Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. MethodsWe did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung's disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. FindingsWe included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung's disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58•0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36-39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2•8 kg (2•3-3•3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39•8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20•4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5•6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0•0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90•0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31•9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1•4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0•0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2•78 [95% CI 1•88-4•11], p<0•0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2•11 [1•59-2•79], p<0•0001), sepsis at presentation (1•20 [1•04-1•40], p=0•016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4-5 vs ASA 1-2, 1•82 [1•40-2•35], p<0•0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1-2, 1•58, [1•30-1•92], p<0•0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1•39 [1•02-1•90], p=0•035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1•96, [1•4...
Bezoars are rare foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract. They may be composed of hair (trichobezoars), vegetable matter (phytobezoars), milk curds (lactobezoars) and, very rarely, stones (lithobezoars). Colonic lithobezoars are very rare findings in children. We report an eight-year-old boy with a giant rectosigmoid lithobezoar, who presented with history of recurrent constipation and pica for five years. Four hundred and seventy two (472) pieces of asphalt stones ware manually evacuated via the anus.
Background:Repair of congenital groin hernia/hydrocele is the most common surgical procedure performed by paediatric surgeons. There is dearth of literature comparing the outcomes of open herniotomy in children using various surgical approaches. This study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy of open herniotomy by comparing external ring incision, hernial sac twisting and whether or not double ligation has benefit over a single suture application.Materials and Methods:A multi-centre prospective randomised clinical trial was conducted with a total of 428 patients having congenital inguinal hernia and/or hydrocele. Patients were randomly assigned into four groups: RO (had external ring opened, hernial sac twisted and doubly ligated), ST (had hernial sac twisted and doubly ligated without opening the ring), DL (had double ligation of hernial sac without ring opening nor twisted) while SL (had single ligation of hernial sac with neither ring opening nor sac twisting).Results:A total of 458 repairs were done. Patients’ age ranged from 0.25 years (3 months) to 21 years in group RO with mean of 4.87 ± 4.07 (median, 4), 0.069 years (24 days) to 17 years in group ST with mean of 4.23 ± 4.03 (median, 3), 0.5 years (6 months) to 16 years in group DL with mean of 4.59 ± 3.87 (median, 4) and 1 year to 19 years in group SL with mean of 5.00 ± 4.19 (median, 4). Operation time per repair was 26.50 ± 5.46 min, range 16-40 min (median, 27 min) in group RO, 22.18 ± 5.34 min, range 12-39 min (median, 21 min) in group ST while 17.98 ± 3.40 min with range of 12-39 min (median, 17 min) in group DL and 15.27 ± 4.18 min, range 7-40 min (median, 15 min) in group SL P < 0.0001. The mean paracetamol dose/patient was 3.96 ± 1.43, 2.94 ± 0.81, 2.18 ± 0.69, 1.87 ± 0.78 in group RO, ST, DL and SL, respectively, P < 0.0001.Conclusion:Congenital inguinal hernia repair with opening of the external ring, hernia sac twisting and double ligation of the processus vaginalis confers no advantage.
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