Coşkun Özcan

Gastroesophageal reflux: A determinant in the outcome of caustic esophageal burns

Deep circumferencial burns of the esophagus always result in stricture formation and obstruction of the lumen. The usual treatment of caustic esophageal strictures is long-term esophageal dilatations. A new method of treatment, long-term stenting of the strictured esophagus gave superior results when compared with the classic dilatation therapy (healing rates, 68% v 33%; P < .01). Although success in the stent group was very satisfactory, the 32% failure rate requires explanation. In the years between 1991 and 1993, 53 stent-treated patients were screened for gastroesophageal reflux (GER). All patients were investigated with 24-hour ambulatory distal esophageal pHmetry. In 18 patients reflux index (RI) was found to be below 4. In 14 patients RI was between 4.1 and 19. In the final group of 21 patients RI was over 20 (minimum, 21.8; maximum, 72.8). When these data were compared with the healing rates of the patients, it was found that none of the 21 patients with RI over 20 responded to the described therapy. We conclude that the esophagus, after a serious caustic insult, not only narrows but also shortens thus altering the lower esophageal sphincter function leading to serious GER. Therefore all caustic esophageal burn patients should be screened for GER periodically during the dilatation or stent therapy programs, and GER should be controlled before RI approaches 20.

Enzymatic debridement of burn wound with collagenase in children with partial-thickness burns

Seventy-eight pediatric burn patients treated by enzymatic debridement with collagenase clostridiopeptidase A (CCA), were compared to 41 patients those burn wounds were excised surgically. Patients whose burn wounds were initially assessed as partial-thickness at admission were enrolled in the study. Total removal of eschar was achieved in 49 of 78 (62.8%) patients by CCA only (group D). In 29 patients (37.2%), therapy with CCA was ceased because of the development of burn wound infection or a manifest need for grafting of the wound, therefore, these patients underwent tangential wound excision (group DS). The records of 41 patients, treated by early tangential excision, having similar burn wounds by extent and depth with groups D and DS were used as controls (group S). There was no significant difference between the time to achieve a clean wound bed in groups D, DS and S (mean 7.8, 8, and 7 days, respectively, P>0.05). In group D, none of the patients required blood transfusion, except one. Patients in group DS were found to have fewer excisions (mean 1.1) when compared to those in group S (mean 1.5, P<0.05). The shortest hospital stay was found in group D (12.5 days, P<0.01). In conclusion, the use of CCA, provided a short hospital stay, reduced the overall need for surgery and blood transfusions in patients with partial-thickness burns. Thus, CCA should be considered as an initial treatment of choice for removal of eschar in children, having a partial-thickness burn wound without infection.

Safer circumcision in patients with haemophilia: the use of fibrin glue for local haemostasis

To evaluate the efficacy and the reduced costs of factor concentrates in circumcision by using fibrin glue in patients with haemophilia.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of small bowel wall in childhood: Report of a case and a review of the literature

Benign intestinal tumors are rare in children, however we describe an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) of the jejunum in a 2‐year‐old girl who presented with an intestinal obstruction. During laparotomy, an annular mass around the jejunum was resected, from which a histological diagnosis of IMT was made. A review of the literature for this rare entity emphasizes the importance of histological confirmation of its benign nature. Because of the risk of local recurrence, IMT cases should have a long‐term follow up.

Gastrointestinal Perforations in Children: A Continuing Challenge to Nonoperative Treatment of Blunt Abdominal Trauma

The present trend towards conservative management of hemodynamically stable pediatric trauma patients may be increasing the risk of delay in the diagnosis of traumatic hollow viscus perforations (HVP). The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a delay in the diagnosis of HVP because of expectant management. A survey of factors leading to diagnostic delay was also made and the value of current diagnostic tools were reevaluated. In 1,283 trauma admissions between 1980-1994, 34 patients were operated for HVP caused by blunt abdominal trauma. Sites of perforation were; stomach (four), duodenum (five), jejunum (12), ileum (nine), and jejunum/ileum (four). Signs of peritoneal irritation were positive in 32 of 34 patients. There was free air in only six of 24 abdominal roentgenograms. Free peritoneal fluid without solid organ injury was detected in only four out of 13 patients with ultrasound. Peritoneal lavage was diagnostic in eight of nine patients. Time from admission to operating room averaged 24 +/- 4.1 (mean +/- standard deviation) hours. Eleven patients died after the operation mostly because of accompanying head injury. Only two of the deaths were the result of sepsis originating from the perforated bowel. There is an apparent delay in the diagnosis of traumatic HVP in this series. Signs of peritoneal irritation are the most consistent findings of HVP after blunt abdominal trauma in children. Persistence of abdominal signs indicates peritoneal lavage, which has a high diagnostic sensitivity for HVP compared to other diagnostic modalities.

Primary pancreatic hydatid disease in a child: Case report and review of the literature

A 9-year-old boy was admitted with acute abdomen, and a cystic mass in the pancreas was coincidentally detected by ultrasonography. Definitive diagnosis of hydatid disease of the pancreas could be made only at operation, and surgical therapy was effective.

Surgery in patients with haemophilia and high responding inhibitors: Izmir experience

Summary.  This report evaluates the haemostatic efficacy of recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) and activated prothrombin complex concentrate (APCC) in patients with haemophilia and high responding inhibitors who underwent major and minor surgery. Data pertaining to surgeries from 2001 to 2009 at a single centre were retrospectively analysed. During this period, 53 surgical procedures were performed in 30 haemophiliacs with high responding inhibitors. Mean age was 16.2 ± 9.4 years. Eleven major surgeries in 4 patients, 41 radioisotope synovectomies (RS) and one circumcision classified as minor surgery in 28 patients were performed. Among the major surgery procedures, four were treated with rFVIIa, five with APCC and two with sequential use of APCC and rFVIIa. We used rFVIIa at the dosage of 80–120 μg kg−1 every 2 h and APCC 100 IU kg−1 every 12 h for the major surgery. When performing RS, we used rFVIIa in 18 patients with 26 target joints and APCC in 9 patients with 15 target joints. Three consecutive doses of rFVIIa (90 μg kg−1) were used at 2‐h intervals followed by additional three doses at 6‐h intervals. The initial dose of APCC was 75 IU kg−1 followed by a second and third dose of 50 IU kg−1 at 12‐h intervals. APCC and rFVIIa demonstrated excellent efficacy in our major and minor surgical interventions [100% (22/22) and 94% (31/33), respectively]. We had only two bleeding complications with rFVIIa. There were no thromboembolic complications. APCC and rFVIIa provide an effective and safe first line haemostatic therapy for inhibitor‐positive haemophiliacs, allowing both major and minor surgery to be successfully performed.

Scintigraphy in the detection of gastro-oesophageal reflux in children with caustic oesophageal burns: a comparative study with radiography and 24-h pH monitoring

Abstract:Background: Caustic injury of the oesophagus not only causes luminal narrowing but is also responsible for longitudinal contraction, resulting in gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR), which leads to failure of conventional therapy. Therefore, the development of GOR should be investigated periodically to direct appropriate management of these patients. Purpose: To determine the ability of scintigraphy to detect GOR in children with caustic oesophageal strictures in comparison with barium study and 24-h pH monitoring. Materials and methods: Seventeen children with caustic oesophageal injury underwent scintigraphy, an upper GI barium study and 24-h pH monitoring within the same week. Five patients were also investigated post-operatively for the assessment of surgical outcome after antireflux surgery. Results: On the whole, there was good correlation (r = 0.78, P < 0.00 l) between scintigraphy and 24-h oesophageal pH monitoring. Scintigraphy detected all but one (9/10) refluxing patients and also correctly identified all (7/7) non-refluxing patients. Barium studies demonstrated 6 out of 10 refluxing patients. There were no false-positive barium studies in non-refluxing patients. Post-operative studies demonstrated no evidence of GOR in surgically treated patients. Conclusions: Our results indicate that, by comparison with barium studies, scintigraphy is useful in the detection of GOR in cases with caustic oesophageal strictures and may be used as a screening modality for those under clinical follow-up.

RARE TUMORS OF THE LUNG IN CHILDREN

The authors report rare and different types of lung tumors in 4 children. The first case is an 8-year-old boy with mucoepidermoid carcinoma, the second case is a 9-year-old girl with neuroendocrine carcinoma, the third is a 14-year-old girl with fetal lung adenocarcinoma (FLAC), and the last is a 16-year-old girl with bronchioloalv eolar carcinoma. Among these tumors, FLAC has not been reported in children so far. Each tumor type displayed a different prognosis in the follow-up period. In the differential diagnosis of primary lung tumors, carcinoid tumor, bronchogenic carcinoma, and pulmonary blastoma are frequently encountered, but these rare tumor types should be borne in mind.

Safer and much cheaper circumcision using fibrin glue in severe haemophilia.

Summary. Circumcision is a traditional ceremony for Muslims and Jewish people. In order to reduce the high cost of factor concentrates, we administered locally manufactured heat‐treated fibrin glue during operation. Circumcision can be performed safely and is much cheaper using fibrin glue plus a small amount of factor concentrates.