Eugene C. Beatty

Radiographic chest contour and pulmonary air leaks in oligohydramnios-related pulmonary hypoplasia (Potter's syndrome).

Review of the clinical records, chest roentgenograms, and autopsy material of 17 infants dying from oligohydramnios related pulmonary hypoplasia confirmed that two roentgen signs appeared with high frequency. These were pneumomediastinum/pneumothorax (82%) and a bell-shaped chest contour (59%). The bell-shaped chest is valuable in predicting the most severe degrees of lung growth impairment in these infants, and was present in all cases in which oligohydramnios was caused by bilateral renal agenesis. Either pneumomediastinum/pneumothorax or the bell-shaped chest configuration, when present alone, are of low diagnostic value as they are relatively nonspecific signs; their combination, however, has predictive value for Potters syndrome and may be important in evaluation infants with less typical clinical manifestations of Potters syndrome.

The need for chemotherapy after prolonged complete remission in acute leukemia of childhood

Summary The need for continuing or discontinuing chemotherapy to further maintain a prolonged complete remission in acute leukemia of childhood is questioned. Fifteen children whose disease had been in total control for 2 3/4 to 3 1/3 years and who were included in a protocol study were divided into a “continuous” versus a “no therapy” group. Subsequent to this division, no significant difference between these 2 groups has been noted during the ensuing 2 years.

Possible Adverse Effect of Methylglucamine Diatrizoate Compounds on the Bowel of Newborn Infants with Meconium Ileus

Gastrografin (methylglucamine diatrizoate) enemas were carried out in 2 newborn infants with meconium ileus. Evacuation was slow and incomplete. Both patients died within 72 hours following enemas from bowel necrosis, perforation and peritonitis. Although it is not possible to implicate Gastrografin directly as the cause, it is suggested that it may have contributed substantially to bowel necrosis. Recent experimental evidence of colonic inflammation and occasionally necrosis caused by Gastrografin lends support to this hypothesis. Caution should be exercised to prevent not only the systemic osmotic effects of Gastrografin, but also potential local injury to the bowel, especially when underlying disease interferes with intestinal viability.

Pseudomembranous enterocolitis in infancy

Summary Ten cases of pseudomembranous enterocolitis are presented which represent twelve years of autopsy experience at the Denver Childrens Hospital. The clinical and pathologic findings of the ten cases are analyzed and a discussion of etiological and associated factors is presented. An approach to the diagnosis and therapy of this condition in infancy is suggested on the basis of facts revealed by this study and the experience of other authors.