Carlos Roberto Heredia Antunes

Congenital Rupture of Scrotum: An Unusual Complication of Meconium Peritonitis

Congenital rupture of the scrotum caused by meconium peritonitis occurred in a newborn with clinical findings of the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Ruptured omphalocele and jejunal atresia were present. Surgical repair 3 hours after birth was successful.

Thoracoscopy with mediastinoscope in pediatric complicated parapneumonic effusion

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate our experience with thoracoscopy with small mediastinoscope in complicated parapneumonic effusion in children.METHODS: From July 1995 to June 1997, seven children with complicated parapneumonic pleural effusion underwent thoracoscopy with mediastinoscope at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. The procedure was carried out with a small mediastinoscope built in our hospital.RESULTS: There were six girls and one boy. The procedure was preformed under general anesthesia, without selective intubation. Six patients had previous intercostal tube drainage; one underwent thoracoscopy as a primary procedure. No complication was observed after the procedure. During follow-up, two children underwent pleurotomy due to residual pleural effusion with persistent fever; two others presented asymptomatic small pleural effusion.CONCLUSION: Thoracoscopy with small mediastinoscope is safe, efficient and without severe complications. It is very useful to remove loculated complicated parapneumonic effusion at fibrinopurulent stage and to enable lung expansion.

Tumores do mediastino em crianças

BACKGROUND: Mediastinal tumors in children comprise a heterogeneous group of lesions that have a range of embryonic origins. They may present as benign cysts, as well as malignant lesions. OBJECTIVE: To describe the diagnostic procedures, the treatments and outcomes of a group of children and adolescents with mediastinal tumors. METHOD: A retrospective analysis of twenty children and adolescents with mediastinal tumors who were treated at the Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre from July, 1996 to July, 2002. All patients were submitted to some kind of surgical procedure: diagnostic, therapeutic, or both. RESULTS: Twelve boys and eight girls were studied. Mean age at diagnosis was 6 years and 8 months (ranging from 3 months to 16 years). Fourteen tumors (70%) were located at the anterior, and six (30%) at the posterior mediastinum. Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas were the most common tumors found in anterior mediastinum, whereas neuroblastoma was the most common among posterior malignancies. The most used surgical procedure for anterior tumors was Chamberlain anterior thoracotomy; posterolateral thoracotomy was usually performed for posterior tumors. Six patients died during the follow-up period but none of the deaths was considered related to the surgical procedure. CONCLUSION: Mediastinal tumors in children and adolescents represent an important cause of morbidity/mortality. The most common tumors at the anterior mediastinum were lymphomas, whereas at the posterior mediastinum the most common were neurogenic tumors. Surgery is an important step for the diagnosis and treatment of such lesions