Pediatric Surgical Conditions Research Articles

Health Worker (HW) Factors in Delayed Access to Pediatric Surgery in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).

In the developing world, access to pediatric surgery has been associated with sociocultural factors and healthcare funding challenges. This study aims to evaluate health worker (HW) factors in delayed access to appropriate care for children with surgical problems in South East Nigeria. A cross-sectional analysis of the awareness of children's surgery and ability for appropriate referral among 503 HWs of various cadres in South East Nigeria was carried out using a structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS 21. Of 419 (83.3%) respondents, 211 (50.4%) were doctors, 217 (51.8%) were aged 26-35 years, 261 (62.3%) indicated awareness of pediatric surgical conditions, 114 (27.2%) knew of sites to examine on the newborn at birth, and 147 (35.1%) inclined to timely referral to experts. Predictors of early referral include age <35 years, (P = 0.001) and cadre: doctors (P = 0.006). Female HWs (P = 0.013) and doctors (P = 0.008) displayed better knowledge of pediatric surgical cases. Delayed referral was mostly HW-related and included inaccurate diagnosis and wrong assumption of competence. Conditions commonly misdiagnosed were intussusception and posterior urethral valve. Awareness of surgical needs of children is poor among HWs in our setting. To address this and improve access to care, there may be a need to incorporate basic training in common pediatric surgical conditions in the training curriculum for HWs at various levels.

Ultrasound-Guided Selective Bronchial Intubation: A Feasibility Study in Pediatric Animal Model.

ObjectiveSelective one-lung ventilation used to optimize neonatal and pediatric surgical conditions is always a demanding task for anesthesiologists, especially during minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery. This study aims to introduce an ultrasound-guided bronchial intubation and exclusion technique in a pediatric animal model.MethodsSeven rabbits were anesthetized and airway ultrasound acquisitions were done.ResultsTracheal tube progression along the trachea to the right bronchus and positioning of the bronchial blocker in the left bronchus were successfully done with consistent ultrasound identification of relevant anatomical structures.ConclusionThe study provided a new application of ultrasound in airway management. More advanced experimental studies are needed since this technique has the potential for translation to pediatric anesthesia.

Using stated-preferences methods to develop a summary metric to determine successful treatment of children with a surgical condition: a study protocol

IntroductionWide variation in the management of key paediatric surgical conditions in the UK has likely resulted in outcomes for some children being worse than they could be. Consequently, it is...

Social media communities for patients and families affected by congenital pediatric surgical conditions.

BackgroundSocial media has become a means to allow individuals affected by rare diseases to connect with others. This study aimed to characterize the use of three popular social media platforms by individuals affected by common pediatric surgery index conditions.MethodsA systematic search of Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter was performed using standardized terms for the following pediatric surgical conditions: anorectal malformation, biliary atresia, bronchopulmonary sequestration, congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), congenital pulmonary airway malformation, duodenal atresia, esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF), gastroschisis, Hirschsprung disease (HD), and omphalocele. Accounts active within the last year were analyzed and assessed.ResultsA total of 666 accounts were identified. Instagram was the most common platform, but accounts dedicated to support and story sharing were most common on Facebook. Biliary atresia and CDH had the largest communities identified. Support groups were most common among those dedicated to EA/TEF (43.3%, p < 0.001). Most accounts were created by parents, but accounts dedicated to HD had the greatest proportion founded by patients (22.4%, p = 0.04).ConclusionsSocial media use is common among patients and families affected by congenital surgical conditions. Certain diseases have larger communities and support networks. Knowledge about their existence may allow surgeons to direct patients towards supportive communities and resources.Level of evidenceIV.

Child Health and Surgery: A Challenge for Future Clinical Research

Pediatric surgical conditions cross a broad range of disease categories and includes injuries, infections, tumors, rare disease and congenital anomalies [...]

An Audit on pediatric surgery services at Sinnar Teaching Hospital: outcome and challenges

a valuable data for health authorities. The aim of this study was to reflect the burden and outcomeof one pediatric surgery unit at Sinnar Teaching Hospital (STH). It also throws some light intochallenges and obstacles that face running of pediatric surgery services outside of the capital.Methods: This was a retrospective, descriptive review. It included all the patients who presentedto the Pediatric Surgery Unit at Sinnar Teaching Hospital (STH) and underwent emergency orelective operations during the period from January 2009 to December 2012.Results: A total number of 2400 patients were seen at the unit over four years. About half of them(1210) (50.4%) underwent emergency or elective operations. Inguinoscrotal conditions were themost frequently performed elective operations 450 (37%). Appendectomy was the commonest emergency operation: 169 (14%). Forty four (2%) were referred to Al-Jazeera or KhartoumStates for further work-up or advanced care. The majority of the referred cases were those whorequired more specialized oncological or neurosurgical services, in addition to some patients whoneeded non-invasive interventions (like ESWL for instance) or multidisciplinary management (bladder exostrophy and proximal hypospadias). The overall mortality rate was 2.4% (n=52) withhigher mortality rate noticed among neonatal conditions: 20% of it (n=10) due to lack of trainedanesthetists, pediatric intensive care unit facilities, and delayed presentation.Conclusion: Conduction of a pediatric surgery service outside of the capital is challenging andfaces various obstacles, but it is possible with a reasonable outcome. A wide variety of emergencyand elective pediatric surgical conditions are seen and the majority of them could be managedproperly at a state hospital level. Availability of well-established anesthetic and pediatric intensivecare facilities, with trained nursing staff is the cornerstone for better quality services with minimummorbidity and mortality rates. Establishment of pediatric surgery services in the states wouldinvariably decrease the central congestion and referral to capital hospitals. It can also minimizethe unnecessary, and indeed, costly expenditure on referral,especially for low-and middle- incomefamilies.

Need for transition medicine in pediatric surgery - health related quality of life in adolescents and young adults with congenital malformations.

Survival rates of patients with visceral congenital malformations have increased considerably. However, long-term morbidity in these patients is high. In the last decades, these circumstances have led to a shift in goals of caretakers and researchers with a new focus on patients’ perspectives and long-term morbidity. Health-related quality of life (HrQoL) is the most commonly used patient-reported outcome measure to assess the impact of chronic symptoms on patients’ everyday lives. Most pediatric surgical conditions can cause a significantly decreased HrQoL in affected patients compared to the healthy population. In order to guarantee life-long care and to minimize the impact on HrQoL a regular interdisciplinary follow-up is obligatory. The period of transition from child-centered to adult-oriented medicine represents a critical phase in the long-term care of these complex patients. This scoping review aims to summarize relevant pediatric surgical conditions focusing on long-term-morbidity and HrQoL assessment in order to demonstrate the necessity for a well-structured and standardized transition for pediatric surgical patients.

Prevalence of Paediatric Surgical Conditions in Eastern Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundThe role of surgery in global health has gained greater attention in recent years. Approximately 1.8 billion children below 15 years live in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Many surgical conditions affect children. Therefore, paediatric surgery requires specific emphasis. Left unattended, the consequences can be dire. Despite this, there is a paucity of data regarding prevalence of surgical conditions in children in LMIC. The present objective was to investigate the prevalence of paediatric surgical conditions in children in a defined geographical area in Eastern Uganda.MethodA cross-sectional study was carried out in the Iganga-Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site located in Eastern Uganda. Through a two-stage, cluster-based sampling process, 490 households from 49 villages were randomly selected, generating a study population of 1581 children. The children’s caregivers were interviewed, and the children were physically examined by two medical doctors to identify any surgical conditions.ResultsThe interview was performed with 1581 children, and 1054 were physically examined. Among these, the overall prevalence of any surgical condition was 16.0 per cent (n = 169). Of these, 39 per cent had an unmet surgical need (66 of 169). This is equivalent to a 6.3 per cent prevalence of current unmet surgical need. The most common groups of surgical condition were congenital anomalies and trauma-related conditions.ConclusionSurgical conditions in children are common in eastern Uganda. The unmet need for surgery is high. With a growing population, the need for paediatric surgical capacity will increase even further. The health care system must be reinforced to provide services for children with surgical conditions if United Nations Sustainability Development Goal 3 is to be achieved by 2030.

Pediatric Surgical Volume at the TASH: Experience after the Expansion of Pediatric Surgery Program.

Ethiopia has a high unmet need for pediatric surgical conditions. Over the past 5 years, new changes have been introduced to the pediatric surgery division at Addis Ababa University to overcome this issue. The changes include initiation of pediatric surgery residency, allocating operating room for pediatric surgery, weekend surgical campaign and starting ultrasound guided hydrostatic reduction. We conducted this study to evaluate the pattern and outcome of pediatric surgical cases after these changes. The study was a retrospective review conducted at Tikur Anbessa Hospital from Jan - Dec 2019. Data was collected from duty report forms that included emergency procedures, admissions and mortalities. Data on elective procedures was collected from operation theater log books. Overall, a total of 1590 pediatric surgical procedures were performed during 2019 of which 942 cases were elective and 648 were emergency. This was an increment in number of surgeries performed by 75%. The leading emergency procedure was aerodigestive foreign body removal which increased by 46%. Surgery for intussusception has decreased by 30% with increasing use of hydrostatic reduction. Overall, average morbidity and mortality was 3.5% and 6.9% respectively. Morbidity and mortality rates were similar throughout the year. The study shows increased productivity over the past year with the changes made in the department. There is also no increment in morbidity and mortality during the start of the academic year. This implies adequate consultant supervision of residents during transition.

Clinical profile and outcome of pediatric surgical patients in a rural tertiary centre

Background: Pediatric surgery is a sub-speciality involving the surgery of foetuses, infants, children and adolescents. Congenital malformations, trauma and childhood cancers are their three major concerns requiring the focus of their attention. Rural pediatric population in India still remains devoid of such facilities. Little is factually known about the burden of surgical disease globally. Surgical treatment is an essential component of basic medical care and an important means of providing preventive and curative therapy. Pediatrician has a significant role in caring for surgical patients. There is a need to know the spectrum of diseases that warrant admission into the pediatric surgical units. Current study was conducted to find out the clinical profile and immediate outcome of the various pediatric surgical conditions. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at Vadodara. All the patients 0-18 years, with surgical condition were enrolled in the study. Patients were followed from the time of admission to discharge. All the clinical data from admission to discharge were recorded and analyzed.Results: Total 127 (3%) patients were enrolled in the study. Males were 93 (73.2%). One to 5 years 45 (35.4%) was the largest age group folowed by infants 23 (18.1%). Largest number of patients were from Gastro Intestinal Condition 52 (40.9%) and congenital causes forms 83 (65.35%) of admissions. Commonest congenital anomaly was inguinal hernia 23 (27.7%). Complications were recorded in 46 (36.22%) patients. The average duration of stay was 7.7 days. The 124 patients were discharged successfully.Conclusions: Surgical conditions are important part of pediatric and neonatal care. Management of congenital surgical condition is important to decrease infant and under five mortality and other comorbidities as well.

Racism and pediatric health outcomes

Racism- a system operating at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, and structural levels- is a serious threat to the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents. This narrative review highlights racism as a social determinant of health, and describes how racism breeds disparate pediatric health outcomes in infant health, asthma, Type 1 diabetes, mental health, and pediatric surgical conditions. Key examples include the association of residential racial segregation and the alarming infant mortality rate among Black infants as well as the role of redlining and discriminatory housing practices on asthma morbidity among Black children and adolescents. Furthermore, inequitable care practices such as (1) racial and ethnic disparities in insulin pump usage in patients with Type 1 diabetes, (2) lower rates pharmacotherapy initiation in racialized children with mental health disorders, and (3) decreased pain medication management and confirmatory imaging in Black children with acute appendicitis, highlight the role of interpersonal racism in propagating poor health outcomes. An urgent call to action is needed to address pediatric health inequities and ensure all children can live healthy lives. Key strategies must tackle racism at the individual, institutional, and structural levels and include building a diverse workforce, prioritizing research to describe the impact of racism on pediatric health outcomes, initiating improvement efforts to close equity gaps, building community partnerships, co-designing solutions alongside patients and families, and advocating for policy change to address the social conditions that impact children and adolescents of color.

Implementing a standardized gastroschisis protocol significantly increases the rate of primary sutureless closure without compromising closure success or early clinical outcomes

PurposeStandardized protocols have been shown to improve outcomes in several pediatric surgical conditions. We implemented a multi-disciplinary gastroschisis practice bundle at our institution in 2013. We sought to evaluate its impact on closure type and early clinical outcomes. MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of uncomplicated gastroschisis patients treated at our institution between 2008–2019. Patients were divided into two groups: pre- and post-protocol implementation. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compare closure location, method, and success. ResultsNeonates (pre-implementation n = 53, post-implementation n = 43) were similar across baseline variables. Successful immediate closure rates were comparable (75.5% vs. 72.1%, p = 0.71). The proportion of bedside closures increased significantly after protocol implementation (35.3% vs. 95.4%, p < 0.01), as did the proportion of sutureless closures (32.5% vs. 71.0%, p < 0.01). Median postoperative mechanical ventilation decreased significantly (4 days IQR [3, 5] vs. 2 days IQR [1, 3], p < 0.01). Postoperative complications and duration of parenteral nutrition were equivalent. After controlling for potential confounding, infants in the post-implementation group had a 44.0 times higher odds of undergoing bedside closure (95% CI: 9.0, 215.2, p < 0.01) and a 7.7 times higher odds of undergoing sutureless closure (95% CI: 2.3, 25.1, p < 0.01). ConclusionsImplementing a standardized gastroschisis protocol significantly increased the proportion of immediate bedside sutureless closures and decreased the duration of mechanical ventilation, without increasing postoperative complications.Level of Evidence IIIType of Study Retrospective comparative study.

Paediatric surgical outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

IntroductionAs childhood mortality from infectious diseases falls across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the burden of disease attributed to surgical conditions is increasing. However, limited data exist on paediatric surgical outcomes in...

National guidelines recommend rotavirus vaccination to inpatient preterm infants.

The aim was to perform a literature search of the latest evidence of administration of dose 1 of rotavirus vaccine to children admitted in neonatal intensive care or special care unit settings. The literature search focused on the outcome of serious adverse events of rotavirus vaccination in vaccinated children and on possible symptomatic infection in controls and in unvaccinated children via transmission of the vaccine virus in the same ward. Results and guidelines were discussed with a working group selected from the national advisory group of child health. Also, a survey to neonatal care units in Sweden was sent out due to the subject. Administration of rotavirus vaccine is safe for age-eligible preterm children and unvaccinated children in the same ward. A satisfactory immune response has been shown, and basic hygiene routines are enough. Also, hospitalised age-eligible children with paediatric surgical conditions should be considered the rotavirus vaccine. The Swedish Public Health Agency recommends that preterm infants as well as children who are admitted for other reasons in the neonatal ward be vaccinated with dose 1 against rotavirus infection when hospitalised and when age eligible.

Geospatial analysis of pediatric surgical need and geographical access to care in Somaliland: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe global burden of disease in children is large and disproportionally affects low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Geospatial analysis offers powerful tools to quantify and visualise disparities in surgical care...

National Trends and Disparities in the Diffusion of Laparoscopic Surgery for Children in the United States.

Background: Laparoscopic surgery has become the standard of care for many surgical treatments. The diffusion of laparoscopy has been investigated for adult patient populations but is still unknown for pediatric populations. This study sought to describe national trends in diffusion of laparoscopic surgery for common pediatric conditions and identify disparities in use of laparoscopic surgery. Study Design: A retrospective analysis of serial cross-sectional data was performed using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Kids' Inpatient Database from 1997 to 2016. Pediatric patients (ages ≤18) undergoing appendectomy, cholecystectomy, fundoplication, or inguinal hernia repair were identified. The diffusion of laparoscopy for each procedure was measured using the proportion of laparoscopic surgeries over years. Results: National trends demonstrate increases in the use of laparoscopy for children over the past two decades from 13.4% to 88.7% for appendectomy, from 82.6% to 94.9% for cholecystectomy, from 7.4% to 77.4% for fundoplication, and from 1.5% to 23.5% for repair of inguinal hernia (P < .001). Disparities in diffusion of laparoscopy were found from various pediatric populations, and the disparities varied by specific procedures and years. In particular, the proportion of laparoscopic appendectomy in 1997 was 11.3% at urban teaching hospitals and was 13.9% at rural hospitals (P = .01), while the proportions in 2016 increased to 90.8% at urban teaching hospitals versus 71.3% at rural hospitals (P < .001). Conclusions: Laparoscopy has become the standard surgical care for common pediatric surgical conditions. Widening disparities in use of laparoscopic surgery for pediatric populations appear between urban teaching hospitals and rural hospitals.

Paediatric surgical conditions in Malawi - A cross-sectional nationwide household survey.

Untreated surgical conditions may lead to lifelong disability in children. Treating children with surgical conditions may reduce long-term effects of morbidity and disability. Unfortunately, low- and middle-income countries have limited resources for paediatric surgical care. Malawi, for example, has very few paediatric surgeons. There are also significantly inadequate infrastructures and personnel to treat these children. In order to strengthen resources that could provide such services, we need to begin by quantifying the need. To estimate the approximate prevalence of surgical conditions among children in Malawi, to describe the anatomical locations and diagnoses of the conditions and the presence of injuries. A cross-sectional, nationwide survey of surgical needs was performed in 28 of 29 districts of Malawi. Villages, households and household members were randomly selected. A total of 1487 households were visited and 2960 persons were interviewed. This paper is a sub analysis of the children in the dataset. Information was obtained from 255 living children and inquiry from household respondents for the 255 children who had died in the past year. The interviews were conducted by medical students over a 60-day period, and the validated SOSAS tool was used for data collection. There were 67 out of 255 (26.3%) total children living with a surgical condition at the time of the study, with most of the conditions located in the extremities. Half of the children lived with problems due to injuries. Traffic accidents were the most common cause. Two-thirds of the children living with a surgical condition had some kind of disability, and one-third of them were grossly disabled. There were 255 total deceased children, with 34 who died from a surgical condition. The most prevalent causes of death were congenital anomalies of the abdomen, groin and genital region. An extrapolation of the 26% of children found to be living with a surgical condition indicates that there could be 2 million children living with a condition that needs surgical consultation or treatment in Malawi. Congenital anomalies cause significant numbers of deaths among Malawian children. Children living with surgical conditions had disorders in their extremities, causing severe disability. Many of these disorders could have been corrected by surgical care.

Epidemiology of Pediatric Surgical Conditions Observed in a First-Level Hospital in Burundi.

Background: Little is known about the surgical conditions affecting the pediatric population in low-income countries. In this article we describe the epidemiology of pediatric surgical diseases observed in Mutoyi hospital, a first-level hospital in Burundi.Methods and Findings: We retrospectively reviewed the records of all children (0–14 years) admitted to the Surgery ward from January 2017 to December 2017. We also reviewed the records of all the patients admitted to the Neonatology ward in 2017 and among them we selected the ones in which a surgical diagnosis was present. Five hundred twenty-eight children were admitted to the surgical ward during the study period. The most common conditions requiring hospitalization were abscesses (29.09%), fractures (13.59%), osteomyelitis (9.76%), burns (5.40%) and head injuries (4.36%). The average length of stay was 16 days. Fifty-six newborns were admitted to the Neonatology ward for a surgical condition; 29% of them had an abscess.Conclusions: Conditions requiring surgical care are frequent in Burundian children and have a completely different spectrum from the western ones. This is due on one side to an under-diagnosis of certain conditions caused by the lack of diagnostic tools and on the other to the living conditions of the population. This difference should lead to intervention plans tailored on the actual necessities of the country and not on the western ones.

Risk-based stratification triaging system in pediatric urology: what COVID-19 pandemic has taught us.

Introduction and objectiveSARS-COV-2 pandemic has affected the population worldwide requiring social distancing, quarantine and isolation as strategies to control virus propagation. Initial measures to reduce the burden to the health care system during the pandemic included deferring elective surgery. These damage control measures did not take into account the mid- and long-term implications. Management of congenital anomalies can be time sensitive with delays resulting in permanent disability, morbidity and increased costs to the healthcare system. This study reports the results of using a novel scoring system that enables triage of time sensitive congenital anomalies and pediatric surgical conditions and how implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) principles allowed optimization of resources and reduced the burden to the system while allowing for appropriate care of pediatric patients with urgent urologic surgical conditions.MethodsWe present a prospective case series of patients with congenital urological conditions scheduled and taken to surgery during COVID-19 pandemic. All pediatric urology cases that were pending and or scheduled for surgery at the moment the pandemic struck as well as all cases that presented to the emergency department with urological conditions were triaged and included for analysis using a modified Medically Necessary, Time-Sensitive Procedures: Scoring System (MeNTS). A modified MeNTS was implemented for pediatric patients, giving more priority to the impact of deferring surgical intervention on patient’s prognosis. An individualized evaluation using this scoring system was applied to each patient. Intra- and postoperative ERAS® principles were applied to all cases operated during the pandemic between March 20th and April 24th to reduce the burden to the healthcare system.ResultsA total of 49 patients were triaged and included for analysis with a mean age of 6.47 years of age. Adjusted MeNTS showed that all clinically emergent cases had a score of 12 or less. Cases that could be postponed for 2 weeks but no longer had a score between 13 and 15. The ones that could wait 6 weeks or longer had scores higher than 16. Score results were not the same for similar procedures and individualized assessments resulted in scores based on an individual patient’s conditions. From the total cases, implementation of ERAS® principles increased outpatient procedures from 68 to 90.4%.ConclusionOur results provide a novel triaging method to rank pediatric urological surgical management based on individualized patient’s clinical conditions. Cutoff values of 12 and 16 allowed appropriate triage preventing the postponement of urgent urologic cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementation of ERAS® principles allowed for these procedures to be done in the outpatient setting, preserving valuable healthcare resources.Type of studyProspective cohort study.Level of evidenceIV.

Does speed matter? A look at NSQIP-P outcomes based on operative time

BackgroundAppendicitis is a common pediatric surgical condition, comprising a large burden of healthcare costs. We aimed to determine if prolonged operative times were associated with increased 30-day complication rates when adjusting for pre-operative risk factors. MethodsPatients <18 years old, diagnosed intraoperatively with acute uncomplicated appendicitis and undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy were identified from the NSQIP-P 2012–2018 databases. The primary outcome, “infectious post-operative complications”, is a composite of sepsis, deep incisional surgical site infections, wound disruptions, superficial, and organ space infections within 30-days of the operation. Secondary outcomes included return to the operating room and unplanned readmissions within 30 days. Logistic regression models were used to assess associations between operative time and each outcome. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was generated from the predicted probabilities of the multivariate model for infectious post-operative complications to examine operative times. ResultsBetween 2012 and 2018, 27,763 pediatric patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis underwent a laparoscopic appendectomy. Over half the population was male (61%) with a median operative time of 39 min (IQR 29–52 min). Infectious post-operative complication rate was 2.8% overall and was highest (8%) among patients with operative time ≥ 90 min (Fig. 1). Unplanned readmission occurred in 2.9% of patients, with 0.7% returning to the operating room. Each 30-min increase in operating time was associated with a 24% increase in odds of an infectious post-operative complication (OR=1.24, 95% CI=1.17–1.31) in adjusted models. Operative time thresholds predicted with ROC analysis were most meaningful in younger patients with higher ASA class and pre-operative SIRS/Sepsis/Septic shock. Longer operative times were also associated with higher odds of unplanned readmission (OR=1.11, 95% CI=1.05–1.18) and return to the operating room (OR=1.13, 95% CI=1.02–1.24) in adjusted models. ConclusionThere is a risk-adjusted association between prolonged operative time and the occurrence of infectious post-operative complications. Infectious postoperative complications increase healthcare spending and are currently an area of focus in healthcare value models. Future studies should focus on addressing laparoscopic appendectomy operative times longer than 60 min, with steps such as continuation of antibiotics, shifting roles between attending and resident surgeons, and simulation training. Level of EvidenceLevel III, retrospective comparative study