Introduction The pros and cons of video-assisted thoracoscopic versus conventional thoracic surgery in infants and children are still under debate. We assessed reported advantages and disadvantages of video-assisted thoracoscopy in pediatric surgical procedures, as well as the evidence level of the available data. Materials and Methods A systematic literature search was performed to identify manuscripts comparing video-assisted thoracoscopic and the respective conventional thoracic approach in classic operative indications of pediatric surgery. Outcome parameters were analyzed and graded for level of evidence (according to the Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine). Results A total of 48 comparative studies reporting on 12,709 patients, 11 meta-analyses, and one pilot randomized controlled trial including 20 patients were identified. More than 15 different types of advantages for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery were described, mostly with a level of evidence 3b or 3a. Most frequently video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was associated with shorter hospital stay, shorter postoperative ventilation, and shorter time to chest drain removal. Mortality rate and severe complications did not differ between thoracoscopic and conventional thoracic pediatric surgery, except for congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair with a lower mortality and higher recurrence rate after thoracoscopic repair. The most frequently reported disadvantage for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was longer operative time. Conclusion The available data point toward improved recovery in pediatric video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery despite longer operative times. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to justify the widespread use of video assisted thoracoscopy in pediatric surgery.

Lymphocele is a well-known postoperative complication after kidney transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyze time trend incidence, risk factors, and outcome of post-transplant lymphocele in a large pediatric cohort. This is a retrospective single institution review of 241 pediatric kidney transplants performed from 2000 to 2013. Etiology of end-stage renal disease, recipient age and gender, transplant year, BMI percentile for age, type of dialysis, living/non-living related donor, acute rejection, and multiple transplantations were analyzed in association with lymphocele formation. Fourteen of 241 (5.81%) children developed a postoperative lymphocele. There has been a reduction in the incidence of lymphocele after 2006 (3.22% vs. 8.55%, p < 0.05). Significant risk factors for lymphocele were older age (≥11 yr), transplant before 2006, male gender, BMI percentile for age ≥95%, and multiple transplantations (p < 0.05). The one-yr graft survival was significantly reduced in the group with lymphocele compared with control (81.2% vs. 92.51%, p < 0.04). This is the first pediatric report showing the following risk factors associated with post-transplant lymphocele: age ≥11 yr, male gender, BMI for age ≥95%, and multiple transplantations. A lymphocele can contribute to graft loss in the first-year post-transplant.

There is mounting evidence that the quality of organs from cadaver donors may be influenced by events occurring around the time of brain death. Aim of this present study was to analyze the correlation of DGF with brain-dead donor variables in a single-center pediatric population and to evaluate DGF influence on patients- and grafts outcome. End-points of the study were DGF prevalence, DGF donor-related risk factors, graft function, patient- and graft survival rate, respectively, at six, 12, and 24 months FU. The univariate analysis showed that donor age above 15 yr and vascular cause of donor brain death represented risk factors for DGF. The multivariate analysis confirmed as independent risk factors for DGF donor age >15 yr. At six months FU, DGF showed a negative impact on graft function. In conclusion, among all considered brain-dead donor resuscitation parameters, just non-traumatic cause of death turned out to be of impact for DGF. Donor age >15 yr represented the only independent risk factor for prolonged DGF in our series of children. At two-yr FU, DGF showed a transient negative impact on six-month graft function.

Introduction Despite its wide acceptance, the superiority of laparoscopic versus open pediatric surgery has remained controversial. There is still a call for well-founded evidence. We reviewed the literature on studies published in the last three decades and dealing with advantages and disadvantages of laparoscopy compared to open surgery. Materials and Methods Studies comparing laparoscopic versus open abdominal procedures in children were searched in PubMed/MEDLINE. Reports on upper and lower gastrointestinal as hepatobiliary surgery and on surgery of pancreas and spleen were included. Advantages and disadvantages of laparoscopic surgery were analyzed for different types of procedures. Complications were categorized using the Clavien–Dindo classification. Results A total of 239 studies dealing with 19 types of procedures and outcomes in 929,157 patients were analyzed. We identified 26 randomized controlled trials (10.8%) and 213 comparative studies (89.2%). The most frequently reported advantage of laparoscopy was shorter hospital stay in 60.4% of studies. Longer operative time was the most frequently reported disadvantage of laparoscopy in 52.7% of studies. Clavien–Dindo grade I to III complications (mild–moderate) were less frequently identified in laparoscopic compared to open procedures (80.3% of studies). Grade-IV complications (severe) were less frequently reported after laparoscopic versus open appendectomy for perforated appendicitis and more frequently after laparoscopic Kasai's portoenterostomy. We identified a decreased frequency of reporting on advantages after laparoscopy and increased reporting on disadvantages for all surgery types over the decades. Conclusion Laparoscopic compared with open pediatric surgery seems to be beneficial in most types of procedures. The number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remains limited. However, the number of reports on disadvantages increased during the past decades.

Introduction A decrease in the anteroposterior diameter (APD) of the renal pelvis on ultrasound has been postulated to be indicative of sufficient pelvic drainage after pyeloplasty. Traditionally, pyeloplasty is combined with a reduction of the renal pelvis. We have recently demonstrated that resection of the pelvis during pyeloplasty is not necessary. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound APD measurements during follow-up to identify sufficient pelvic drainage in these patients. Materials and Methods Data from children (0–16 years) who underwent pelvis-sparing pyeloplasty in our institution from 2007 to 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. We included only those patients for whom pre- and postoperative ultrasound and renal scan data were available. Patients with a decrease versus patients with an increase in APD were analyzed with regard to urinary drainage and reoperation. Results Seventy-three patients who underwent follow-up at a mean of 3 months after operation were included; 61 showed a decrease in APD. Renal scan showed sufficient urinary drainage in 58 of them, with none requiring reoperation. Twelve patients had an increase in APD. Six of these showed free urinary drainage on renal scan; another six showed insufficient drainage, of whom five required reoperation. The positive predictive value of a decrease in APD was 1, and the negative predictive value of increase in APD was 0.42. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the efficacy of ultrasound measurements to identify patients with decompensated urinary drainage during early follow-up after pyeloplasty with pelvis sparing. Post- versus preoperative decrease in renal pelvis diameter appears to be sufficient to rule out recurrence of obstruction. Renal scan seems to be indicated only in cases with post- versus preoperative increase in the APD of the renal pelvis on ultrasound.

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Objectives: Although infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) is a well-known disease, there is no systematic review regarding the optimal diagnostic strategy. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to obtain diagnostic accuracy of all methods to diagnose IHPS. Methods: According to the PRISMA guidelines we searched MEDLINE and Embase to identify studies reporting sensitivity and specificity of all methods used to diagnose IHPS. Inclusion criteria were infants with suspicion of/or diagnosed with IHPS who underwent pyloromyotomy or had clinical follow-up. A random-effects model was used to obtain pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results: After screening 5364 studies, we included 43 studies with in total 6085 infants (n = 4241 IHPS; n = 1844 controls). The diagnostic sensitivity of palpation ranged from 10.0–93.4% and decreased over time. Different parameters for ultrasonography were found. Most used parameters were pyloric muscle thickness (PMT) ≥ 3 mm (pooled sensitivity 97.6% and specificity 98.8%), PMT ≥ 4 mm (pooled sensitivity 94.0% and specificity 98.0%) or a combination of PMT ≥ 4 mm and/or pyloric canal length (PCL) ≥16 mm (pooled sensitivity 94.0% and specificity 91.7%). The AUC showed high diagnostic accuracy (0.997, 0.966 and 0.981 respectively), but large heterogeneity exists. Due to the large differences in cut-off values no meta-analysis could be conducted for pyloric canal length (PCL) and pyloric diameter (PD). Conclusions: Palpation has limited sensitivity in diagnosing IHPS. We showed that ultrasonography has highest diagnostic accuracy to diagnose IHPS and we advise to use PMT ≥ 3 mm as cut-off. Advances in knowledge: This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis on diagnosing IHPS, which summarizes the available literature and may be used as a guideline.

Introduction: Minimally invasive surgery (i.e. laparoscopy) and minimally invasive anesthesia (i.e. caudal anesthesia with spontaneous respiration) have separately shown benefits for inguinal hernia repair in infants, yet to what degree these techniques can be combined remains unknown. This study investigated whether laparoscopy impacts the feasibility of performing caudal anesthesia with spontaneous respiration in infants. Methods: Prospectively collected data of all infants <12 months old and >3 kg weight who underwent laparoscopic indirect hernia repair (LAP) at our department from 2019 to 2021 were compared to a historical control-matched group of infants who underwent open repair (OPEN) from 2017 to 2021. We assessed the patients’ characteristics, anesthesia, and surgical data as well as intra- and post-operative complications. Results: 87 infants were included (LAP n=29, OPEN n=58). Caudal anesthesia with spontaneous respiration was feasible in 62.1% of cases (LAP n=55.2%, OPEN n=65.5%; n.s.). Neither group registered anesthetic intra- or post-operative complications. Sedatives were utilized in 97% of LAP patients versus 56.9% of OPEN patients (p<0.00001). The airway was secured with a laryngeal mask in 89.7% of patients during LAP versus 41.4% during OPEN (p<0.00001). No significant differences were found regarding the use frequency of opioids (48.3% LAP versus 34.5% OPEN; n.s.) or neuromuscular blockers (6.9% LAP versus 5.2% OPEN; n.s.). Conclusion: This is the first comparative study on caudal anesthesia and spontaneous respiration in infants undergoing laparoscopic versus open inguinal hernia surgery. Laparoscopy increased the need for ventilatory support and sedatives, but did not significantly impair the feasibility of caudal anesthesia and spontaneous respiration.