Objectives:
In the absence of evidence of acute cerebral herniation, normal ventilation is recommended for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Despite this recommendation, ventilation strategies vary during the initial management of patients with TBI and may impact outcome. The goal of this systematic review was to define the best evidence-based practice of ventilation management during the initial resuscitation period.
Methods:
A literature search of PubMed, CINAHL, and SCOPUS identified studies from 2009 through 2019 addressing the effects of ventilation during the initial post-trauma resuscitation on patient outcomes.
Results:
The initial search yielded 899 articles, from which 13 were relevant and selected for full-text review. Six of the 13 articles met the inclusion criteria, all of which reported on patients with TBI. Either end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) or partial pressure carbon dioxide (PCO2) were the independent variables associated with mortality. Decreased rates of mortality were reported in patients with normal PCO2 or ETCO2.
Conclusions:
Normoventilation, as measured by ETCO2 or PCO2, is associated with decreased mortality in patients with TBI. Preventing hyperventilation or hypoventilation in patients with TBI during the early resuscitation phase could improve outcome after TBI.
Cloaca is a rare, complex malformation encompassing the genitourinary and anorectal tract of the female in which these tracts fail to separate in utero, resulting in a single perineal orifice. Prenatal sonography detects a few cases with findings such as renal and urinary tract malformations, intraluminal calcifications, dilated bowel, ambiguous genitalia, a cystic pelvic mass, or identification of other associated anomalies prompting further imaging. Multi-disciplinary collaboration between neonatology, pediatric surgery, urology, and gynecology is paramount to achieving safe outcomes. Perinatal evaluation and management may include treatment of cardiopulmonary and renal anomalies, administration of prophylactic antibiotics, ensuring egress of urine and evaluation of hydronephrosis, drainage of a hydrocolpos, and creation of a colostomy for stool diversion. Additional imaging of the spinal cord and sacrum are obtained to plan possible neurosurgical intervention as well as prognostication of future bladder and bowel control. Endoscopic evaluation and cloacagram, followed by primary reconstruction, are performed by a multidisciplinary team outside of the neonatal period. Long-term multidisciplinary follow-up is essential given the increased rates of renal disease, neuropathic bladder, tethered cord syndrome, and stooling issues. Patients and families will also require support through the functional and psychosocial changes in puberty, adolescence, and young adulthood.
Background
The posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP) used to repair an anorectal malformation (ARM) with a rectovestibular fistula involves incising the perineal body skin and the sphincter muscles and a posterior sagittal incision to the coccyx. Perineal body dehiscence is the most common and morbid complication post-PSARP which can have a negative impact on future bowel control. With consideration of all the other approaches described to repair this anomaly, we developed a perineal body sparing modification of the standard PSARP technique.
Methods
Four patients with ARM with a rectovestibular fistula were repaired with a perineal body sparing modified PSARP at a single institution between 2020 and 2021. The incision used was limited, involving only the length of the anal sphincter, with no incision anterior or posterior to the planned anoplasty. Dissection of the distal rectum and fistula was performed without cutting the perineal body. Once the distal rectum was mobilized off of the posterior vaginal wall and out of the vestibule, the perineal body muscles where the fistula had been were reinforced, and an anoplasty was then performed.
Results
Operative time was the same as for a standard PSARP. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. No postoperative dilations were performed. All patients healed well with an excellent cosmetic result. All are too young to assess for bowel control.
Conclusion
We present a new technique, a modification of the traditional PSARP for rectovestibular fistula, which spares the perineal body. This approach could eliminate the potential complication of perineal body dehiscence.
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