薄井 佳子

Purpose: Congenital tracheal stenosis (CTS) is rare and challenging. Complete tracheal rings cause a wide spectrum of airway-obstructing lesions and varying degrees of respiratory distress. Although surgical reconstruction is the primary option for symptomatic CTS, sometimes an appropriate management strategy may be difficult due to other anomalies. We aimed to identify pitfalls in the management of CTS. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with CTS during the last 10 years in our institution. Results: Sixteen pediatric patients were diagnosed with CTS. Of the 16 patients, 12 (75.0%) had cardiovascular anomalies including seven left pulmonary artery sling. Six patients with dyspnoea caused by CTS and three patients with difficult intubations due to CTS underwent tracheoplasty. Four patients underwent only cardiovascular surgery without tracheoplasty. Three asymptomatic patients were followed up without undergoing any surgical procedure. We repeatedly discussed management of four patients with especially complex pathophysiology at multidisciplinary meetings. Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, tracheobronchial malacia, increased pulmonary blood flow, and pulmonary aspiration due to gastroesophageal reflux presumably accounted for their severe respiratory distress, and we forewent their tracheal reconstruction. Conclusion: The management of CTS should be individualized, and conservative management is a feasible option in selected cases.

Purpose: The management of esophageal atresia is established, but the rate of postoperative complications remains high. We focused on a new, recently reported method of esophageal elongation using botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) and evaluated the efficacy of BTX-A injection around esophageal anastomoses with tension in a rabbit model. Methods: Twenty rabbits aged 8–10 weeks and weighing 1.27–1.72 kg underwent resections of the esophagus measuring 1.5 cm long using an anterior cervical approach. Esophagoesophagostomies were performed after intramural administration of Xeomin™ (3 U/body) in the BTX-A group and saline in the control group. Morphological and histological evaluations were examined on postoperative day 14. Results: Six rabbits in each group survived. The BTX-A group showed significantly less postoperative anastomotic stricture and less fibrosis than the control group. Changes in wall thickness on both sides of the anastomotic areas were equivalent between the two groups, and no muscle fracturing was observed. Conclusion: Local administration of BTX-A for esophagoesophagostomy significantly reduced postoperative anastomotic stricture with less fibrosis than that observed in the control group. Reduced anastomotic tension with BTX-A presumably contributed to better anastomotic healing. Determining the optimum dose of BTX-A is necessary for clinical application.

Covered cloacal exstrophy (CCE) is extremely rare condition. In patients with a single perineal orifice and no pubic bone separation, it is very difficult to suspect and/or diagnose CCE based on external signs alone. We present the case of a 2-month-old girl diagnosed with CCE based on cystography, ileostomy contrast study and cystoscopy.

【目的】当科では小児急性虫垂炎に対し，保存的治療を第一選択としている．今回，我々の治療経験から小児急性虫垂炎に対する保存的治療の適応および限界について検討した．<br>【方法】2012 年1 月から2014 年8 月までに急性虫垂炎の診断で入院し抗菌薬を用いた保存的治療を行った53 症例を対象とし，保存的治療奏効群と保存的治療抵抗群に分けて比較検討した．<br>【結果】53 例中，奏効群は36 例，抵抗群は17 例．入院時体温は奏効群が37.4±0.7°C，抵抗群が38.2±0.8°C で抵抗群において高かった（p＝0.01）．入院時血液検査所見では，CRP が奏効群1.4±1.7 mg/dl，抵抗群9.7±7.0 mg/dl と，抵抗群で高値であった（p＜0.01）．画像所見では，虫垂最大径が奏効群8.4±2.7 mm，抵抗群11.3±2.5 mm と抵抗群で有意に腫大していた（p＜0.01）．糞石は奏効群の16.7％（6/36 例），抵抗群の76.5％（13/17 例）に認めていた（p＜0.01）．治療開始後24 から48 時間での白血球数は奏効群6,988.9±2,884.8/μl，抵抗群11,741.2±3,845/μl と，抵抗群で高値であった（p＜0.01）．再発率は奏効群8.3％に対し，抵抗群では36.4％と高率であった（p＝0.042）．治療開始から48 時間での2 群のカットオフ値は，白血球数9,650.0/μl，CRP 値が6.67 mg/dl と推定された．<br>【結論】治療後48 時間において白血球数が9,650.0/μl またはCRP 値が6.67 mg/dl を超える症例では早期の外科治療を検討すべきである．

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the use of a transumbilical incision for infants and children, as well as neonates, with various intraabdominal conditions. Methods: A retrospective study of transumbilical incision surgery was performed between June 2007 and June 2013. Patients were divided into two groups: group 1 of neonates and group 2 of infants and children. All operations were performed via an upper circumumbilical incision. Results: Thirty-six patients (22 males, 14 females) were treated via a transumbilical incision, with 20 patients in group 1 and 16 patients in group 2. A transverse incision extension was needed for 1 case in group 1 (intestinal atresia complicated by meconium peritonitis) and 4 cases in group 2 (two with ileus owing to adhesive bands, 1 with malrotation, 1 with ectopic pancreatic tissue in the duodenum). In cases with a dilated intestinal wall or intraabdominal adhesions, an optional extension of the transverse incision might be required. Only 1 case with ileus in group 2 developed a wound infection that was treated by drainage. The postoperative cosmetic results were acceptable in all cases. Conclusion: The transumbilical incision yielded a sufficiently large surgical field, and the surgical condition was easily and directly viewed. In all 36 cases, an adequate operation was safely performed. This approach is a safe and effective method for various intraabdominal disorders in not only neonates but also infants and children, and leads to an imperceptible incision. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neonates with congenital tracheal stenosis (CTS) sometimes develop respiratory distress and may be difficult to intubate. We used balloon tracheoplasty with a rigid bronchoscope for emergency airway management in neonates with symptomatic CTS. Herein, we describe the balloon tracheoplasty procedure and the early outcomes following its use as the initial treatment of neonatal symptomatic CTS. We performed a retrospective analysis of five neonates with CTS who were initially treated with balloon tracheoplasty at our institution from January 2010 to December 2013. Five patients with a mean birthweight of 2,117 g were treated during the study period. Of these, four developed respiratory distress after birth, and all patients had difficult intubations. In all five patients, definitive diagnosis of CTS was made by rigid bronchoscopy and 3-dimensional reconstruction scan. A total of nine balloon dilatations were performed in five patients. Following balloon tracheoplasty, two patients were extubated, one was extubated after resection and end-to-end anastomosis following initial balloon dilatation, and one remained hospitalized with tracheostomy for tracheomalacia. The remaining patient died from tracheal bleeding associated with congenital heart disease. Although our sample size was small, balloon tracheoplasty is a potentially effective initial treatment for selected cases with neonatal symptomatic CTS.

Nonoperative management is acceptable treatment for minor pancreatic injuries. However, management of major pancreatic duct injury in children remains controversial. We present our experience in treating isolated pancreatic duct injury. We describe the cases of three male patients treated for complete pancreatic duct disruption in the past 5 years at our institution. We performed pancreatic duct repair to avoid distal pancreatectomy and to maintain normal pancreatic function. All patients underwent enhanced computed tomography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in the early period. The injuries were classified as grade III according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma classification. In two cases, we performed end-to-end anastomosis of the pancreatic duct during the delayed period. In the third case, we placed a stent across the disruption to the distal pancreatic duct. The patients' postoperative courses were uneventful, and the average hospitalization was 25.6 days after the procedure. At a median follow-up of 36 months (range 14-54 months), all patients remain asymptomatic, with normal pancreatic function, but with persistent distal pancreatic duct dilatation. We suggest that distal pancreatectomy should not be routinely performed in patients with isolated pancreatic duct injury.

The optimal management of microcystic lymphatic malformations (LMs) in children has not been established. We describe how we used the Ligasure (TM) Vessel Sealing System (LVSS) to achieve partial resection of refractory microcystic LMs in a 1-year-old boy. The child was admitted in respiratory distress caused by infection and swelling of cervical LMs. The LMs had been diagnosed prenatally, but had not decreased in size despite three treatments with OK-432 sclerotherapy. We performed direct dissection of the microcystic LMs using the LVSS with minimal intraoperative blood loss or lymphatic leakage. The LMs were resected as completely as possible without damage to the jugular vein or major nerves. His postoperative course was uneventful. Histological examination revealed complete sealing of the lymphovascular channels with obliterated lumens. Resection using the LVSS is effective and easy to perform for partial resection of microcystic LMs. We recommend the combination of initial OK-432 injection therapy and subsequent partial resection using the LVSS for refractory microcystic LMs.

Double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is a useful and feasible modality for evaluating small intestinal lesions, even in children. DBE makes it possible to perform biopsy, diagnosis, polypectomy and endoscopic therapies including hemostasis, tattooing and clipping of the small intestinal lesions. However, endoscopic procedures in the small intestines of children are more difficult than in adults, because the intestinal wall is thin and the lumen is narrow. A novel hybrid treatment was developed using DBE for small bowel lesions combined with transumbilical minimal incision surgery. This hybrid treatment is safe, effective, provides excellent cosmetic results and can be used as an alternative for traditional open laparotomy or endoscopic surgery.