preservation. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. The ICG-NIRF group demonstrated a significantly higher intraoperative preservation rate (74.77% vs. 61.02%, p = 0.028) and postoperative success rate (88.75% vs. 69.44%, p = 0.003) compared to the conventional group. Additionally, the ICG-NIRF group exhibited significantly lower rates of secondary orchiectomy (1.25% vs. 9.72%, p = 0.027) and 6-month testicular atrophy (7.59% vs. 23.08%, p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis confirmed ICG-NIRF application as an independent protective factor for testicular preservation (HR = 0.556, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: ICG-NIRF imaging provides an objective, real-time assessment of testicular perfusion, significantly improving testicular preservation rates and postoperative outcomes. This technique overcomes the subjectivity of conventional visual methods, offering substantial clinical value for fertility preservation in pediatric TT.

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PubMed2026

A retrospective population-based cohort study to assess outcomes, time to complications and cost of follow-up care following pediatric pyeloplasty in Ontario, Canada (2002-2016).

PURPOSE: Pediatric dismembered pyeloplasty (PP) is the gold standard surgery for uretero-pelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) in children. However, there is no consensus regarding the duration and methods of providing follow-up care after PP. This study aims to assess the rate of redo-interventions following PP and to define the ideal follow-up care following PP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective population-based cohort study including all PP patients in Ontario between April 2002 and March 2016 using routinely collected data, with a minimum 5-year follow-up. Baseline variables included demographics, surgical approach, laterality and surgeon experience. The primary outcome was time to secondary surgical intervention, including redo PP. Secondary outcomes included costs of follow-up care and rates of early ER visits. Regression analyses were preformed to predict need for secondary intervention 2-years post PP, including independent variables: age, sex, surgical approach and early complication. RESULTS: The study included 1049 patients with a median age of 2 (IQR 0-7) years. Of the 13.6% of patients who had at least one secondary intervention following PP (including 3.8% who underwent a redo PP), 90.2% occurred within 3-years of PP. The median cost/patient of follow up care was $1472 CAD (IQR $292-$31,133). Regression analysis did not reveal any predictors of delayed secondary intervention. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that over 86% of PP are completed successfully, with a 3.8% rate of redo-PP. The majority of secondary interventions for post-PP complications occur within 3 years post-PP. Variability in duration and cost of follow-up care post- PP should be addressed to minimize costs, and a minimum 3-years follow-up after PP is recommended.

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PubMed2026

Animal-assisted therapy in pediatric urodynamics.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: Urodynamics (UDS) is associated with high levels of patient anxiety/discomfort. Children are often unable to complete UDS, with anesthesia needed to place catheters. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has been used in a variety of settings, but it has not been studied for UDS before. OBJECTIVE: To determine if AAT can increase success of completing UDS testing without anesthesia in children who were previously unable to perform UDS, along with decreasing distress levels. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a pilot case series of 7 patients (2 female, 5 male) aged 4-16 (mean 9.7) years who previously were unable to complete UDS awake, with AAT prior to and during the UDS procedure. A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to measure patient stress levels before and after AAT. RESULTS: We were able to successfully complete UDS testing with AAT in 6 of the 7 patients (85.7%) without the need for anesthesia. VAS scores decreased from before to after AAT (5.4-3.6, p = 0.020) but with discrepancy when compared to UDS success. DISCUSSION: Our study was the first to describe AAT during UDS. Our preliminary data found AAT to be feasible in UDS. Subjective distress may not correlate with procedural success. AAT in UDS may be more beneficial in certain populations, such as anxious children who previously were unable to tolerate UDS, and not in others such as severe neurodevelopmental conditions. Our study was limited by the small sample size, a single provider, single center, single therapy dog, inclusion of a specific population of patients, and no control group due to this being a pilot study. CONCLUSION: AAT for certain children undergoing UDS testing could help improve the ability to complete the testing without anesthesia. Further studies are needed to fully demonstrate its usefulness in UDS.

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PubMed2026

SBUF-SMUF: On the path to the optimum hemofiltration technique in pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Hemofiltration during pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is essential to mitigate hemodilution, inflammatory responses, and postoperative complications. Conventional ultrafiltration (CUF) is widely practiced, but novel methods such as subzero balanced ultrafiltration combined with simple modified ultrafiltration (SBUF-SMUF) may offer superior outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of CUF versus SBUF-SMUF in pediatric patients undergoing open-heart surgery. METHODS: In this prospective randomized, outcome-assessor-blinded clinical trial, 80 pediatric patients with congenital heart disease were allocated to either CUF (n = 40) or SBUF-SMUF (n = 40) during CPB. Baseline demographics, intraoperative characteristics, fluid balance, blood product utilization, and postoperative outcomes were assessed. Statistical analysis was conducted using independent t-tests, Chi-square tests, and Fisher's exact tests. Statistical significance was defined as a two-tailed p-Value of less than 0.05. RESULTS: Demographic and preoperative variables were comparable between groups. Mean fluid balance was significantly positive in the CUF group (+192.1 ± 178.8 mL) but negative in the SBUF-SMUF group (-105.0 ± 78.9 mL, p < 0.001). The SBUF-SMUF group required significantly less intraoperative PRBC (141.7 ± 70.2 vs. 261.0 ± 68.8 mL, p < 0.001) and postoperative FFP transfusion (2% vs. 10%, p = 0.020). Post-bypass hematocrit levels were higher (31.2% vs. 27.3%, p = 0.001) and extubation occurred earlier in the SBUF-SMUF group (1.05 ± 1.03 vs. 2.27 ± 2.37 days, p = 0.006). No significant differences were observed in potassium levels or incidence of acute kidney injury. CONCLUSION: The SBUF-SMUF technique is safe, effective, and superior to CUF in optimizing fluid balance, reducing blood product utilization, and facilitating earlier extubation in pediatric cardiac surgery. No additional risk of oliguria or electrolyte imbalance was observed compared to CUF. Its simplicity and reproducibility support its consideration as a standard approach in pediatric CPB.

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PubMed2026

Effects of dietary interventions on gut microbiota and related cardiometabolic changes in pediatric obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gut microbiota imbalances may contribute to obesity, yet whether dietary interventions can modulate the microbiota and improve metabolic health in pediatrics has not been thoroughly reviewed. This systematic review and meta-analysis explores the impact of dietary interventions on the gut microbiota of children and adolescents with overweight or obesity, and its association with cardiometabolic improvements. METHODS: A systematic search of clinical trials in Pubmed, Cochrane and EMBASE was conducted following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO n°CRD42024505494). Risk of bias was assessed with RoB2 and ROBINS, for randomized and non-randomized intervention studies. RESULTS: Overall, 60 articles were assessed for full-text eligibility, 8 were included, and 4 provided alpha-diversity data for meta-analysis. A total of 200 participants were included (6-16 years). Six studies implemented calorie-restricted diets, one a low free-sugar diet, and one CHILD-1 diet. The meta-analysis revealed a significant increase in Chao1 (48.76 [95%CI 1.81; 95.70]; I2 = 86.8%, p < 0.001) following a balanced calorie-restricted dietary intervention. Although there was heterogeneity in taxa-level changes, several butyrate-producing genera (Clostridium XVIa, Coprococcus, Roseburia, Faecalibacterium, Blautia, Butyricimonas) increased following dietary intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Balanced dietary interventions with calorie-restriction adequate for pediatric age could increase gut microbiota richness and butyrate-producing bacteria abundance. Future trials should clarify diet-driven gut microbiota changes in childhood obesity and related metabolic changes. IMPACT: Balanced calorie restriction diet may increase gut microbiota richness in childhood obesity Butyrate-producer expansion needs long-term dietary intervention Gaps in linking microbiota-metabolism interplay in pediatric obesity.

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PubMed2026

Impact of Physical Environment of Pediatric Inpatient Wards on Children: A Systematic Literature Review.

ObjectiveThe study aimed to examine empirical studies published between 2003 and 2025 to identify elements of physical environments influencing health outcomes and experiences of children and families.BackgroundIn the past 40 years, research has shown that the physical environment influences the health and well-being of patients in the healthcare environment. However, similar research in the context of "pediatric inpatient wards" remains underexplored.MethodsPubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were used to identify relevant articles. All extracted articles underwent a three-step screening process using PRISMA. A total of 30 eligible articles were used for the analysis. The protocol is registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023408997).ResultsKey findings reveal positive and negative impacts of identified elements. Positive-effect elements include play spaces, space for parents, natural light, connections with nature, and so on, which promote comfort, healing, and emotional resilience. Conversely, negative-effect elements, such as noise, artificial lighting, uncomfortable temperature, and so on, contribute to stress and disrupted sleep. Mixed effects were observed for elements like art and television, which underscore the complexity of designing environments that address the diverse needs of different age groups and genders.ConclusionsThe review findings highlight significant knowledge gaps. The study also tries to bridge existing gaps between research and practice by systematically identifying environmental elements, offering actionable insights to architects, designers, healthcare providers, and policymakers. Future research must adopt rigorous, culturally inclusive approaches to advance the field of pediatric healthcare design and ensure equitable care across diverse sociocultural contexts.

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PubMed2026

Sacral Neuromodulation in the Management of Refractory Pediatric Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION: Sacral neuromodulation is currently used in the pediatric patient population for refractory lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD). Evidence, however, is currently limited for institutional experiences of long-term outcomes for sacral neuromodulation in the pediatric patient population. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to perform a retrospective review of a large multi-institutional cohort of pediatric patients that underwent sacral neuromodulation (SNM) for refractory LUTD, focused on rates of symptom improvement, quality of life, and bowel-bladder dysfunction measures following device implantation. Secondary objectives included assessing device complication rates and device removals due to failure or successful resolution of symptoms. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients at three children's hospitals that underwent SNM device implantation for refractory LUTD. Patients 4-18 years of age who were diagnosed with refractory LUTD and managed at a participating institution with follow-up were included. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline and post-operatively after two-stage device implantation at initial follow-up and annually until device removal or final follow-up. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2022, a total of 205 children underwent SNM procedures at three pediatric hospital centers. 204 patients completed the two-stage procedure for permanent device implantation with a median follow-up of 3.4 years (1.3, 4.9). One hundred seventy-eight patients reported partial (25%) or complete (54%) device response/symptom improvement by final follow-up. Comparison of patient-reported validated questionnaires completed at baseline and by final follow-up visit revealed significant improvement in median Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) (p = 0.004) and Vancouver Nonneurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction/Dysfunctional Elimination Syndrome bowel-bladder dysfunction (BBD) scores (p < 0.001). Of those with any device complication (n = 43;21%), 19 patients required device revision, and 20 required complete device removal. Separately, twenty-eight patients (13%) underwent device removal due to resolution of symptoms or treatment success at a median period of 5 years (4,7). CONCLUSION: SNM use demonstrated a majority of patients reporting at least partial subjective symptom improvement following device implantation across multiple institutions by final follow-up. SNM is a viable treatment option for refractory LUTD in the pediatric patient if willing to undergo an invasive procedure and in which thorough counseling of risks and benefits has occurred.

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PubMed2026

Impact of climate change on pediatric health outcomes.

Climate change has become one of the most critical health issues globally in the twenty-first century with children bearing the disproportionate burden of the burden since they are more vulnerable than adults because of their physiological, behavioral, and developmental capacities. It is a systematic review that rates the evidence of the relationship between climatic exposures such as heat, air-pollution, and extreme weather events and pediatric health outcomes. The number of peer-reviewed studies involved was 23 published in 2000-2025, which represented different geographic areas and study designs and assessed acute and chronic health outcomes. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the ROBINS-I tool were used to evaluate the methodological quality, and the majority of the studies had low to moderate risks of bias. The narrative synthesis shows that there are always links between air pollutants especially PM2.5, NO2 and O3 and respiratory morbidity, prevalence of asthma and hospitalization of children. Amplified temperatures as well as heat waves were associated with increased cases of heat illness, dehydration, and febrile state in infants and young children. There were elevated cases of diarrheal and vector-related infections, especially in low-resource settings, which were linked to extreme weather events especially floods. Although the overall results were similar, significant differences in the regions and methods were found, and low-income countries show little evidence. In addition, exposures as analyzed in most studies were usually considered individually, which may have underestimated the cumulative or compound climate risks.

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PubMed2026

Associations of clinical and laboratory parameters with pediatric urolithiasis composition: A retrospective, single-center study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate demographic, clinical, and laboratory factors associated with distinct stone compositions in children. METHODS: This retrospective study included 237 children aged <14 years who underwent stone composition analysis between July 2008 and November 2023. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected, and propensity score matching (PSM) was used to control for confounding factors. RESULTS: The urate component (uric acid anhydrous, ammonium acid urate, and sodium urate) was most prevalent in infants, males, and non-Han children, whereas the calcium oxalate component predominated in older children. Analysis of coexisting components revealed urate is the most common partner to calcium oxalate (67.6%), and vice versa (82.8%). Struvite most frequently coexisted with carbonate apatite (60%), while carbonate apatite most often coexisted with calcium oxalate (54%). After PSM, the urate component was independently associated with host metabolic dysregulation, including lower high-density lipoprotein (β = -0.175, 95% CI: -0.279 to -0.071, p = 0.001) and with coagulation dysfunction, as evidenced by a prolonged prothrombin time (β = 0.595, 95% CI: 0.125 to 1.064, p = 0.014). Additionally, preoperative urinary tract infection (UTI) and congenital urinary tract anomalies were independently associated with both carbonate apatite and struvite components, with directionally consistent but quantitatively unstable signals in the struvite cohort, whereas the calcium oxalate component exhibited an inverse association with UTI (OR = 0.156, 95% CI: 0.030 to 0.819, p = 0.028). Furthermore, the carbonate apatite component was also independently associated with an elevated systemic immune-inflammation index (β = 416.53, 95% CI: 60.05 to 773.01, p = 0.024) and systemic inflammation response index (β = 1.286, 95% CI: 0.086 to 2.487, p = 0.038). CONCLUSION: Urate component was prevalent in infants, males, and non-Han children, whereas calcium oxalate predominated in older children. After adjusting for confounders, urate composition was associated with metabolic abnormalities, the carbonate apatite component was linked to infection and anatomical malformations, and a similar directional pattern was observed in the struvite cohort.

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PubMed2026

Ruling out pediatric bacterial epididymo-orchitis with urinalysis - The case for minimizing unnecessary antibiotic prescription.

INTRODUCTION: Epididymo-orchitis in pediatric patients is predominantly non-bacterial, often stemming from viral or reactive etiologies. Despite guidelines recommending conservative management for non-bacterial cases, antibiotic overtreatment remains prevalent in the outpatient setting. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of urinalysis in ruling out bacterial infection to support antibiotic stewardship in this population. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study using electronic health records from a large health maintenance organization in Israel. The cohort included patients younger than 18 years with a diagnosis of epididymo-orchitis or clinically overlapping entities (acute scrotum, appendage torsion) who had paired urinalysis and urine culture results within one week of diagnosis. Logistic regression and ROC curve analysis were performed to assess the ability of urinalysis parameters to predict positive urine cultures. RESULTS: Of 682 eligible cases, confirmed bacterial infection was rare, occurring in only 17 patients (2.5%). Nitrite positivity was the strongest independent predictor of infection (OR 43.98; p < 0.001). A prediction model incorporating all urinalysis parameters yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.825 and achieved a 97.7% classification accuracy for correctly predicting negative cultures. Despite the low prevalence of infection, antibiotics were prescribed in 237 cases (34.7%). Urinary anatomic abnormalities were significantly associated with culture positivity. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial coinfection in pediatric epididymo-orchitis is uncommon. Urinalysis serves as a highly accurate screening tool to rule out bacterial etiology. A negative urinalysis supports withholding antibiotics in this setting, reserving treatment for children with positive markers or known anatomic abnormalities. This evidence-based approach This evidence-based approach has the potential to reduce unnecessary antibiotic exposure, however prospective studies are needed to validate these findings before broad implementation.

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PubMed2026

Temporal evolution of minimally invasive pediatric urolithiasis treatment over 30 years.

Urolithiasis in children has increased substantially over the past 30 years, and surgical management maintains an important role in treatment. Technological advances such as lasers and miniaturization have broadened treatment options, and researchers investigate the best indications for each procedure. The aim was to identify publication trends in the field and explore reasons why Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy is being gradually less applied in the treatment of pediatric urolithiasis. A Reverse Systematic Review of the literature was conducted regarding the surgical treatment of urolithiasis in children. Five databases were screened, gathering all articles from inception that were evaluated in systematic reviews. We examined 123 publications, 197 reports, and 15,878 procedures, consisting of the largest studied population in the field. There was an increasing number of publications, although in progressively less prestigious journals. The number of studies on miniaturized percutaneous techniques and flexible ureteroscopy has increased closely with the rise in popularity of these procedures worldwide, mainly driven by studies from Asia, Europe, and North America. A trend of self-renewed interest is fueled by technological innovation and has led to fewer publications on Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy over the years. This review highlights the fact that, despite positive results in recent studies, the low popularity of ESWL within the scientific community is driving a decline in the technique's indications. Moreover, based on the findings of this study, key research priorities include continued reporting of high-quality outcomes, and technological progress in ESWL would contribute meaningfully to the field.

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PubMed2026

Comparison of Iodinated Contrast Doses Based on Total Body Weight and Lean Body Weight in Pediatric Patients: Impact on Image Quality and Contrast Exposure.

INTRODUCTION: Iodinated contrast dosing in pediatric computed tomography (CT) traditionally relies on total body weight (TBW), which may result in excessive contrast administration, particularly in patients with higher adiposity. Lean body weight (LBW)-based protocols have shown promise in adults but remain underexplored in children. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare contrast volume requirements and hepatic enhancement quality among three dosing protocols: LBW-based, TBW-based, and the Control Group (CG), based on the institutional standard for pediatric abdominal CT. METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 66 patients (age 0-16 years) undergoing contrast-enhanced abdominal CT between September 2023 and August 2024. Patients were randomly assigned to receive iodinated contrast (iobitridol 350mg I/mL) dosed by: (1) LBW (0.63 g iodine/kg x LBW, calculated using Peters formula; n = 23), (2) TBW (0.46 g iodine/kg x TBW; n = 20), or (3) institutional control protocol (2 mL/kg x TBW, equivalent to 0.7 g iodine/kg; n = 23). Kruskal-Wallis, ANOVA, Two-way ANOVA, ANCOVA, Scheirer-Ray-Hare, and Cohen's Kappa tests with Likert scale were used. RESULTS: The LBW group received lower median contrast volumes (27 mL; IQR, 10-80 mL) compared to the TBW group (34.5 mL; IQR, 18-78 mL) and the CG group (40 mL; IQR, 13-80 mL), although the differences did not reach statistical significance (P > 0.05). Notably, this reduction did not compromise hepatic enhancement, which remained comparable to the CG (552 ± 139 HU; P = 0.107). CONCLUSION: Lean body weight may be a useful parameter for estimating contrast dose in pediatric abdominal CT, potentially reducing administered volumes without compromising diagnostic image quality. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: These results provide early evidence that LBW-based dosing may support more individualized contrast administration in pediatric CT, potentially reducing exposure-related risks.

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PubMed2026

Ibuprofen versus acetaminophen for acute mild-to-moderate pain management in pediatric populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of their efficacy.

UNLABELLED: Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are the most widely used analgesics in pediatric practice for the management of acute mild-to-moderate pain. Despite their widespread use, the comparative analgesic efficacy of these two agents in children remains a subject of ongoing debate, with existing evidence largely derived from heterogeneous clinical settings and small individual trials. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze randomized controlled trials comparing the analgesic efficacy of ibuprofen versus acetaminophen in pediatric populations with acute mild-to-moderate pain. A systematic literature search was conducted up to May 2026 in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The review was conducted and reported in accordance with the PRISMA-Children and Adolescents (PRISMA-C) 2026 reporting guideline. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials comparing ibuprofen with acetaminophen in children and adolescents (defined as individuals aged 0 to < 18 years) with acute pain, reporting at least one extractable efficacy outcome. Continuous outcomes were synthesized as standardized mean differences (Hedges' g) using random-effects models; dichotomous outcomes were pooled as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool and certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE framework. Eight randomized controlled trials enrolling 1325 participants were included. Three pediatric trials contributed to the primary continuous pain outcome meta-analysis (n = 196 analyzable participants), yielding a pooled SMD of - 0.28 (95% CI - 0.57 to 0.00; p = 0.052; I2 = 0%), indicating a small effect favoring ibuprofen that did not reach conventional statistical significance. Given the small number of contributing studies (k = 3), the I2 statistic should be interpreted with caution as it has limited power to detect heterogeneity in this context. For the dichotomous pain freedom outcome (2 trials, n = 114), no significant difference was observed (pooled RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.53-1.99; p = 0.93; I2 = 0%). A prespecified sensitivity analysis including an adult soft-tissue injury trial attenuated the pooled effect toward the null (SMD - 0.15, 95% CI - 0.38 to 0.09; p = 0.23; I2 = 36.6%). Narrative synthesis of additional studies generally demonstrated comparable analgesic efficacy between the two agents across postoperative and outpatient pediatric settings. The overall certainty of evidence was rated as low for both primary outcomes, primarily due to imprecision and indirectness. CONCLUSION: Current evidence from randomized controlled trials does not demonstrate a superiority of ibuprofen over acetaminophen for acute mild-to-moderate pain management in children. Both agents appear to provide clinically meaningful analgesia across heterogeneous pediatric pain settings. The clinical choice between agents should be guided by individual patient factors, including contraindications to NSAIDs, the inflammatory nature of the pain etiology, and patient-specific characteristics. The low certainty of evidence underscores the need for adequately powered, methodologically rigorous trials to definitively establish the comparative efficacy of these two analgesics in the pediatric population. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are the two most widely used non-opioid analgesics for acute mild-to-moderate pain in children, and both are recommended as first-line agents by major international guidelines. • Prior meta-analyses in mixed pediatric-adult populations have suggested a modest analgesic advantage of ibuprofen over acetaminophen, but pediatric-specific evidence has remained limited and methodologically heterogeneous. WHAT IS NEW: • This systematic review and meta-analysis, restricted to randomized controlled trials in pediatric populations, found that ibuprofen showed a small effect favoring pain reduction compared with acetaminophen (SMD - 0.28, p = 0.052), although this did not reach conventional statistical significance. • The analgesic advantage of ibuprofen may be more pronounced in pain etiologies with a significant inflammatory component (e.g., fractures). At the same time, both agents appear broadly equivalent in most other acute pediatric pain settings, supporting individualized analgesic selection based on clinical context and patient-specific factors.

Humans↗