We translated into Arabic language and adapted the SF-36 scale for use in Tunisian population. The Arabic version is reliable and valid. Although the scale was validated in a Tunisian population, we expect that it is suitable for other Arab populations, especially North Africans. Further studies are needed to confirm such a hypothesis.

The Arabic version of the ODI adapted to the Saudi population has high metrological qualities. Further studies assessing its responsiveness to change should be conducted.

PurposeAppendicitis is the most common abdominal inflammatory process in children which were sometimes followed by complications including intra-abdominal abscess. This later needs classically a surgical drainage. We evaluated the efficacy of antibiotic treatment and surgical drainage.MethodsHospital records of children treated in our unit for intra-abdominal post appendectomy abscesses over a 6 years period were reviewed retrospectively.ResultsThis study investigates a series of 14 children from 2 to 13 years of age with one or many abscesses after appendectomy, treated between 2002 and 2007. Seven underwent surgery and the others were treated with triple antibiotherapy. The two groups were comparable.For the 7 patients who receive medical treatment alone, it was considered efficient in 6 cases (85%) with clinical, biological and radiological recovery of the abscess. There was one failure (14%). The duration of hospitalization from the day of diagnosis of intra-abdominal abscess was approximately 10.28 days (range 7 to 14 days). In the other group, the efficacy of treatment was considered satisfactory in all cases. The duration of hospitalization was about 13 days (range: 9 to 20).ConclusionCompared to surgical drainage, antibiotic management of intra-abdominal abscesses was a no invasive treatment with shorter hospitalization.

Transmesenteric hernias are extremely rare. A strangulated hernia through a mesenteric opening is a rare operative finding. Preoperative diagnosis still is difficult in spite of the imaging techniques currently available. The authors describe two cases of paediatric patients presenting with bowel obstruction resulting from a congenital mesenteric hernia. The first patient had a 3-cm wide congenital defect in the ileal mesentery through which the sigmoid colon had herniated. The second patient is a newborn infant who presented with symptoms and radiographic evidence of neonatal occlusion. At surgical exploration, a long segment of the small bowel had herniated in a defect in the ileal mesentery. A brief review of epidemiology and anatomy of transmesenteric hernias is included, along with a discussion of the difficulties in diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Situs inversus is a challenge to the physician, both for the diagnostic and for the therapeutic. A combination of partial situs inversus, annular pancreas and polysplenia with bowel malrotation has been reported in a newborn who presented as duodenal obstruction. Situs inversus is rare especially without heart malformation. All the abnormalities in this combination can be explained on the basis of multiple organ malrotation. It also demonstrates the necessity of meticulous investigation and precise description of the anomaly as far as the management of this case is concerned.

Pyloric duplication cyst is a rare congenital anomaly. Few cases have been described in the literature. We report two cases of 2 and 5 year-old girl. The diagnosis was suspected on ultra sonography and upper gastrointestinal series and confirmed by surgery and histopathologic examination. Resection was total in one case and partial in the other. Pyloroplasty was associated. Post operative was unfaithful.

Transanal endorectal pull-through procedure for the management of rectosigmoid HD is now a well-established and preferred approach. Parental satisfaction is immense due to the lack of scars on the abdomen. As regards the continence, a long-term follow-up is necessary to appreciate better the functional results of this surgery.

In prepubertal children, most testicular tumours are benign. If tumour markers were negative testis-preserving surgery can be proposed, complete excision of the tumour should be ascertained. In the case of testicular teratoma, the possibility of contralateral tumour should be considered in the follow-up.