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Objective: The pathway to cardiothoracic surgery is often obscure for premedical students and aspiring applicants and requires navigating various known and unknown obstacles. Recognizing the challenges encountered on the path to a career in cardiothoracic surgery in the United States, we present this guide for students interested in the field to maximize success in their premedical, preclinical, and preresidency years. Methods: This is a joint collaboration between the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association and the Thoracic Surgery Medical Student Association. Drawing from firsthand experiences and insights gathered from numerous student applicants and current surgical residents, a comprehensive guide was constructed for students from the point of undergraduate school to advanced training options, including super-fellowship training. Results: Several intricacies to cardiothoracic surgery career planning were discussed, including differences between traditional and integrated/fast-track pathways, college and medical school selection, networking, performing during clinical rotations, extracurricular and research activities, building mentorship relationships, and pursuing alternate career and advanced training opportunities. Conclusions: For premedical students and aspiring applicants, the road to cardiothoracic surgery requires meticulous planning, grit, and thoughtful dedication. This document consolidates firsthand insights and advice from numerous aspiring and matched applicants to serve as a comprehensive guide for students seeking a career in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery.

Aim: The aim is to study the various histopathological changes in the liver in pediatric patients with choledochal cyst (CC) and correlate with the presentation and type of cyst. Methods: In a prospective observational study including all pediatric patients who underwent CC excision, histopathological changes of the liver in the form of cholestasis (CHS), portal inflammation (PI), bile duct proliferation (BDP), and fibrosis were studied and graded using a scoring system. They were analyzed in relation to age, sex, symptoms, and type of the cyst. Results: All 30 patients of CC showed various degrees of histopathological changes in the liver in the form of CHS, PI, BDP, and liver fibrosis. Patients 1 years had 17/17 (100%) fusiform variety of CC (P < 0.001). Patients 1 years presented with pain abdomen (P < 0.002). Higher grades of liver fibrosis and BDP were seen in the cystic variety compared to the fusiform variety (P < 0.001). However, no significant association was found with CHS and PI (P > 1.23). Conclusions: Histopathological changes in the liver of varying grades are seen in all patients of CC. Patients of CC

Reconstruction of through-and-through defects of cheek and commissure resulting from cancer resection are challenging. The specialized function of oral competence that the oral commissure and lip play is difficult to replicate with flap only reconstruction. Static slings play an important role in improving the functional and aesthetic outcome. The asymmetric “y” fascial sling helps in achieving the goals of oral competence along with adequate mouth opening. A total of 10 patients were operated by this technique. The results were satisfactory in terms of functional and aesthetic outcome postsurgery and were maintained 6 months postradiation.

Abstract Background Ambulatory surgery is often followed by the development of nausea and/or vomiting (N/V). Although risk factors for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are frequently discussed, the distinction between PONV and postdischarge nausea and vomiting (PDNV) is unclear. This is especially troublesome given the potential consequences of postdischarge nausea and vomiting (PDNV), which include major discomfort and hospital readmission. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, data from 10,231 adult patients undergoing ambulatory ophthalmology or otolaryngology procedures with general anesthesia were collected and analyzed. Binary and multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between patient and anesthetic characteristics (including age, body mass index (BMI), American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA P/S) classification, current smoker status, and intra- and postoperative opioid usage) and the odds ratios of experiencing only PDNV, only PONV, or both PONV and PDNV, as compared to not experiencing N/V at all. Results We found that 17.8% of all patients developed N/V (PONV and/or PDNV). Patients who experienced PONV had a 2.79 (95% confidence interval 2.24–3.46) times greater risk of reporting PDNV. Binary logistic regression found that younger age, opioid use, and female sex were associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing any N/V. Increased use of nitrous oxide and a higher ASA P/S class was associated with elevated likelihood of PONV, but not PDNV or PONV plus PDNV. Conclusions Patients experiencing N/V in the PACU are observed to develop PDNV disproportionately by a factor of 2.79. The patients have distinct predictors, indicating important opportunities for care improvements beyond current guidelines.

Background:. Optimal therapy for stage II colon cancer remains unclear, and national guidelines recommend “consideration” of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) in the presence of high-risk features, including inadequate lymph node yield (LNY,

Abstract Background Preventing post-operative ileus (POI) is important given its associated morbidity and increased cost of care. The authors’ prior work showed that POI in patients with newly created ileostomies is associated with a post-operative day (POD) 2 net fluid balance of > + 800 mL. The purpose of this study was to conduct an initial assessment of the efficacy of a pilot intervention. Methods This is a single-institution, pre–post-intervention, proof-of-concept study conducted on the Colorectal Surgery service at the University of California, San Francisco. The study included 58 procedures with ileostomy formation by board-certified colorectal surgeons between August 13, 2020 and June 1, 2021. The intervention included three adjustments to the standard Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol: addition of diuresis, delay in advancement to solid food, and earlier stoma intubation. Demographics, intraoperative factors, post-operative fluid balance, and outcomes (POI, post-procedure length of stay [LOS], hospitalization cost, and re-admissions) were compared between patients pre- and post-intervention. Results Eight (13.8%) of the 58 procedures in the intervention period were associated with POI vs. a baseline POI rate of 32.6% (p = 0.004). Compared to patients without intervention, those with intervention had 67% less odds of POI (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.15–0.73, p = 0.01). This difference remained significant when adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, procedure duration, and operative approach (adjusted OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.14–0.72, p = 0.01). Average POD2 stoma output was 0.3 L greater (1.1 L vs. 0.8L; p < 0.001) and net fluid balance was 1.8 L lower (+ 0.3 L vs. + 2.1 L; p < 0.00001) for these 58 cases. Average post-procedure LOS was 1.9 days lower (5.3 vs. 7.2 days, p < 0.001) and direct cost was $5561 lower ($21,652 vs. $27,213, p = 0.004), with no difference in 30-day readmissions (p = 0.43). Conclusions This pilot intervention shows promise for reduction in POI in patients with newly created ileostomies. Additional assessment is needed to confirm these initial findings.

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is a valuable tool for management of life-threateningtruncal hemorrhage. However, prolonged use of REBOA is limited by the ischemia that it causes distalto the occlusion. Partial REBOA (pREBOA) is a developing technique to inflate the balloon partially to allow for avariable degree of distal blood flow and mitigate some of the complications of prolonged occlusion of the aortawhile also ameliorating ongoing blood loss. We describe a case of a patient who presented with a gunshot woundto the right upper quadrant of the abdomen with significant liver, kidney, and colon injuries. The patient was successfully treated with pREBOA for 20 hours without ischemic sequalae. This is the longest reported use of prolonged pREBOA and suggests that this technique may offer a means for hemorrhage control in the pre-/intra- and postoperative settings.

Objective: Adults with COVID-19 infection undergoing surgery have an increased risk of complications and mortality. However, literature mentioning the perioperative course and outcome of children with COVID-19 infection undergoing emergency surgery is still lacking. Therefore, we planned this study to observe the need for postoperative ventilation, oxygen requirements, and postoperative mortality in pediatric patients with COVID-19 infection scheduled for emergency surgery. Methods: After ethical committee approval, all the COVID-19-infected pediatric patients who underwent an emergency surgery from April 2020 to May 2021 were included. Data collected included details of COVID-19 disease, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) grading, comorbidities, perioperative details such as tachycardia or bradycardia, any oxygen desaturation (SpO2

Background: Renal dynamic scans (RDS) despite being considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of pelvic ureteric junction obstruction (PUJO), fail to help resolve the dilemma about management issues in many patients. Multiple invasive and noninvasive methods are being studied to help the decision-making in these patients. We did this study to find correlation of plasma renin activity (PRA) values and resistive index (RI) on Doppler ultrasound with findings of RDS in patients with the Society for Fetal Urology (SFU) Grades 3 and 4 unilateral hydronephrosis (HDN) and also to determine the cut-off values of PRA and RI that could categorically acknowledge the success of pyeloplasty. Methodology: Twenty patients with SFU Grades 3 and 4 unilateral HDN due to PUJO were enrolled. Demographic details were recorded. All underwent Anderson-Hynes dismembered pyeloplasty. Based on the follow-up RDS scans, these patients could fall into one of three categories- improved (successful), status quo, or deteriorated (unsuccessful). Outcomes were compared based on RDS (split renal function [SRF]), ultrasonography, and Doppler findings were done at 3 months of postoperative period. Results: Follow up period was 3 months after Pyeloplasty. Seventeen patients had successful outcomes based on RDS findings, 12 had improvement in SRF (>5%), and 6 had normal drainage curves (t-t1/2

Background: Unilateral Wilms' tumor (uWT) is the most common renal malignancy in the pediatric population. Although the onset of surgical intervention like radical nephrectomy (RN) has substantially reduced the mortality rate, recent evidence has raised concerns regarding several postoperative complications associated with this procedure. Nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) has been reported to avoid such postoperative complications and have high technical success rate. However, not much literature is available comparing the efficacy of RN and NSS for managing nonsyndromic uWT, which makes it less acceptable globally. Materials and Methods and Results: A systematic identification of the literature was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines on four academic databases: MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, and CENTRAL. Out of 1017 records, 20 manuscripts including 312 patients were included in the review; 4 patients treated by the author (unpublished data) have also been included. The studies included 7 retrospective case series with no comparison group, 4 retrospective case series with comparison group, 4 retrospective series with a cursory mention of NSS in uWT, 2 case reports, 1 protocolized prospective trial with comparison group, 1 administrative database analysis with comparison group, and 1 randomized controlled study. In all, 316 patients with nonsyndromic uWT were studied. The pretherapy volumes of the WT ranged from 2.4 to 640 ml. Majority of them were administered preoperative chemotherapy. About half of the patients (n = 159) (50.3%) were Stage I tumors. Stage II, III, and IV tumors were seen in 23 (7.3%), 20 (6.3%), and 3 (1%) patients. Stage was not specified in 111 (35.1%) patients. Majority of them were “intermediate risk” WT. All these tumors were nonanaplastic. Surgical margins were reported positive in 13 (4%) patients. Overall and event-free survivals were 100% in most of the studies; only handful of relapses were noted in this systematic review. Conclusions: This qualitative systematic review recommends the use of NSS for nonsyndromic uWT. The procedure accounts for higher postoperative renal function and lesser incidence of hypertension as compared to the radical nephrectomy. Overall and event-free survivals are comparable or even better with NSS.

Abstract Background Postoperative ileus (POI) is associated with increased patient discomfort, length of stay (LOS), and healthcare cost. There is a paucity of literature examining POI in patients who have an ileostomy formed at the time of surgery. We aimed to identify risk factors for and outcomes associated with POI following ileostomy formation. Methods We included 261 consecutive non-emergent cases that included formation of an ileostomy by a board-certified colorectal surgeon at our institution from July 1, 2015, to June 30, 2020. Demographic, clinical, and intraoperative factors associated with increased odds of POI were evaluated. Post-procedure LOS, hospitalization cost, and re-admissions between patients with and without POI were compared. Results Out of 261 cases, 85 (32.6%) were associated with POI. Patients with POI had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) than those without POI (26.6 kg/m2 vs. 24.8kg/m2; p = 0.01). Intraoperatively, patients with POI had significantly longer procedure duration than those without POI (313 min vs. 279 min; p = 0.02). Patients with POI had a significantly higher net fluid balance at postoperative day (POD) 2 than those without POI (+ 2.65 L vs. + 1.80 L; p = 0.004), with POD2 fluid balance greater than + 807 mL (determined as the maximum Youden index for sensitivity over 80%) associated with a higher rate of POI (p = 0.006). This difference remained significant when adjusted for age, gender, BMI, pre-operative opioid use, procedure duration, and operative approach (p = 0.01). Patients with POI had significantly longer LOS (11.40 days vs. 5.12 days; p < 0.001) and direct cost of hospitalization ($38K vs. $22K; p < 0.001). Conclusions Minimizing fluid overload, particularly in the first 48 h after surgery, may be a strategy to reduce POI in patients undergoing ileostomy formation, and thus decrease postoperative LOS and hospitalization cost. Fluid restriction, diuresis, and changes in diet advancement or early stoma intubation should be considered measures that may improve outcomes and should be studied more intensively.

Objective: Congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) is a rare developmental lung disease. The aim of this study is to analyze the histomorphological spectrum of CPAM in a series of 15 cases. Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive study of 15 cases of CPAM was carried out from 2013 to 2018 in our hospital, and cases were classified based on the Stocker's classification. Results: The age ranged from 4 days to 9 years (66.6% were infants). The left lung was most commonly involved (66.6%). The most common lobe was the left upper lobe (60%), followed by right lower lobe (20%). Grossly, cysts measured 0.2–5 cm, filled with mainly serous fluid with few having hemorrhagic and brownish mucoid secretions. On microscopy, single to multiple noncommunicating cysts of size 0.2–5 cm were seen, lined by ciliated columnar epithelium (60%), pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium (26.7%), mucin-secreting columnar epithelium (6.7%), and flattened epithelium (6.7%). Few cases showed smooth muscle (20%) and cartilage (13.3%) in the cyst wall. Chronic inflammation (73.3%) with dense histiocytic infiltrate (13.3%) was also seen. Emphysematous changes were also observed (13.3%). Cytomegalovirus inclusions (6.7%), zygomycete fungus (6.7%), and red hepatization (6.7%) were observed. The most common type was type II (60%), followed by type I (33.3%) and type IV (6.7%). Conclusion: Type II was the most common variant in this study. A careful observation should be done to look for fungal hyphae or viral inclusions.

Metastases to the parotid gland as first presentation of lung cancer are extremely rare and occur in

Congenital cutaneous peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (pPNET) is very rare and also very rarely located in scalp. Only two cases of PNET as primary tumor in scalp are reported so far in the literature. Non mutilating surgical excision, combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used in treating these rare tumors. We present the youngest case report of PNET of scalp in 10-month-old girl who was managed by surgical excision with good cosmetic outcome and disease-free 20 months post-operative period.

6 year old presented with hard non tender mass in epigastric region. On radiological examination a well defined mass was seen in the lesser sac without the liver involvement. On histopathological evaluation by trucut biopsy, diagnosis of extrahepatic hepatoblastoma was made. The boy underwent 4 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy which caused the tumor to shrink by 40%. The patient underwent resection of tumor without any complications. The post-operative histopathology also revealed Hepatoblastoma (Fetal type). The patient underwent post operative chemotherapy and has an event free survival of 6 months till now.We present this case, as to the best of our knowledge; this is a rare case of isolated hepatoblastoma arising from extrahepatic tissue.

We report the case of an 82-year-old patient with an infected abdominal aortic endograft who presented with a right psoas abscess and lumbar osteomyelitis. The psoas abscess was drained percutaneously. Fluid obtained grew Fusobacterium nucleatum. The patient, an active and highly functional individual, wished to pursue definitive management. The infected endograft was surgically removed, and the aorta was ligated above the renal arteries after staged axillary-bifemoral, hepatorenal, and splenorenal bypasses. Keywords: Abdominal aortic endograft infection, Hepatorenal bypass, Splenorenal bypass, Axillobifemoral bypass, Aortic ligation

Severe infections can cause difficult neurologic sequelae, sensorineural hearing loss included. In this case report, we describe a 58-year-old female, who had lost hearing in her right ear due to pneumococcal sepsis and meningitis 10 years earlier. More recently, urinary tract infection resulting in Escherichia coli urosepsis, completed the profound hearing disability by means of a total left ear hearing loss. After receiving a cochlear implant on her left ear and uneventful recuperation period, the implant was activated four weeks after the surgery with immediate speech reception and patient satisfaction. First postoperative audiometry two months after the surgery yielded an 84% speech reception.

Abstract Background Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs have been established as perioperative strategies associated with improved outcomes. However, intermediate and long-term patient-reported outcome data for patients undergoing ERAS interventions remain limited. We utilized an automated telephone survey 6 months post-colorectal surgery from patients who participated in an ERAS program to determine 6-month patient-reported outcomes and associated predictive factors. Methods We conducted a prospective observational study, using an automated telephone survey and researcher-administered telephone questionnaire 6 months after patients underwent abdominal colorectal surgery. Six-month significant outcomes were defined by persistent pain, hospital readmission, and patient satisfaction. Patients reporting these outcome variables were compared with patients who met none of these criteria. Additionally, analysis was performed to determine differences between patients that did and did not respond to the 6-month survey. A chi-square test was used to determine any relationship for categorical variables, a two independent sample t test for length of procedure/stay, and a Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test for pain scores. Results One hundred fifty-four of 324 patients contacted 6 months after surgery completed the automated telephone survey (47.53%). There was no statistical difference between patient populations completing and not completing the survey. Hospital 6-month readmission was associated with patients with a diagnosis of cancer (P = .049) and with a longer mean length of index procedure (282 vs. 206 minutes, P = .006). Median 6-month pain scores were higher for patients that underwent an open procedure compared to laparoscopic (Z = − 2.06, P = .04). Conclusions Long-term benefits of an ERAS program were mostly confirmed. Longer procedure time and patients with cancer correlated with an increased likelihood of hospital 6-month readmission, suggesting that perioperative outcomes in complex cancer patients need to be evaluated over a longer time frame. In addition, invasiveness of procedure continues to have a significant effect on pain scores even 6 months later.

Intrathyroidal parathyroid (IP) adenoma as a cause of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) presents a diagnostic challenge in localization and differentiating it from a thyroid nodule. We report here three distinct cases of PHPT where preoperative imaging findings were compared with surgical and histopathological findings. Case 1 was a typical true IP adenoma, as diagnosed by preoperative sestamibi and ultrasound, and confirmed at surgery and subsequent histopathology. Case 2 was diagnosed by sestamibi and ultrasound as bilateral lower pole IP adenomas which turned out to be thyroid nodules at surgery. Postsurgery, the serum PTH levels dropped only partially and PHPT persisted. Revision surgery was performed, and a right inferior parathyroid adenoma was removed, after which PTH was normalized. Case 3 had a preoperative sestamibi diagnosis of left inferior parathyroid. Preoperative ultrasound suggested a left thyroid nodule/IP along with an associated contralateral right inferior parathyroid nodule. Surgery and subsequent histopathology confirmed left follicular adenoma and right inferior parathyroid adenoma. We discuss the limitations of preoperative imaging modalities in these cases along with their learning outcomes. It is very essential that all the involved clinicians, radiologists, and surgeons are well aware of the diagnostic features and pitfalls associated with IPs so as to enable a correct diagnosis and appropriate surgical or medical management.

Duplication cyst is a rare congenital malformation. Enterogenous cyst are foregut duplication cyst with or without a vertebral defect. We report a case of a 36hr old neonate with mediastinal enterogenous cyst associated with vertebral defects. The embryology, differentials, and management of enterogenous cyst in the newborn have been discussed.

The foregut duplication cysts are rare congenital malformation and are usually “solitary” midline noncommunicating mediastinal structures. We present a 2-year-old asymptomatic boy having multiple noncommunicating foregut cysts in the neck as well as the thorax.

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Stem cells are primitive cells that can differentiate and regenerate organs in different parts of the body such as heart, bones, muscles and nervous system. This has been a field of great clinical interest with immense possibilities of using the stem cells in regeneration of human organ those are damaged due to disease, developmental defects and accident. The knowledge of stem cell technology is increasing quickly in all medical specialties and in dental field too. Stem cells of dental origin appears to hold the key to various cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine, but most avenues are in experimental stages and many procedures are undergoing standardization and validation. Long-term preservation of SHED cells or DPSC is becoming a popular consideration, similar to the banking of umbilical cord blood. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are the adult multipotent cells that reside in the cell rich zone of the dental pulp. The multipotent nature of these DPSCs may be utilized in both dental and medical applications. A systematic review of the literature was performed using various internet based search engines (PubMed, Medline Plus, Cochrane, Medknow, Ebsco, Science Direct, Hinari, WebMD, IndMed, Embase) using keywords like "dental pulp stem cells", "regeneration", "medical applications", "tissue engineering". DPSCs appears to be a promising innovation for the re-growth of tissues however, long term clinical studies need to be carried out that could establish some authentic guidelines in this perspective.

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Over a period of 5-year (May 2000 to April 2005) 29 patients of congenital pouch colon (CPC) were managed by single pediatric surgeon in the Department of Pediatric Surgery of a tertiary hospital. Of these, 11 were girls (M: F: 1.6:1). Detailed anatomy could be studied in nine patients, were included in this study. Age of presentation in female subjects ranged 1 day to 8 years. On examination, eight of the nine patients had single perineal opening suggesting a very high incidence of association of cloaca in female subjects with CPC. Four had short urogenital sinus with colonic pouch opening in the posterior wall of urinary bladder. In other two patients, CPC terminated in short cloaca. Anomalies of mullerian structures such as uterus didelphus and septate vagina ware commonly encountered. Proximal diversion with or without pouch excision was done as the initial preliminary treatment for all those patients who presented in early life. Of the nine girls, two died after the preliminary surgery. Only five patients have undergone definitive surgery. Definitive surgery included abdomino-perineal pull-through of proximal normal colon ( n =2), tubularization of pouch with abdomino- posterior sagittal- pull through ( n =2) and abdomino-posterior sagittal urethra-vaginoanorectoplasty with pull through of tapered pouch colon in one patient. Two of these patients had concomitant bowel vaginoplasty. Three patients with tubularized pouches had constipation and spurious diarrhea. However, good pseudo-continence of bowel was achieved on regular bowel washes. The cosmetic appearance of perineum in all these three patients was acceptable. The patients in whom pouch excision was done had diarrhea and severe perineal excoriation resistant to conservative management.

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Aim: We present here experience of a single surgeon with Mitchell′s procedure for correction of epispadias. Materials and Methods: Nine boys (mean age 5½ years, range 9 months to 16 years) underwent Mitchell′s repair in Department of Pediatric Surgery over a period of 5½ (September 1999 to March 2005) for correction of epispadias. Six of these patients had come for the second stage of exstrophy-epispadias repair after primary bladder closure; the other three had incontinent penopubic epispadias. Results: The penis was cosmetically acceptable as regards to size, glans shape and peno-pubic angle in all the patients. However, there was a high incidence of penopubic fistula (44%). These patients with penopubic fistula also required postoperative urethral dilatations, at times repeated. One of the common factors to these subset patients was their younger age when Mitchell′s urethroplasty was performed. Limitations: The series is descriptive in nature, short in numbers and does not provide statistical comparison of Mitchell′s procedure with the previously done procedures. Conclusions: Mitchell′s complete penile disassembly technique for epispadias repair is more acceptable anatomical procedure that results in near-pendulous penis. However, when performed at young age, it is fraught with the complication of penopubic fistula similar to that as seen with Cantwell-Ransley′s procedure. Mitchell′s procedure creates a hypospadiac meatus initially and the meatal advancement is required as for any other distal penile/coronal hypospadias.

Mucormycosis is a fungal disease that may rarely invade the gastrointestinal tract of newborn, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Clinically, it may be indistinguishable from the neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis and the diagnosis is usually made on autopsy or histopathology of excised surgical specimen. We report a neonatal survivor of the illness.

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A neonate sustaining iatrogenic rectal injury that led to acquired rectal atresia is reported. It was successfully treated by transanal, end-to-end, rectorectal anastomosis.

The presentation of extra hepatic biliary-atresia (EHBA) as well as choledochal cyst (CDC) in the neonate may be similar. Since the surgical management and prognosis are entirely different, it is important to differentiate between the two entities. We present a case with co-existing EHBA and CDC which led to a diagnostic dilemma.

Aim: To describe the management and outcome of patients with duodenal webs, managed over a period of 12 ½ years in our unit.Methods: It is a retrospective case series of 18 patients with congenital duodenal webs, managed in our unit, between 1999 and 2011. The medical record of these patients was retrieved and analyzed for demographic details, clinical presentation, associated anomalies, and outcome. Results: The median age of presentation was 8 days (range 1 day to 1.5 years). Antenatal diagnosis was made in only 2 (11.1%) patients. The commonest presentation was bilious vomiting. Associated anomalies were present in 8/18 patients, common being malrotation of gut. Down’s syndrome was seen in 2 patients and congenital heart disease in 1 patient. One patient had double duodenal webs. There was a delay in presentation of more than 5 days of life in 11/18 (61%) patients. Three patients who presented beyond neonatal age group had fenestrated duodenal membranes causing partial obstruction. In addition, the diagnosis was missed in patients operated for malrotation elsewhere (n=2), imperforate anus (n=2) and esophageal atresia with tracheo-esophageal fistula (n=1). A lateral duodenotomy with excision of the obstructive membrane was done in all patients. A trans-anastomotic tube (TAT) for enteral feeding was used in 8 patients The mortality rate was 4/18 (22%); the main causes being sepsis, prematurity, very low birth weight and associated congenital anomalies. The mean hospital stay for the 14 survivors was 18 days. Total parental nutrition (TPN) was not given to any patient.Conclusions: Congenital duodenal webs are different as the diagnosis is often missed especially in case of perforated webs. Outcome depends upon the time of presentation and associated anomalies. The use of TAT feeding for nutritional support is an easy alternative to TPN.

Neonatal surgery is a highly specialized and the most sophisticated field of Pediatric Surgery. It is indeed the jewel in the crown of our specialty. The exact status of neonatal surgery in India has been scantly documented. Gupta et al had concluded a decade ago that the results of surgery for the same condition were very variable in different centers. The reasons for poor survival were diverse, but it was noticed that the amount of work load inversely correlated with the results. In spite of sophistication in technology, they observed that the overall survival rates in India were far inferior to that noted in the centers from the developed world.

Neonatal surgery is the flagship and most challenging component of pediatric surgery; the quality of neonatal surgical service is a measure of the quality of pediatric surgical service provided by any centre.Through Journal of Neonatal Surgery, we intend to provide a portal to research and clinical material relating specifically to the surgical neonate. None of the existing six English journals of Pediatric Surgery devote even a small dedicated section to neonatal surgery. We believe that neonatal surgery has emerged a specialty in its own right over last two decades and should have a scientific journal devoted entirely to it.

Purpose We present the profile of first 1,000 cases of intracranial radiosurgery (IRS) treated with Gamma Knife system at a government-funded tertiary care hospital in India. In addition to the information on the indications treated, this study provides an idea of the relevance of the Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GKRS) for IRS in the fast-changing technological scenario. This study also shows the disease indications for which GKRS was the primary treatment preference.

Abstract Background Robotic transanal minimally invasive surgery (R-TAMIS) is an appealing alternative to transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) and transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) for benign and early malignant rectal lesions that are not amenable to traditional open transanal excision. However, no studies to our knowledge have directly compared the three techniques. This study sought to compare peri-operative and pathologic outcomes of the three approaches. Methods The records of 29 consecutive patients who underwent TEM, TAMIS, or R-TAMIS at a single academic center between 2016 and 2020 were reviewed. Intra-operative details, pathological diagnosis and margins, and post-operative outcomes were recorded. The three groups were compared using chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Results Overall, 16/29 patients were women and the median age was 57 (interquartile range (IQR): 28–81). Thirteen patients underwent TEM, six had TAMIS, and 10 had R-TAMIS. BMI was lower in the R-TAMIS patients (24.7; IQR 23.8–28.7), than in TEM (29.3; IQR 19.9–30.2), and TAMIS (30.4; IQR 26.6–32.9) patients. High grade dysplasia and/or invasive cancer was more common in TAMIS (80%) and R-TAMIS (66.7%) patients than in TEM patients (41.7%). The three groups did not differ significantly in tumor type or distance from the anal verge. No R-TAMIS patients had a positive surgical margin compared to 23.1% in the TEM group and 16.7% in the TAMIS group. Length of stay (median 1 day for TEM and R-TAMIS patients, 0 days for TAMIS patients) and 30-day readmission rates (7.7% of TEM, 0% of TAMIS, 10% of R-TAMIS patients) also did not differ among the groups. Median operative time was 110 min for TEM, 105 min for TAMIS, and 76 min for R-TAMIS patients. Conclusions R-TAMIS may have several advantages over other advanced techniques for transanal excisions. R-TAMIS tended to be faster and to more often result in negative surgical margins compared to the two other techniques.

Background: Undersizing mitral annuloplasty (UMA) to repair functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) lacks durability, as it forces leaflet coaptation without relieving the subleaflet tethering forces. In this biomechanical study, we demonstrate that papillary muscle approximation (PMA) before UMA can drastically relieve tethering forces and improve valve function, without the need for significant annular downsizing. Methods: An ex vivo model of FMR was used, in which pig mitral valves were geometrically perturbed to induce FMR, and the repairs were performed. Nine pig mitral valves were studied in the following sequence: normal (baseline), FMR, true-sized annuloplasty to 30 mm (true-sized ring [TSR]), and undersized annuloplasty to 26 mm (down-sized ring [DSR]), along with concomitant PMA at both ring sizes. Mitral regurgitation, valve kinematics, and chordal forces were measured and compared among the groups. Results: FMR geometry induced a mean regurgitant fraction of 16.31 ± 7.33% compared with 0% at baseline. TSR reduced the regurgitant fraction to 6.05 ± 5.63%, whereas DSR reduced it to 5.06 ± 6.76%. The addition of PMA before the use of these rings reduced the mean regurgitant fraction to 3.87 ± 6.79% with the TSR (TSR + PMA) and 3.71 ± 6.25% with the DSR (DSR + PMA). Mean peak anterior and posterior marginal chordal forces were elevated to 0.09 ± 0.1 N and 0.12 ± 0.1 N, respectively, with FMR and were not reduced by annuloplasty of either sizes. The addition of PMA significantly reduced these forces to 0.23 ± 0.02 N and 0.51 ± 0.04 N. Conclusions: This biomechanical study demonstrates that PMA relieves tethering forces, and concomitantly with annuloplasty it mobilizes the leaflets to achieve physiological valve closure. Such a result could be achieved without the need for extensive annular downsizing.

Abstract Background Evidence-based perioperative analgesia is an important tactic for reducing patient exposure to opioids in the perioperative period and potentially preventing new persistent opioid use. Study design We assessed the impact of a multifaceted optimal analgesia program implemented in the setting of a mature surgical pathway program at an academic medical center. Using existing multidisciplinary workgroups established for continuous process improvement in three surgical pathway areas ((colorectal, gynecology, and urologic oncology (cystectomy)), we developed an educational toolkit focused on implementation strategies for multimodal analgesia and non-pharmacologic approaches for managing pain with the goal of reducing opioid exposure in hospitalized patients. We analyzed prospectively collected data from pathway patients before dissemination of the toolkit (July 2016–June 2017; n = 869) and after (July 2017–June 2018; n = 838). We evaluated the association between program implementation and use of oral morphine equivalents (OME), average pain scores, time to first ambulation after surgery, urinary catheter duration, time to solid food after surgery, length of stay, discharge opioid prescriptions, and readmission. Results Multivariate regression demonstrated that the program was associated with significant decreases in intraoperative OME (14.5 ± 2.4 mEQ (milliequivalents) reduction; p < 0.0001), day before discharge OME (18 ± 6.5 mEQ reduction; p < 0.005), day of discharge OME (9.6 ± 3.28 mEQ reduction; p < 0.003), and discharge prescription OME (156 ± 22 mEq reduction; p < 0.001). Reduction in OME was associated with earlier resumption of solid food (0.58 ± 0.15 days reduction; p < 0.0002). Conclusion Our multifaceted optimal analgesia program to manage perioperative pain in the hospital was effective and further improved analgesia in the setting of a mature enhanced recovery program.

Uterine transplantation in Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) patients with absolute uterine function infertility have added a new dimension and paradigm shift in the management of females born with rectovestibular fistula coexisting with vaginal agenesis. The author reviewed the relevant literature of this rare association, the popular and practical classifications of genital malformations that the gynecologists use, the different vaginal reconstruction techniques, and try to know what shall serve best in this small cohort of these patients lest they wish to go for uterine transplantation in future.

Summary:. In this unique case report, we present a patient of left zygomatico maxillary complex reconstruction with a combination of autogenous tissue (osteocutaneous free fibula flap) and alloplastic implant [patient-specific templated polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)]. In such large defects, reconstruction using either autogenous tissue or alloplastic implant alone is inadequate and leads to poor functional and aesthetic outcomes. In this case we used osteocutaneous free fibula flap for left alveolus and patient-specific templated PMMA implant for reconstruction of orbital wall and zygoma. Osseointegrated implants were placed secondarily in the fibula for complete dental rehabilitation. With the use of virtual surgical planning and 3D printing we were able to achieve a good result for a complex defect. Since both autogenous tissue and alloplastic implant were used for complete reconstruction, we have named this as “hybrid reconstruction.”

Aim: To study the prevalence of associated anomalies with neonatal duodenal obstruction and factors impacting short-term survival. Material and methods: Records of 31 neonates with neonatal duodenal obstruction could be retrieved and analyzed for a 13.5-year-period (October 2003-May 2016). M:F ratio was 1.58:1. The mean birth weight was 2.15 kg; 12 patients were preterm. Etiologies included duodenal atresia (n=23), duodenal web (n=8) and malrotation of gut (n= 6). Results: Associated anomalies were seen in 19/31: Down’s syndrome (n=6), anorectal malformation (ARM) (n=5), annular pancreas (n=5), cardiac anomalies (n=4), esophageal atresia with trachea-esophageal fistula (EA with TEF) (n=3). Mortality in the series was 22.5%; 5 deaths and 2 patients left against medical advice in moribund state (hidden mortality). Mortality in associated anomalies group was 5/19; and 2/12 in the no anomalies group, though this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.676). Similarly, low birth weight (LBW) did not have impact on survival (p=0.639) but preterm status had highly significant p value (Conclusion: Duodenal atresia was the commonest cause of neonatal duodenal obstruction. Associated anomalies were noted in 61% patients, Down’s syndrome being the most frequent. These anomalies did not have any significant impact on the survival, nor did LBW. Preterm status had significant impact on prognosis.