Sérgio Tomaz Schettini

Cavectomy for the Treatment of Wilms Tumor With Vascular Extension

PURPOSE Vascular extension to the vena cava occurs in 4% of Wilms tumor cases and can reach the right atrium in up to 1%. When this happens the thrombus is usually not adherent to the vessel wall, and there is blood flow around it. Preoperative chemotherapy can cause thrombus regression and even resolution. If the thrombus persists after chemotherapy, surgery will be a challenge. On the other hand, if the thrombus invades the vessel wall, its removal may not be feasible. In this situation cavectomy is a good surgical strategy because it provides complete resection. The prerequisite for cavectomy is the absence of blood flow in the vena cava on preoperative Doppler ultrasonography. We report 3 cases of Wilms tumor with vena caval invasion in which cavectomy was performed, and discuss the principles, indications and operative technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 171 patients with Wilms tumor were treated at our institution between 1984 and 2004. Of these patients 6 with intravascular extension of thrombus within the right atrium were treated with extracorporeal circulation, cardiac arrest and profound hypothermia, and 3 were treated with cavectomy. RESULTS There were no instances of surgical complications or postoperative renal failure in our patients who underwent cavectomy. All remain well and free of disease. CONCLUSIONS Cavectomy is a safe procedure for treating pediatric patients with Wilms tumor when there is extension and invasion of the vena cava wall without blood flow.

Vertical gastric plication versus Nissen fundoplication in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux in children with cerebral palsy

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE Association between neurological lesions and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in children is very common. When surgical treatment is indicated, the consensus favors the fundoplication technique recommended by Nissen, despite its high morbidity and relapse rates. Vertical gastric plication is a procedure that may have advantages over Nissen fundoplication, since it is less aggressive and more adequately meets anatomical principles. The authors proposed to compare the results from the Nissen and vertical gastric plication techniques. DESIGN AND SETTING Randomized prospective study within the Postgraduate Surgery and Experimentation Program of UNIFESP-EPM, at Hospital do Servidor Público Estadual (IAMSPE) and Hospital Municipal Infantil Menino Jesus. METHODS Fourteen consecutive children with cerebral palsy attended between November 2003 and July 2004 were randomized into two groups for surgical treatment of GERD: NF, Nissen fundoplication (n = 7); and VGP, vertical gastric plication (n = 7). These were clinically assessed by scoring for signs and symptoms, evaluation of esophageal pH measurements, duration of the operation, intra and postoperative complications, mortality and length of hospital stay. RESULTS The mean follow-up was 5.2 months; symptoms were reduced by 42.8% (NF) (p = 0.001) and 57.1% (VGP) (p = 0.006). The Boix-Ochoa score was favorable for both groups: NF (p < 0.001) and VGP (p < 0.042). The overall mortality was 14.28% in both groups and was due to causes unrelated to the surgical treatment. CONCLUSION The two operative procedures were shown to be efficient and efficacious for the treatment of GERD in neuropathic patients, over the study period.

Ultrasound evaluation of techniques for internal jugular vein puncture in children

PURPOSE To determine by ultrasound which access and position the child must stay to obtain the best transversal section of the right Internal Jugular Vein (RIJV) allowing a safer puncture. METHODS Three possible accesses to the RIJV, anterior, lateral and posterior, from 57 healthy children, were analyzed through ultrasound images in a sequence of positions of the head, in supine position, with or without a roll under the scapula: head centered in neutral position with and without a roll (NPP and NP); contra lateral rotation with and without a roll (CLRP and CLR), neutral position and the patient raised in 30 degrees in Trendelenburg position (TDG). To analyze the results it was applied one statistic method, with variation analysis to the same individuals. BASIC PROCEDURES Ultrasound evaluation in each one of the proposed positions. RESULTS The statistical analysis of the results observed that the lateral puncture with the patient in the neutral position, in Trendelemburg without a roll, offers a bigger area in comparison to all the other options of puncture and positioning of the patient (p<0, 0001). CONCLUSION The safer way for the puncture of RIJV in children is obtained in neutral position in Trendelemburg by lateral puncture, without a shoulder roll.

Prehospital pediatric trauma classification (PHPTC) as a tool for optimizing trauma care resources in the city of São Paulo, Brazil

PURPOSE To evaluate the pediatric prehospital care in São Paulo, the databases from basic life support units (BLSU) and ALSU, and to propose a simple and effective method for evaluating trauma severity in children at the prehospital phase. METHODS A single firemen headquarter coordinates all prehospital trauma care in São Paulo city. Two databases were analyzed for children from 0 to 18 years old between 1998 and 2001: one from the Basic Life Support Units (BLSU-firemen) and one from the Advanced Life Support Units (ALSU-doctor and firemen). During this period, advanced life support units provided medical reports from 604 victims, while firemen provided 12.761 reports (BLSU+ALSU). Pre-Hospital Pediatric Trauma Classification is based on physiological status, trauma mechanism and anatomic injuries suggesting high energy transfer. In order to evaluate the proposed classification, it was compared to the Glasgow Coma Score and to the Revised Trauma Score. RESULTS There was a male predominance in both databases and the most common trauma mechanism was transport related, followed by falls. Mortality was 1.6% in basic life support units and 9.6% in ALSU. There was association among the proposed score, the Glasgow Coma Score and to the Revised Trauma Score (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION Pre-Hospital Pediatric Trauma Classification is a simple and reliable method for assessment, triage and recruitment of pediatric trauma resources.

Correlation between selected angiogenic markers and prognosis in pediatric adrenocortical tumors: Angiogenic markers and prognosis in pediatric ACTs

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Pediatric adrenocortical tumor (ACT) remains a challenging disease. Tumor weight and disease stage are still the most used indicators to prognosis and guidance of clinical decisions. Histology has not added meaningful data for risk stratification and management. ACT is metabolically active, highly vascularized, locally invasive and has the propensity to produce distant metastasis. Our objective was to correlate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) with clinical and prognostic aspects in pediatric ACT. PROCEDURE In 27 tumors, immunohistochemical expression of VEGF, CD105 (endoglin) and CD34 was analyzed. MVD was determined by CD34 and CD105 antibodies. MVD and VEGF expression was correlated with clinical characteristics and outcome. Normal pediatric glands were used as controls. RESULTS Endoglin MVD was significantly higher and CD34 MVD was significantly lower in ACT than control. The VEGF expression did not differ between groups. Cytoplasmic staining for endoglin was correlated with hypertension in ACT. Endoglin MVD greater than 1 mv/field, CD34 MVD less than 32 mv/field and VEGF expression levels above 4.8% were associated with clinical and biological indicators of poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS Endoglin and CD34 MVD values are potential histological markers to refine the histologic classification of pediatric ACT.