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Introduction: Recently, some centers have used extubation during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to eliminate barotrauma and volutrauma as a lung rest strategy. This study aims to demonstrate the use of extubation during ECMO in children. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted from January 1, 2015, to April 1, 2023, in our pediatric intensive care unit. Results: In this study, we presented six cases that were extubated during ECMO support. In addition, we followed 130 pediatric patients on ECMO in the same period. Two patients were primarily diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, one with myocarditis, two with congenital heart defect, and one with necrotizing pneumonia. The median age of patients was 99 (interquartile range 25-75) (16.5-192) months, and all were male. Venoarterial ECMO was connected to 4 patients, and venovenous ECMO was connected to 2 patients. Six patients were extubated during ECMO on the 5th, 12th, 3rd, 4th, 3rd and 14th days of their treatment, respectively. While the patients were extubated, three of them were supported by biphasic positive airway pressure, one was supported by nasal continuous positive airway pressure, and two were provided with supplementary oxygen. Three patients were extubated under ECMO and discharged. Conclusion: The risk of mechanical ventilation related complications such as volutrauma and barotrauma could minimized in patients extubated under ECMO. In addition, sedatives, analgesics, and muscle relaxant related complications such as delirium, muscle weakness, or prolonged ventilation could reduced via awake ECMO.

Objective: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-saving treatment option providing cardiopulmonary support when standard therapies prove insufficient for reversible diseases. The mean objective of this study was to evaluate our center’s experience with ECMO following pediatric cardiac surgery. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) between November 2014 and March 2021 and included patients who received ECMO following cardiac surgery. Results: Over the 7-year period, 324 patients underwent cardiac surgery, of which 24 (7.4%) required ECMO support. Among them, 13 (54.2%) were female, with a median age of 16.0 (2.0- 208) months and a median weight of 7.0 (3.5-70) kg. The mean vasoactive inotrope score (VIS) was 53.9 ± 44.5. Atrioventricular septal defect repair was the most common surgical procedure (n = 8/24, 41.6%). The primary indication for ECMO was low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) in 14 (58.3%) patients. The median duration of ECMO support was 6.0 (1.0-46.0) days. Nonsurvivors had significantly higher Pediatric Risk Score of Mortality (PRISM) III scores (P = .014) and VIS scores during the pre-ECMO period (P = .004). Early or late neurological complications developed in 12 (50%) patients, with significant differences in lactate levels and pH levels preECMO between those with and without neurological complications (P = .01, P = .02, respectively). We successfully decannulated 16 (66.6%) patients, with a final survival rate of 12 (50%). Conclusion: ECMO plays a crucial role in providing pre- and post-cardiac surgery support for children. LCOS remains the main indication, and high PRISM III and VIS scores are valuable predictors of outcomes.

Introduction:The choice of anticoagulation in continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is very important for circuit life and bleeding complications. The primary outcome of our study was circuit lifespan. Secondary outcomes, we aimed to identify metabolic complications.Methods:This retrospective study was conducted in our pediatric intensive care unit between November 2019 and March 2021.Results:The study included 35 patients, 19 with regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) and 16 with heparin anticoagulation (HA). The patient’s pediatric risk of mortality III score was similar in both groups (p=0.76); also, p-SOFA score was higher in the RCA group and was significant [(HA: 6.43±5.24, RCA: 10.21±3.96, p=0.024)]. 100 hemofilter were used in all therapies (total CRRT times 4115.50 h), 43 in HA and 57 in the RCA group. Median circuit life and total CRRT duration were longer for RCA [(33.0; 3.0-168.0) (30.5; 9.0-520.0) (14.0; 0.75-285.0) (94.0; 11.0-394.0) (p=0.043\0.021)] than for HA. Hypocalcemia was detected 9/19 in the RCA and 4/16 in the HA (p=0.021). HA was preferred in 3 patients and RCA in 4 patients who needed ECMO simultaneously with CRRT. The most common reason for circuit change in RCA groups is patient-related and clotting in the heparin group. Mortality rates were not the same in both groups (p=0.012).Conclusion:Citrate 18/0 has better safety and efficacy with a long filter life and easily manageable systemic complications. In addition, anticoagulation with RCA may be preferred in patients monitored with ECMO and in need of CRRT.

Introduction:This study aims to evaluate bronchoscopy’s indications and clinical results in patients who underwent bronchoscopy during their stay in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).Methods:This study was carried out retrospectively in PICU between April 2019, and October 2021. The diagnoses of the patients, the reasons for bronchoscopy, where and by whom bronchoscopy was performed, complications related to bronchoscopy, and the contribution of bronchoscopy to diagnosis and treatment were determined.Results:Thirty-seven patients underwent bronchoscopy. The median age was 20 (7-126) months. The children comprised 17 females (45.9%). We performed bronchoscopy in 17 (45.9%) patients in the PICU and in 20 (54.1%) patients in the operating room. Pediatric intensive care physicians, 13 (35.1%) performed fifteen (40.5%) of bronchoscopy procedures pediatric pulmonologists and 9 (24.3%) pediatric surgeons. Nine patients underwent rigid bronchoscopy, 28 patients underwent flexible bronchoscopy. The median bronchoscopy time was 10 minutes (7.5-15). Bronchomalacia was found in 5 of the patients and tracheomalacia in 2 of them. Three patients (8.1%) had extraluminal airway compression. Bronchoscopy was performed in six patients due to foreign body aspiration. In 13 patients, peak inspiratory pressure and positive end-expiratory pressure of mechanical ventilation were decreased after the bronchoscopy procedure. During the bronchoscopy procedure, desaturation showed in 19 patients, bleeding in 4 patients, bradycardia in 4 patients, and short-term cardiac arrest in 3 patients. Three patients with cardiac arrest were patients who underwent rigid bronchoscopy. The median PICU length of stay was 52 days. There were no bronchoscopy-related deaths, but 9 patients died due to their primary disease.Conclusion:Bronchoscopy is a method that can be performed in PICU, both at the bedside and the operating room, to identify pathological changes in the airway in critical patients and to remove foreign bodies and life-threatening plugs in the airway. Its use for emergency or diagnostic purposes is increasing in PICUs.

One of the most common health problems today is volatile substance abuse and toxic gas inhalation. Butane gas, also known as lighter gas, is increasingly used because it causes euphoria, pleasure and joy among adolescents. The most important reasons for this situation are the fact that it is cheap and easy to obtain, and at the same time the legal audit is not very serious. In this article, two adolescent male patients who were followed up in our pediatric intensive care unit after lighter gas inhalation are presented. The first case was discharged, and the second case died despite extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation due to cardiac arrest during admission to our hospital from another center. In our study, it was aimed to draw attention to the fact that butane gas inhalation, which has been increasingly common in childhood, is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality.

Purpura fulminans (PF) is a rare but fatal thrombotic disease caused by microvascular thrombosis due to coagulation disorder. Necrosis can progress to muscle and bone tissue contributing to late mortality and morbidity. A healthy 4-month-old girl and a 7-month-old girl had previously admitted to our intensive care unit with severe PF due to meningococcemia. Both patients had a severe and critical period in the pediatric intensive care unit and were supported with extracorporeal treatments. We opened colostomy for perineal infection because of large and deep skin lesions. In addition, we waited for a full auto-amputation involving all extremities instead of early surgical amputation. Both survived and acceptable limb function and some mobilization capacity were preserved. In conclusion, we think that early colostomy in severe perineal infections and autoamputation options in severe extremity involvement should be preferred in order to get better results.

An increasing number of pediatric patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP) undergo mechanical circulatory support (MCS), as a bridge to heart transplantation. Gastrointestinal complications in this population are rare, and the treatment is challenging. Patients with DCMP frequently present with heart failure symptoms, such as tachycardia, hypotension, respiratory distress, cyanosis, weak peripheral pulses, and inadequate feed. Rarely, gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and ascites, may be noted if biventricular failure develops. Here we present a case of a 14-year-old girl with severe intractable diarrhea and malnutrition after being diagnosed with DCMP. After extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, she was bridged to a long-term left ventricular assist device support. Her recovery was complicated with intractable diarrhea and malnutrition, which were critical. Thus, this case study aimed to emphasize that pediatric patients with DCMP having persistent diarrhea and malnutrition can be successfully treated with MCS.

Traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) is characterized by impaired visual function due to acute damage to the optic nerve injury related to the trauma. The predictive incidence of TON in children and adolescence is 0.7-2.5% after blunt or penetrating head injuries. Orbital trauma is often accompanied by head injury and is the most common cause of unilateral vision loss. Here, we present a case of 11-year-old child who had the complaint of vision loss in the right eye and developed TON after a motor vehicle accident. The intubated patient was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit after trauma and was operated due to epidural hemorrhage. Visual loss was detected during follow-up and orbital computed tomography revealed multiple fractures in the orbital walls and magnetic resonance imaging showed effusion of the optic nerve sheath and contrast enhancement of the optic nerve. Clinical and imaging findings suggested TON and as there was no indication for surgery, pulse steroid treatment was given for 5 days. With this treatment, the patient's vision loss and clinical findings improved significantly.In conclusion, TON should be considered in patients with a head injury and post-traumatic vision loss. High-dose steroids should be considered in suitable patients.

Differential diagnosis of hypercalcemia in children includes confirmation of hyperthyroidism, infection, inflammatory processes, and malignant tumors. Immobilization-induced hypercalcemia is rare in healthy individuals, although it can occur in adolescent males, especially after fracture. Immobility can cause increased skeletal calcium release and hypercalcemia, and this condition is also known as resorptive hypercalcemia. We present a case of a 10-year-old adolescent girl with advanced heart failure who underwent implantation with a HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist device. She had symptoms of abdominal pain, vomiting, and constipation on the fifth month of hospitalization. She subsequently developed immobilization-induced symptomatic hypercalcemia (serum calcium, 12.1 mg/dL; corrected calcium 12.8 mg/dL; parathormone, 1.9 pg/mL; calcium/creatinine ratio in spot urine, 1.21). However, hypercalcemia is uncommon in children with advanced heart failure. Bisphosphonate therapy was initiated because our patient did not respond to hydration and furosemide treatment, and she had persistent abdominal pain, vomiting, and constipation. The patient's complaints were resolved on the second day after administrating bisphosphonate, and hypercalcemia did not recur.

Introduction:Pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are the places where there are advanced technologic substructures for critically ill patients to survive, an important teamwork is displayed, and remarkable knowledge and experience are required.The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and demographic characteristics of the patients hospitalized in a PICU for one year, to reveal data on mortality, and to evaluate factors affecting mortality.Methods:Patients admitted to the PICU between 1 January and 31 December 2018 were evaluated retrospectively. The data on the indications for PICU hospitalization, underlying chronic diseases, duration of hospitalization, mortality scores, hospital infections, and certain patient groups (congenital heart surgery, liver and heart transplant) were collected. Mortality over a one-year period and factors affecting mortality were reported.Results:Six hundred twenty patients were included in the study. Two hundred seven (33.3%) of the patients were female and 413 (66.6%) were male. The mean age was 4.6 years. Two hundred twenty-eight patients (36.7%) had an underlying chronic disease. The most common hospitalization indications were cardiac disease (17.7%) and infection (16.6%). The mean length of stay and PRISM score were 9 days and 9.9, respectively. Standardized mortality rate was 0.9. Renal replacement therapy was performed in 27 patients, peritoneal dialysis in 5 patients and plasmapheresis in 16 patients. Nosocomial infection rate was calculated as 8.5. Sixty-five of 620 patients were exitus. Mortality rate was calculated as 10.3%. Patient’s underlying chronic diseases and PRISM scores at the time of hospitalization were associated with mortality and no significant correlation was found between age, duration of stay and expected mortality rate.Conclusion:In PICU, both internal and surgical patient groups were observed. Underlying chronic disease and PRİSM score affect mortality.

Adenovirus is a non-enveloped, double-stranded DNA virus that can cause infections in the upper and lower respiratory tract, conjunctiva, and gastrointestinal tract. Adenovirus infections are usually mild but may cause mortality and morbidity, especially in immunocompromised patients. Cidofovir may be used to treat adenovirus. Cidofovir is an antiviral with a virostatic effect, especially effective for adenovirus and herpes virus. In this case report, we present a 15-year-old patient with adenovirus-induced severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, who was referred to us for renal failure and successfully treated with cidofovir.

Botulism is a rare but potentially life-threatening neuroparalytic syndrome caused by the action of a neurotoxin caused by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Early diagnosis and early treatment is important. In cases where botulism occurs sporadically, there is a need for easily applicable and rapid methods for diagnosis. The patient was admitted to the emergency department with complaints of dysarthria and sleepiness at the age of 7 years. During follow-up, bilateral ptosis, nystagmus, facial asymmetry, double vision and dysphagia developed. Electroneuromyography (ENMG) was performed in our case. It was evaluated as compatible with botulismus. Antitoxin treatment was performed. Six hours after the end of the antitoxin infusion, the ocular findings regressed, swallowing function improved, and dysarthric speech improved. Inconclusion, ENMG is found to be helpful in treatment decisions before toxin detection. Although toxin cannot be detected in patients, ENMG findings play an important role in the diagnosis of botulism.

Objective:Tracheotomy is one of the oldest surgical procedures. Pediatric tracheotomy indications have changed in recent decades. Currently, tracheotomy is performed because of prolonged intubation, upper airway obstruction, neuromuscular, and craniofacial anomalies instead of acute airway infections. This study aims to present our experience regarding indications and complications of tracheotomy in pediatric patients.Methods:We retrospectively evaluated 17 pediatric patients who underwent tracheotomy because of prolonged intubation, increased pulmonary secretions, and upper respiratory tract obstruction from June 2010 to June 2015. The patients’ age, gender, tracheotomy indications, duration of intubation, complications, and actual clinical condition were recorded.Results:Tracheotomy was performed on 17 pediatric patients in our clinic. Discharged patients were followed with a 3-month routine check. Six patients (35.29%) had died because of a primary disease during follow-up, and one (5.88%) of them was a one-day-old newborn who had anomalies that were incompatible with life. In one patient, emergency tracheotomy was performed because of a tracheal trauma. None of the patients has been decannulated except one (5.88%). One (5.88%) patient had an accidental decannulation, while another had bleeding in the operation field. The total minor complication rate was 11.76%, and no major complication was observed. Two (11.76%) of the discharged patients underwent re-operation for widening of the tracheotomy stoma during their routine visit.Conclusion:Currently, tracheotomy in pediatric patients is mostly performed for prolonged intubation and upper respiratory tract obstruction for which intubation is not possible. Tracheotomy enables the discharge of these patients after training their families.