William L. Riker

Malignant tumors of childhood masquerading as acute surgical conditions

Abstract In a significant percentage of malignant tumors of childhood the patient presents with symptoms suggesting an acute surgical condition leading to improper treatment and a delay in definitive cancer therapy. In other patients an acute surgical emergency is truly present, e.g., lacerated liver and intussusception, but the underlying tumor may be overlooked and treatment delayed. The awareness of the occurrence of this mimicry may alert the physician to the possibility of the presence of a malignant tumor and result in earlier and more appropriate treatment.

Supravalvular aortic stenosis

Supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) is a heart defect that develops before birth. This defect is a narrowing (stenosis) of the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body (the aorta). The condition is described as supravalvular because the section of the aorta that is narrowed is located just above the valve that connects the aorta with the heart (the aortic valve). Some people with SVAS also have defects in other blood vessels, most commonly stenosis of the artery from the heart to the lungs (the pulmonary artery). An abnormal heart sound during a heartbeat (heart murmur) can often be heard during a chest exam. If SVAS is not treated, the aortic narrowing can lead to shortness of breath, chest pain, and ultimately heart failure.