Peter Gornall

Management of intestinal atresia complicating gastroschisis

In a personal series of 22 patients referred with gastroschisis, five (23%) had intestinal atresia. The records of these patients seen over the past 12 years have been studied in order to elucidate the correct management of their complex problems. The indications for primary anastomosis or stoma formation probably depend upon the degree of damage and dilatation of the preatretic intestine at its initial presentation. In patients with a high jejunal or proximal ileal atresia, primary anastomosis should be attempted, but if the dilatation is severe, intestinal decompression may be required. In patients with distal ileal or colonic atresias, the establishment of a stoma and secondary closure is the treatment of choice.

UKCCSG's germ cell tumour (GCT) studies: improving outcome for children with malignant extracranial non-gonadal tumours—carboplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin are effective and less toxic than previous regimens

BACKGROUND We report the efficacy and late effects of carboplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (JEB) for extracranial non-gonadal tumours (GCII, 1989-95) compared with the 5 previous regimens (GCI, 1979-1988) consisting of 3 vincristine, actinomycin, and cyclophosphamide (VAC) and 2 platinum-based protocols. METHODS AND RESULTS Median follow-up for 52 patients in the GCI study and 46 in GCII was 105 and 48 months, respectively. For GCI, 5- and 10-year actuarial survival was 63% (95% Confidence interval 50 to 75%) or 72% (57 to 83%) if 6 cases given low-dose VAC were excluded. For GCII, 5-year survival was significantly greater at 95% (83 to 99%), p = 0.01. Event-free survival was 46% at 5 years for GCI (33 to 59%) or 52% excluding the low-dose VAC cases (38 to 66%), while for GCII it was 87% (74 to 94%), p = 0.002. Five-year event-free survival of 21 children given cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (BEP) in GCI was 57% (37 to 76%) compared with 87% (74 to 94%) for 46 given JEB in GCII, P = 0.02. Late effects in 30 evaluable survivors of GCI and 43 GCII included renal impairment in 6 in GCI and 0 in GCII and deafness in 11 and 4, respectively. Among 17 survivors of sacrococcygeal tumours treated in GCI, 4 have neuropathic bladder/bowel and another shortening of a leg. In GCII, 4 of 26 have neuropathic bladder/bowel with lower limb weakness in one. CONCLUSIONS We found JEB to be more effective and less toxic than our previous regimens. Some survivors of sacrococcygeal tumours have neurological late effects.

Recent experience in the treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma

Twenty-two patients with rhabdomyosarcoma have presented in the years 1970--1977. Of 8 patients who had inadequate postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy, or none at all, only 2 patients with small completely resectable tumors are alive and well at 6 and 4 yr after surgery. Fourteen patients had intensive combination chemotherapy in addition to appropriate surgery and radiotherapy. Five have died and the remaining nine are well and free of disease at follow up ranging from 9 mo to over 5 yr. A continued place in the treatment regime is advocated for early surgery aimed at total excision of the primary tumor where this is feasible.

Oral suction in infants

Abstract This is a description of the use of a simple sucking sump catheter for continuous saliva removal.