小儿大网膜囊肿和肠系膜囊肿引发急腹症的诊治体会

目的 探讨小儿大网膜囊肿和肠系膜囊肿引发急腹症的诊治特点。方法 回顾性分析大网膜囊肿和肠系膜囊肿引发急腹症患儿共12例。结果 12例中，10例囊肿破裂造成腹膜炎，2例大网膜囊肿导致肠梗阻。全部经手术治疗，预后良好。结论 大网膜囊肿和肠系膜囊肿引发急腹症多因外伤造成囊肿破裂，引发腹膜炎或肠系膜囊肿突然增大压迫肠腔、囊液外渗导致肠梗阻和腹膜炎。此类患儿应早期诊断，及时手术治疗。     

小儿肠系膜乳糜囊肿

目的探讨小儿肠系膜乳糜囊肿的临床特点及诊治方法。方法回顾性分析我院1987～2003年经手术治疗及病理检查证实的6例小儿肠系膜乳糜囊肿的临床表现及治疗经过。结果本组男4例，女2例，年龄7个月～10岁（平均3岁10个月）。病程30h～2年，病程在7d以内4例。5例表现为急腹症，1例表现为慢性复发性腹痛。术中证实空肠系膜囊肿4例，回肠系膜囊肿2例，囊肿压迫肠管并发肠梗阻2例，并发肠扭转1例，并发乳糜腹2例。3例行囊肿及部分肠管切除吻合术，3例行单纯囊肿切除术，囊内液均呈乳糜状，苏丹Ⅲ染色及乳糜试验阳性。结论小儿肠系膜乳糜囊肿主要表现为腹痛伴腹腔囊性包块，常以急腹症为首发表现，手术切除囊肿及受累肠管预后良好。     

Acute abdomen caused by Salmonella typhi acute appendicitis

Salmonella infections can manifest themselves as acute abdominal problems and lead to emergency surgery. Some examples are: salmonella-related intestinal perforations, gallbladder involments, salpingitis, and peritonitis. Mesenteric lymphadenitis associated with salmonella mimics acute appendicitis and it is often difficult to establish a timely and tempestive diagnosis in children with right lower abdominal pain. Because of the difficult diagnostic process, a significant number of patients with salmonella infections present acute abdomen and undergo needless operations. Instead, in our case of salmonella-related acute abdomen, laparotomy was the right therapeutic choice. The conclusion is drawn that, even if there is not a precise diagnosis, in salmonella-related acute abdomen the surgical approach is the right choice, considering the high morbidity and mortality associated with untreated appendicitis and intestinal perforations.     

Mesenteric lymphangiomatosis in children: a distinct clinico-pathological entity

Cystic lymphangiomas occurring within the abdomen are usually classified together with mesenteric cysts. However, they differ by location, histology, and potential for recurrence and should be considered as a separate clinical entity. The present article describes two cases of extensive mesenteric lymphagiomatosis involving variable lengths of small and large bowel and presenting as an acute abdomen. Ultrasonography and computed tomography proved the most reliable imaging modalities. In the first case the lesion could not be completely resected; whereas in the second resection and anastomosis without any residua was possible. Life-threatening complications can arise from these lesions, and excision is facilitated by earlier diagnosis.     

Choledochal cysts: heterogeneity of clinical presentation

Over a 12-year period, 23 children were diagnosed as having choledochal cysts, of which 22 were type I and one was type II. The triad of right upper-quadrant abdominal pain, right upper-quadrant abdominal mass, and cholestatic jaundice was present in only four of 23 (17%). Mean time from the onset of symptoms to establishing the correct diagnosis was 20 months, and in one child the diagnosis was established only at autopsy. Six children had histologic evidence of biliary cirrhosis, and three developed portal hypertension despite surgical intervention. Both ultrasonography of the abdomen and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) were useful methods in establishing the diagnosis, but both tests did result in false negatives. Choledochal cysts are treatable causes of cholestatic jaundice in infants and children, but the intermittent and variable nature of their presentation renders clinical diagnosis difficult.     

Selective surgical indication in the management of neutropenic children presenting with acute abdomen

As the treatment of pediatric malignancies improves and survival increases, the diagnosis of acute abdomen in these patients also becomes more common. Nevertheless, the management of this a condition is still controversial. The authors report their experience in treating 12 neutropenic children with acute abdomen. The charts of 12 neutropenic patients with a diagnosis of acute abdomen treated at Boldrini Children's Cancer Center in Campinas, Brazil, between 1991 and 1996, were reviewed. Therapeutic strategy included an initial period of bowel rest, general supportive measures, and broadspectrum antibiotics while waiting for the neutrophil count to rise. Three patients recovered completely without surgery, 8 under went late surgery without complications, and 1 died due to uncontrolled sepsis before surgery. The treatment of acute abdomen in neutropenic children remains controversial. As shown in the present series, an initial nonoperative approach with selective surgical indication appears to be safe and to yield good results. Supportive treatment, until the neutrophil count rises, followed by surgery, if necessary, appears to be a sound therapeutic approach for neutropenic children with acute abdomen.     

SELECTIVE SURGICAL INDICATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF NEUTROPENIC CHILDREN PRESENTING WITH ACUTE ABDOMEN

As the treatment of pediatric malignancies improves and survival increases, the diagnosis of acute abdomen in these patients also becomes more common. Nevertheless, the management of this a condition is still controversial. The authors report their experience in treating 12 neutropenic children with acute abdomen. The charts of 12 neutropenic patients with a diagnosis of acute abdomen treated at Boldrini Children's Cancer Center in Campinas, Brazil, between 1991 and 1996, were reviewed. Therapeutic strategy included an initial period of bowel rest, general supportive measures, and broadspectrum antibiotics while waiting for the neutrophil count to rise. Three patients recovered completely without surgery, 8 under went late surgery without complications, and 1 died due to uncontrolled sepsis before surgery. The treatment of acute abdomen in neutropenic children remains controversial. As shown in the present series, an initial nonoperative approach with selective surgical indication appears to be safe and to yield good results. Supportive treatment, until the neutrophil count rises, followed by surgery, if necessary, appears to be a sound therapeutic approach for neutropenic children with acute abdomen.     

Acute surgical abdomen as presenting manifestation of Kawasaki disease

Ten children (4.6%) among a cohort of 219 with Kawasaki disease (KD) had their onset with severe abdominal complaints. Incomplete KD presentation at the time of acute abdomen was present in nine of 10 patients. Acute abdominal pain and distension, vomiting, hepatomegaly, and jaundice were the most common symptoms at onset. Hematemesis was present in one; toxic shock syndrome requiring care in the intensive care unit occurred in four. Five patients had laparotomy, three had percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, and one had a gastrointestinal endoscopy. Postoperative diagnosis was gallbladder hydrops with cholestasis in five, paralytic ileus in three, appendicular vasculitis in one, and hemorrhagic duodenitis in one. All patients completely recovered, but 50% developed coronary aneurysms despite early intravenous gammaglobulin treatment. Acute surgical abdomen can be the presenting manifestation of KD. In older children with fever, rash, and acute abdominal pain or hematemesis, KD should be considered in the differential diagnosis.     

Spontaneous rupture of extrahepatic choledochal cyst: two pediatric cases and literature review.

Spontaneous rupture of extrahepatic choledochal cysts is very rare. Neonatal cases generally present with biliary ascites, and older children with acute abdomen. Although the cause is unclear, accumulation of protein plugs in an anomalous pancreaticobiliary junction, irritation of the cyst wall due to reflux of pancreatic juice, and weakness due to a developmental error such as common channel syndrome have all been suggested to play contributing roles. The treatment of choice is complete excision of the cyst and hepatico-jejunostomy. In newborns who are in a poor condition, the primary treatment should be simple peritoneal drainage.     

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??Sudden and violent abdominal pain with comparatively fixed location should be clinical features in children with acute abdominal diseases. The constant development of system and organs in childhood makes it difficult for pediatricians to make correct diagnosis of pediatric acute abdomen. Complete inspection and particularly abdominal palpation and digital examination should be emphasized. Correct understanding of abdominal pain in children with acute abdominal diseases is of critical importance.     

小儿急腹症的腹痛特点

摘要：小儿急腹症腹痛具有发生急骤、进展迅速和疼痛定位相对固定的临床特点。小儿各系统器官处于不断发育阶段以及受语言表达能力限制,使急腹症的诊断较为困难。应强调临床全面检查,特别注意腹部触诊和肛门指诊的特殊性。正确认识小儿急腹症的腹痛特点才能提高诊断水平。     

Vertebral fractures as initial signs for acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Common presenting symptoms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children are well known and include pallor, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Limb pain is sometimes described and can be misleading. We describe two recent cases seen in our emergency department, where vertebral fractures, a much rarer finding, were the only presenting symptoms that led to the diagnosis. One case had been thoroughly evaluated only 5 weeks prior to the diagnosis and included magnetic resonance imaging. The second patient was rapidly referred to our center with a history of acute lumbar pain. Emergency physicians caring for children must be aware of this rare type of presentation of leukemia.     

Improving the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children with atypical clinical findings using the technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime-labelled white-blood-cell abdomen scan

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing acute appendicitis in children with equivocal signs and symptoms may be difficult. The usual approach is hospital observation and frequent re-examination. However, many surgeons are reluctant to delay surgery because of the risk of perforation and a negative laparotomy. OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the value of the technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime ((99m)Tc-HMPAO)-labelled white-blood-cell (WBC) abdomen scan in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children with atypical clinical presentation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty children with acute right lower quadrant abdominal pain and possible acute appendicitis, but atypical findings were included. After IV injection of (99m)Tc-HMPAO-labelled WBCs, serial anterior abdomen scans were obtained using a gamma camera. RESULTS: Thirty-three children underwent surgery, while 17 children were managed conservatively and were followed up for at least 1 month. Four children had false-positive results and one child had a false-negative scan result. The overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the scan to diagnose acute appendicitis in children with atypical findings was 96.7, 80.0, 90.0, 87.8 and 94.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The (99m)Tc-HMPAO WBC abdomen scan is a potential tool for diagnosing acute appendicitis in children with atypical clinical findings. The high sensitivity and negative predictive value allows early discharge from the emergency department to avoid costly observation in hospital and potentially unnecessary surgery in those patients with negative scans.     

Unusual childhood presentations of abdominal non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma

Non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is a relatively common childhood cancer that can present in a myriad of ways. It is essential that NHL is included in the differential diagnosis of children presenting with an abdominal complaint, especially those with unexplained or prolonged symptoms. We describe three acute pediatric presentations of abdominal NHL, two of which presented as acute abdomen (the first mimicking intussusception and the second appendicitis), and the third involving lower limb edema. This case series illustrates the array of presentations of abdominal NHL and the diagnostic challenges that they can provide.     

Early management of craniocerebral injury with avoidance of post-traumatic leptomeningeal cyst formation. Report of two cases.

Leptomeningeal cyst, or growing skull fracture, is a rare complication of pediatric head trauma. This entity is typically diagnosed several weeks or months following head trauma when an enlarging scalp mass is recognized. Progressive neurologic deficits (seizures, paresis) can accompany this process, which typically do not improve following conventional surgical treatment. Given that radiographic findings are highly predictive of which children are likely to develop a leptomeningeal cyst, we have adopted a policy of early management in an effort to avoid difficult surgical dissections and progressive neurologic sequelae seen with delayed intervention. The cases of two infants with skull fractures are used to illustrate our approach toward early management of post-traumatic leptomeningeal cysts.     

Unusual presentation of intradural endodermal cysts in young children under 2 years of age. Report of two cases

Introduction Spinal endodermal cysts are congenital maldevelopmental lesions usually presenting in early adulthood. Whereas the diagnosis is rare in newborns and it is usually led by cardiopulmonary distress or other associated malformations, no characteristic clinical findings associated with these entities have been described in older patients where spinal endodermal cysts usually behave as intraspinal space occupying lesions. Discussion The authors report on two children under 2 years of age affected by cervical endodermal cysts that presented with a history of acute motor deficit following a laryngitis. The hypothesis about the pathogenesis is that the upper respiratory tract infection might have stimulated the secretion of the cyst lining, inducing growth of the cyst and the sudden appearance of the motor deficit. Because of the apparent lack of relation between the benign laryngitis and the motor deficit, the occurrence of such an association might have been underestimated in some of the previously reported cases.     

Ovarian cavernous hemangioma in an 8-year-old girl.

The case of an ovarian cavernous hemangioma with torsion in an 8-year-old girl is described. Current literature records less than 50 cases of which only 8 are in children. The presenting symptoms of acute abdomen and the ultrasonographic study led to the preoperative diagnosis of torsion of an ovarian tumor. Salpingo-oophorectomy and appendicectomy were performed with an uneventful postoperative course. The histological pattern of the tumor was that of an entirely cavernous hemangioma. The case is reported in view of its rarity.     

Enteric duplication cysts of the pancreas: a report of two cases and review of the literature

Enteric duplication cysts are rare congenital malformations that are most commonly diagnosed in children. Enteric duplications associated with the pancreas are especially uncommon, and may present with specific clinical findings such as severe pancreatitis. These cysts often pose unique surgical challenges. In addition, the diagnosis of pancreatic duplication cysts is often difficult, and may be confused with pancreatic pseudocysts or neoplasms. Herein we report two cases of pancreatic duplication cysts, and present a complete tabulation of all case reports of pancreatic-associated duplication cysts reported in the English literature. We conclude that pancreatic duplication cysts are a rare entity, most commonly found to occur in infants and children. We further find that although severe complications may arise as a result of their presentation and treatment, the rate of post-operative complications in patients between 3 and 21 years of age is extremely low, with the highest complication rate occurring in a bimodal distribution (<3-years and >21-years of age). Despite complications in the youngest and older patient populations, surgical excision remains the mainstay of therapy for pancreatic duplication cysts in all age groups.     

Severe acute respiratory syndrome: 'SARS' or 'not SARS'

Accurate clinical diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) based on the current World Health Organization definition is difficult and at times impossible at the early stage of the disease. Both false positive and false negative cases are commonly encountered and this could have far-reaching detrimental effects on the patients, their family and the clinicians alike. Contact history is particularly important in diagnosing SARS in children as their presenting features are often non-specific. The difficulty in making a correct diagnosis is further compounded by the lack of a sensitive rapid diagnostic test. Serology is not particularly helpful in the initial triaging of patients as it takes at least 3 weeks to become positive. Co-infection and other treatable conditions should not be missed and conventional antibiotics should remain as part of the first-line treatment regimen. We report five cases to illustrate the difficulties and dilemmas faced by clinicians in diagnosing SARS in children.     

Ovarian torsion caused by teratoma masquerading as perforated appendicitis in a 5-year-old girl

Ovarian torsion is a well-known but poorly recognized disease. Although ovarian torsion is the most common complication of ovarian tumors in children, it is an uncommon cause of abdominal pain in pediatric patients. Ovaries can be only salvaged by prompt diagnosis and timely surgical intervention. Acute ovarian torsion without appropriate treatment may result in loss of ovarian function, tissue necrosis, and death. The objective of this article is to present a case of pediatric ovarian torsion and describe the difficulty of distinguishing it from perforated appendicitis in the emergency department (ED). We report a 5-year-old girl who presented to the ED with nausea, tenderness over the right lower guardant of her abdomen, fever, and anorexia. She was initially diagnosed with appendicitis based on physical examination and abdominal computed tomography scan and was sent to the operating room for surgical exploration. The definite diagnosis of the patient was acute ovarian torsion complicated with cystic teratoma. Primary clinicians in the ED should pay more attention to acute ovarian torsion in young children because it is difficult to diagnose in time to salvage the gynecological function when the clinical presentations masquerade as perforated appendicitis.