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Purpose This study was performed to identify risk factors associated with post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (PTH)-related hospitalization in pediatric patients visiting an emergency department (ED). Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent tonsillectomy at a single children’s hospital ED from January 2009 through December 2020. Data were collected on patient demographics, chief complaints, surgical methods, postoperative days, initial vital signs, and laboratory findings. The study population was divided into hospitalized and discharged groups. Results Among a total of 2,716 patients reviewed, 67 met the inclusion criteria. The hospitalized group showed a lower median systolic blood pressure (108.0 [interquartile range, 82.0-134.0] vs. 118.5 [89.8-147.2] mmHg; P = 0.021) and a faster median respiratory rate (23.0 [18.0-28.0] vs. 20.0 [17.0-23.0] breaths/minute; P = 0.019), compared with the discharged group. Multivariable logistic regression identified systolic blood pressure under 100 mmHg (odds ratio, 5.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-37.60) and respiratory rate over 24 breaths/minute (7.31; 1.07-145.79) as the factors associated with PTH-related hospitalization. Conclusion When pediatric patients visit EDs for PTH, close monitoring or hospitalization may be needed in those with low systolic blood pressure or rapid respiratory rate.

Purpose Genital injury is a common pediatric injury. Given the lack of nationwide data, the authors aimed to show age group-related epidemiologic features of genital injury in Korea. Methods We reviewed the data from 2011-2016 Emergency Department-based Injury In-depth Surveillance registry, which involves 23 emergency departments in Korea. From the dataset, we included children (< 18 years) with the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes related to genital injury as the final diagnosis with excluding those with other codes or combined injuries. Age groups were defined as follows; infants (< 1 year), toddlers (1-3), preschoolers (4-6), schoolers (7-12), and adolescents (13-17). The clinical features and outcomes were analyzed. Results A total of 3,030 children were included with the median age of 6 years (interquartile range, 4-10) and the proportion of girls of 53.0%. Only 144 children (4.8%) were transported by the emergency medical service providers. The most common mechanism and place were blunt injury (1,826 [60.3%]) and home (1,535 [50.7%]), respectively. Of the codes, “Contusion of external genital organs (S30.2)” was most common (1,574 [51.9%]). As for outcomes, 2,770 children (91.4%) were discharged, 252 (8.3%) were hospitalized (intensive care units, 1 child [0.03%]), and 108 (3.6%) underwent surgery. Severe injury occurred in 111 children (3.7%) without a mortality. With increasing age in the age groups, non-accidental injury, school and sports-related injuries, hospitalization, and surgery (All Ps < 0.001). Conclusion Genital injury may occur at evening, in spring and summer, at home, and in the form of accidental or blunt injury. Most children are discharged. Contrary to these general features, older children tend to undergo more frequently non-accidental injury, school and sports-related injuries, hospitalization, and surgery. Thus, we need age-specific strategies for injury prevention.

Purpose In Korea, the Broselow tape (BT) is widely used to estimate weight in resuscitation. Validation of BT in Korean children is essential because the tool was developed based on children’s weight and height in the United States. The validation was previously performed in a small-scale dataset. The authors aimed to validate BT using the 2005 Korean nationwide anthropometric survey data. Methods From the population used for the survey, we sampled children aged 0-12 years. The weights estimated by BT were compared with measured weights of the children using Bland-Altman analysis with results recorded as percentage differences. We measured the accuracy of BT, defined as within a 10% error of the measured weight, and the concordance of the color-coded zones derived from the estimated and measured weights. The accuracy and concordance were further assessed according to the age groups and body mass index-for-age Z-score (< -2, underweight; > 2, overweight or obese). Results A total of 108,128 children were enrolled. The mean age was 55.2 ± 37.5 months. The bias was –5.4% (P < 0.001), and the limits of agreement were –28.3% and 17.6%, respectively. The accuracy and concordance of BT were 64.4% and 67.2%, respectively. Differences of no more than 1 color-coded zone between estimated and measured weights accounted for 89.8% and 84.1% of the under- and overweight (or obese) children, respectively. Conclusion BT accurately estimates weight in approximately two-thirds of Korean children. In addition, adjustment of 1 color-coded zone may be considered in children with extreme weight.

Purpose Differentiation of urinary tract infection (UTI) from viral infection is a critical challenge in febrile children in emergency departments (EDs). This study aimed to assess the predicting performances of creatinine, C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) for predicting UTI in the children. Methods This study was a retrospective analysis of a prospectively enrolled cohort of febrile children who presented to our children’s hospital ED from August 2016 through February 2018. We included previously healthy, febrile (≥ 38。C) children younger than 24 months whose urine cultures were obtained. Accuracy of creatinine, CRP, and WBC were assessed by optimal cutoffs, which were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Results Among the total 33,013 children to the ED, 7,847 (23.8%) febrile children were registered to the fever registry. Finally, 506 children were included, and UTI was diagnosed in 127 (25.1%). The areas under the curve of creatinine, CRP, and WBC to predict UTI were 0.41 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35-0.46), 0.71 (95% CI, 0.66-0.77), and 0.66 (95% CI, 0.60-0.72), respectively. The cutoffs were 0.26 mg/dL for creatinine, 2.3 mg/dL for CRP, and 14.4 × 103 cells/μL for WBC. Creatinine showed worse performance than the other variables. The application of creatinine added to the other variables led to an increase only in the sensitivity, but at the expense of a lower specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. Conclusion Serum creatinine showed a poor performance in predicting UTI in the febrile young children. Since a single biomarker can neither rule in nor rule out UTI in the children, the prediction of UTI can be achieved by the interpretation of both clinical and laboratory findings.

Purpose To develop a clinical scoring system for children with presumed appendicitis who visit the emergency department. Methods A registry based-retrospective study was conducted in the pediatric emergency department between September 2015 and December 2016. Patients aged 4 to 17 years who had a > 1 of 5 Likert scale for possibility of appendicitis were included. Multiple logistic regressions based on Akaike information criterion were performed using variables regarding clinical features and inflammatory markers to develop the clinical scoring system. Results A total of 233 patients were included, and 93 (39.9%) had the final diagnosis of appendicitis. The final model with the lowest Akaike information criterion (171.7) consisted of 5 variables, including vomiting (1 point), absence of watery diarrhea (1 point), duration of symptoms ≤ 3 days (1 point), rebound tenderness (1 point), and white blood cell count > 10.0 × 109/L (2 points). If the clinical score was ≥ 4 of 6 points, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.78 (95% confidence interval, 0.71-0.86) with a 78.9% sensitivity, 66.7% specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 70.0% and 76.2%, respectively, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of 2.4 and 0.3, respectively. Conclusion The 5-item clinical scoring system shows a fair performance for prediction of pediatric appendicitis. This simple tool could be applied to predict the pediatric appendicitis, and to avoid the use of potentially unnecessary computed tomography.

The frequency of procedures in the emergency department has increased with changes in the medical environment and the demands of the times. Especially in children, sedation and analgesia are often inevitable due to the difficulty in seeking cooperation. Procedural sedation and analgesia is essential for successful completion of procedure, but the medical personnel who perform it must be prepared for complications caused by medications. Safe procedural sedation and analgesia requires well-trained medical personnel and well-prepared equipment, including appropriate patient assessments and choice of medications, faithful monitoring, and resuscitation. This review focuses on understanding of sedation processes, patient evaluation, medications, and monitoring.

Purpose In 2010 and 2011, the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare designated 2 and 4 Pediatric Emergency Centers, respectively. This study was conducted to examine the characteristics of pediatric patients who visited the pediatric emergency department (PED) compared with the general emergency department (GED). Methods We used the National Emergency Medical Department Information System (NEDIS) data on pediatric visits (

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of oral ondansetron on the incidence of vomiting in children who receive intramuscular (IM) ketamine for procedural sedation and analgesia in the emergency department (ED). Methods In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in a children's hospital ED, patients receiving IM ketamine (5 mg/kg) for ED procedures were randomized to receive either oral ondansetron (2 mg or 4 mg) or placebo 15 minutes before the ketamine injection. We recorded whether vomiting occurred in the ED postsedation or up to 12 hours after discharge with telephone follow-up and compared ED length of stay and parental satisfaction. Results Thirty two children were randomized to placebo and 31 to ondansetron. The groups were similar in age, sex, and fasting duration. ED vomiting was no significant difference with ondansetron: 7 of 31 (22.6%) versus 6 of 32 (18.8%), P=0.707, difference -3.8 (95% confidence interval -23.8% to 16.2%). Follow-up completed in 82.5%. The vomiting in the ED or after discharge in two groups, there was no significant difference: 7 of 27 (25.9%) versus 12 of 25 (48.0%), P=0.165, difference 22.1% (95% confidence interval -3.5% to 47.7%). ED length of stay and parental satisfaction were similar between groups. Conclusion There is no significant reduction of the incidence of vomiting in oral ondansetron group with IM ketamine procedural sedation in children.

Intussusception is the most common cause of gastrointestinal obstruction in children, which occurs most commonly in children aged between 3 and 12 months. Small bowel intussusception is uncommon in children compared to adults, and is not reduced by air reduction, unlike illeocecal intussusception. During the post-enema reduction period, patients could experience a delayed complication of hypovolemic shock. We report a case of small bowel intussusception that required explorative laparotomy due to hypovolemic shock. The patient was a 5 month-old female infant, who was diagnosed with small bowel intussusception and small bowel obstruction by sonography after a second air enema reduction. While observing her symptom, the patient's vital sign was becoming increasingly unstable. The patient received a large amount of fluid and inotropics. After a diagnostic computed tomography (CT) scan, the patient underwent explorative laparotomy to rule out bowel ischemia or necrosis. However, the patient's bowel was clear without minimal laceration on the surface of the bowel. After the operation, the patient recovered spontaneously. We suspect the patient's symptom and sign were caused by hypovolemia due to prolonged bowel ischemia and obstruction. Furthermore, resolving hypovolemic shock was caused by small bowel intussusception self-reduction. When pediatric physician is faced with small bowel intussusception in pediatric patients, they should provide adequate fluid supply and management along patient's state.

Significant pancreatic injuries can occur with minor handlebar trauma. Timely diagnosis of pancreatic injuries is critically important, since delayed diagnosis is the greatest determinant of morbidity. Children presenting to the emergency department after bicycle accidents should be treated with a high concern of suspicion regarding combined intra-abdominal trauma. The standard clinical approach of repeated regular physical examination and the use of abdomen CT examination should be followed. We report a case of pancreatic injury after blunt trauma by a bicycle handlebar. This 7-year-old boy experienced spleen preserving distal pancreatectomy with cholecystectomy. The initial symptom and signs were vague or uncertain. However, he revisited the emergency department with aggravated abdominal pain and vomiting. In conclusion, handlebar injuries must be considered potentially serious, no matter how trivial the accident may appear.