Time Of Most Recent Follow-up Research Articles

Long-term follow-up of surgically corrected patients with common arterial trunk

The first successful surgical correction of truncus arteriosus (common arterial trunk) was performed in 1967 and long-term follow-up is now available on 137 operative survivors. Actuarial survival was 46.4% at 24 years. Late survival was statistically significantly improved in patients having correction during the first 2 years of life when compared to those corrected after the age of 2. Late mortality was secondary to reoperation, most commonly for truncal valve replacement, progressive pulmonary vascular obstructive disease and right ventricular failure, or progressive left ventricular deterioration and failure. Reoperation for isolated conduit replacement was associated with low mortality (one death in 54 reoperations) and morbidity. Reoperation for truncal valve replacement was frequently necessary in patients showing significant truncal incompetence immediately after operative correction, but had not been observed in any patients showing no or minimal incompetence at the time of initial hospital discharge. Of the 86 presently surviving patients, many of whom are now adults, 78 (91%) were NYHA Class I or II, capable of full-time school or employment, at the time of most recent follow-up. Operative correction of truncus arteriosus is now possible at low mortality during the first few months of life, and this is the approach now utilized in all centers to relieve the large left ventricular volume load and its detrimental effects on left ventricular function as soon as possible, as well as to minimize the risk of irreversible pulmonary vascular obstructive disease. With this present approach, late mortality and morbidity could be expected to be significantly less in infants operated today than the late results seen in our unique group of patients corrected, for the most part, at older ages, many even as adolescents or young adults. An infant born with truncus arteriosus today has an excellent chance of survival with good quality of life well into adulthood years.

Partial Sleeve Fractures of the Tibia in Children: An Unusual Fracture Pattern

Sleeve avulsion fractures of the patella are a well-recognized fracture pattern in children. Less appreciated is a similar fracture pattern involving the anterior metaphyseal area of the tibia. These metaphyseal sleeve fractures represent a fracture pattern characterized by the avulsion of a large area of periosteal attachment of the patellar tendon associated with small subchondral fragments of bone, encountered in skeletally immature children secondary to contraction of the quadriceps associated with forced knee flexion. Although an avulsion fracture of the tibial tubercle is the usual result of this type of trauma, partial sleeve avulsion fractures of the tibial apophysis and adjacent metaphysis occasionally occur and have not been adequately described. It was the authors' purpose to describe their experience with this fracture pattern. Since 1998, three boys have presented to a major pediatric trauma center with a partial sleeve fracture of the tibia. The average age was 13 years 6 months (range 10 years 3 months to 15 years 3 months). Follow-up ranged from 1 year 5 months to 2 years 3 months, with an average of 1 year 9 months. All three boys were treated with open reduction and internal fixation with small cancellous screws and postoperative plaster immobilization. At the time of most recent follow-up, each child showed full range of knee motion and had returned to all sports activities.

Liver transplantation for fulminant hepatic failure in the pediatric patient.

To review the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and risk factors for survival among 57 pediatric patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation for fulminant hepatic failure at the University of California, Los Angeles, Center for the Health Sciences. The medical records of 57 consecutive pediatric patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation for fulminant hepatic failure from July 1, 1984, to June 25, 1997, were reviewed and survival data were analyzed via univariate and multivariate statistical methods. The type and incidence of posttransplant complications were determined as was the quality of long-term graft function. Median follow-up period was 3.38 years (range, 0-10.02 years). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year actuarial patient survival rates were 77%, 77%, and 77%, respectively, while graft survivals were 73%, 65%, and 65%. Stepwise Cox regression analysis revealed that recipient age and ventilator dependency at the time of transplantation were independently and significantly correlated with patient survival, whereas no association was found between survival and grade of encephalopathy, prior abdominal surgery, recipient weight, pretransplantation values for total bilirubin or prothrombin time, ABO match, allograft type, peak posttransplantation aspartate aminotransferase levels, or the presence of posttransplantation hepatic artery thrombosis. Non-ventilator-dependent patients demonstrated a 96% 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival as compared with only 56% at these same time points for those children requiring ventilator support at the time of transplantation (P < .001). At the time of most recent follow-up, median values for total bilirubin and aspartate aminotransferase concentrations were 10.3 micromol/L (0.6 mg/dL) and 56 U/L, respectively, in the 40 surviving patients. In children undergoing liver transplantation for fulminant hepatic failure: (1) overall results are comparable to those achieved for less emergent non-neoplastic indications in this same age group; (2) ventilator dependency prior to transplantation is the strongest predictor of ultimate survival, followed by recipient age; (3) 5-year survival exceeds 90% in recipients who are ventilator independent immediately prior to liver transplantation but is significantly compromised once the need for mechanical ventilation supervenes, particularly in those younger than 4 years; and (4) prompt referral and timely liver replacement are the cornerstones of optimal outcome.

Abscesses in Crohn's disease: Outcome of medical versus surgical treatment

Goals To compare the long-term outcome of medical, percutaneous, and surgical treatment of abdominal and pelvic abscesses complicating Crohn's disease. Study All patients with Crohn's disease and an abdominal abscess treated at one institution during a 10-year period were retrospectively identified. We reviewed hospital and outpatient records and contacted patients for telephone interviews. Outcome measures included abscess recurrence, subsequent surgery for Crohn's disease, and medications used at the time of most recent follow-up. Results Fifty-one subjects were identified, with a mean follow-up of 3.75 years. Fewer patients developed recurrent abscesses after initial surgical drainage and bowel resection (12%) than patients treated with medical therapy only or percutaneous drainage (56%) (p = 0.016). One half of the patients treated nonoperatively ultimately required surgery, whereas only 12% of those treated with initial surgery required reoperation during the follow-up period (p = 0.010). Most failures of nonoperative therapy occurred within 3 months. Medication use was similar between the treatment groups at the time of most recent follow-up. Conclusions In this series, surgical management of abscesses in Crohn's disease was more effective than medical treatment or percutaneous drainage for prevention of abscess recurrence. However, nonoperative therapy prevented subsequent surgery in half of the patients and may be a reasonable treatment option for some patients.

The use of quantitative bacteriologic assessment of bone.

The purpose of this paper was to examine whether quantitative bacteriologic assessment of bone is a reliable indicator of the adequacy of debridement of draining wounds involving bone. This is a retrospective review of 31 consecutive patients treated for draining posttraumatic/ surgical wounds involving bone. Nineteen patients met the necessary criteria and were included in the study. These patients underwent radical debridement of bone and soft tissue, intraoperative assessment of the debrided wound by rapid slide quantitative bacteriologic assessment, and closure with well-vascularized tissue. Clinical assessment of vascularity and rapid slide quantitative bacteriologic assessment of cancellous bone and soft tissue were the only prerequisites used in determining the appropriateness of wound closure in this study. At the time of most recent follow-up, none of the 19 patients had recurrent wound drainage. Two patients required a second procedure to partially elevate their flaps and drain recurrent soft-tissue infections. None of the patients had recurrence of bony infection. Seventeen patients who presented initially with fractures or osteotomies all had successful bone unions. This study demonstrates that the technique of rapid slide quantitative bacteriologic assessment of cancellous bone is a useful adjunct to surgical judgment and allows one to close draining wounds (frequently with complex wound closure options) with a high level of confidence.