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The role of preoperative bowel prep in the pediatric surgical population is uncertain. We performed a randomized prospective study to evaluate noninferiority between the presence or absence of a preoperative bowel prep in elective pediatric bowel surgery on postoperative outcomes. Patients aged three months to 18 years were recruited and randomized to the bowel prep group or the no bowel prep group. Patients were evaluated in-hospital and at postoperative clinic visits. Thirty-two patients were recruited; 18 in the bowel prep group and 14 in the no bowel prep group. There was no statistical difference ( P > 0.05) in complications between the groups. Complications were observed in five patients in each group (27.8% and 35.7%, respectively). In the bowel prep group, two (11.1%) had wound infection (vs three, 21.4%), 0 had an intra-abdominal abscess (vs one, 7.1%), one (5.6%) had sepsis (vs one, 7.1%), one (5.6%) had an anastomotic leak (vs 0), and three (16.7%) had a bowel obstruction (vs one, 7.1%). There were no extra-abdominal complications. There were no significant differences in complications between the two groups. Further research is warranted, but may require a multi-institutional trial to recruit sufficient numbers to make conclusions about the significance of the need for bowel prep.

Background-Ovarian tumors are the most common gynecologic malignancy occurring in childhood, with germ cell tumors being most frequent. This contrasts with adults where epithelial tumors account for most ovarian neoplasms. Tumor markers are an integral part of the work up and may guide management.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the United States, and more than half of these cases affect children. An estimated 1 in 6 dog bites, representing more than 800,000 bite victims each year, requires some form of medical attention. Historically, pediatric trauma patients who suffer devastating injuries and cardiopulmonary collapse requiring heroic salvage efforts have poor outcomes. We present the first case of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilized in a pediatric trauma patient following a severe dog bite injury. This case is an extraordinary example of multidisciplinary care of the pediatric trauma patient. It highlights the public health burden of dog bite injuries and the scant literature on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in pediatric trauma patients.

Brief Reports should be submitted online to www.editorialmanager.com/ amsurg. (See details online under ''Instructions for Authors''.) They should be no more than 4 double-spaced pages with no Abstract or sub-headings, with a maximum of four (4) references. If figures are included, they should be limited to two (2). The cost of printing color figures is the responsibility of the author.

A term male infant with Hirschsprung's disease underwent an uncomplicated laparoscopic-assisted endorectal pull-through procedure. Four weeks after discharge, the patient developed severe Clostridium difficile enterocolitis with hemodynamic instability and peritonitis. Bedside laparotomy confirmed intestinal viability and accommodated an appendicostomy for antegrade vancomycin colonic irrigations. The patient required venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for physiological support for more than six days. Transition to conventional support was successful with survival and discharge from the hospital free from hemorrhagic complications. The patient is now developmentally appropriate for his age.

No abstract