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Purpose: Over the last 15 years thoracoscopic lobectomy for congenital and acquired lesions has become an accepted modality in pediatric thoracic surgery. There is still debate about the need to perform a complete lobectomy for some of these lesions, and some advocate observation rather than resection, despite possible long-term complications of untreated lesions. High-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans and physical findings at the time of surgery, along with new advanced techniques, now allow for discrete partial anatomic resections, which may preserve normal lung. This study evaluates the feasibility and early results using these techniques in selected cases., Patients and Methods: With institutional review board approval, the records of all patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection were reviewed. From January 2006 to December 2012, 23 patients, ranging from 1 month to 16 years of age and weighing 3.8-42 kg, underwent thoracoscopy for planned resection. Pathology was congenital cystic lung disease in 19 patients, bronchiectasis in 3 patients, and arteriovenous malformation in 1 patient. In each case findings on CT scan and at the time of surgery warranted consideration of lung-preserving surgery. Procedures were performed through three ports using single lung ventilation and CO2 insufflation to achieve lung collapse. The LigaSure™ device (Covidien, Norwalk, CT) was the primary instrument used to seal and divide the lung parenchyma and seal vessels., Results: All procedures were completed successfully thoracoscopically. An anatomic segmental resection was achieved in 22 of 23 cases. Operative time ranged from 30 to 300 minutes (mean, 120 minutes). Segmental resections included the left upper lobe apical/posterior (n=4), lingula (n=3), left lower lobe superior (n=5), medial or posterior basal (n=3), right middle lobe medial (n=1), right upper lobe apical (n=1), right lower lobe superior (n=4), and posterior basal (n=2). Two patients had more than one segment excised. Chest tubes were left in for 24 hours in 16 cases, 48 hours in 4 cases, and 5 days in 1 case. Hospital stay ranged from 1 to 6 days (mean, 2 days). Follow-up CT scans obtained at 1-6 years (mean, 28 months) show no residual disease in 20 of 21 patients. One patient underwent a nonanatomic resection and had evidence of recurrent congenital pulmonary airway malformation at the 4-year follow-up. This patient underwent a secondary thoracoscopic resection., Conclusions: Thoracoscopic lung-conserving therapy is technically feasible and safe in infants and children. The magnification provided by a thoracoscopic approach makes identification of segmental anatomic planes easier, aiding in safe dissection and resection. Anatomic resection appears to be associated with a low morbidity. It may be appropriate in the case of bilateral or extensive disease or in cases where the diseased tissue is clearly limited to an anatomic segment. Continued long-term follow-up is needed.

Background: Hyperhidrosis can cause significant professional and social handicaps. Surgery is the preferred treatment modality for hyperhidrosis. There has been evolution in the surgical management of hyperhidrosis. This study evaluated the place of minimally invasive surgical approach and its long-term outcome in the management of hyperhidrosis., Patients and Methods: A 10-year prospective study of all children and adolescents who underwent thorascopic sympathectomy at the Schneider Children's Hospital of Israel. Data were validated for the procedure and analysed for outcome of procedure., Results: There were 148 patients, 66 were males and 82 were females, with a median age of 13.8 SD ± 4.0 years. Two hundred and ninety-six thoracopic sympathectomies were performed with no conversion to open procedure. The mean operation time was 18 min. Ninety-five per cent of the patients were discharged the next day with a mean hospital stay of 1.2 days. Postoperative complications included segmental atelectasis in seven (4.72%) patients, pneumothorax in two (1.35%) and transient unilateral Horner's syndrome in one (0.67%). Seventy-one (38.8%) experienced some form of compensatory hyperhidrosis. Complete relief of palmer hyperdidrosis was achieved in all patients (mean follow-up = 5.03 ± 1.76 years). The outcome was very satisfactory in 91 (61.5%) and satisfactory in 48 (32.4%). Only nine (6.1%) were not satisfied with the outcome., Conclusion: Thorascopic sympathectomy provides effective and satisfactory cure for palmer hyperhidrosis with acceptable complication rate and excellent satisfactory outcome. There is a possibility of compensatory sweating in some individuals.

Background: The minimal access surgery revolution has only just begun to impact on pediatric surgery, thanks mainly to technologic advances and evidence of the benefits of minimally invasive procedures in this population., Objectives: To review the current status of MAS in a pediatric tertiary care center in Israel, in terms of feasibility, safety, and effect on standard practices., Methods: We reviewed the files of all children who underwent a MAS procedure in our department during the period April 2002 to July 2004, and compared the findings with those of children treated by standard practices., Results: A total of 301 procedures were performed in 271 patients: 107 thoracoscopic and 194 laparoscopic. There were no major intraoperative complications. The total conversion rate was 3.65%: 0 for thoracoscopy and 5.6% for laparoscopy (11/194). Twenty-four types of procedures were performed during the study period. The thoracoscopies accounted for 92.24% of all thoracic procedures in the department (107/116), and routine abdominal laparoscopic procedures replaced open surgery in 30-100% of cases (total 44.8%, 194/433)., Conclusions: MAS procedures appear to be safe for a wide range of indications in children. In our center they currently account for a significant percentage of pediatric surgeries. We suggest that the integration of MAS training in the residency programs of pediatric surgeons be made a major long-term goal. The creation of a pediatric MAS study group that would allow for multi-institutional studies is especially important in Israel where a relatively large number of pediatric surgery departments handle a small annual number of patients.

Background: Most congenital pulmonary airway malformations (CPAMs) are detected antenatally. The majority of newborns are asymptomatic. Patients are prone to subsequent respiratory complications and to a lesser extent malignant transformation remains concerning. In Israel, until 2013, pediatric surgeries were performed by thoracotomy. To minimize its morbidity, we introduced thoracoscopy using a mentorship approach. We present our experience with thoracoscopic resections coordinated by the mentorship of a pediatric worldwide leader in his field and compare our results with resections performed by thoracotomy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of records of children operated between 2013 and 2020 was conducted. Data were compared using t-test for quantitative variables. Results: Fifty patients were operated by thoracoscopy with a median age of 4 years, a thoracoscopic lobectomy performed in 68%. There was no conversion with a median length of stay (LOS) of 3½ days. Thirty patients were operated by thoracotomy by a thoracic surgeon with a median age of 3.5 years. A lobectomy was performed in 87% with a median LOS of 7 days. Conclusions: Thoracoscopic lobectomy is a technically demanding procedure with a long learning curve, strongly related to the low volume of cases. The role of a mentorship program in acquiring those surgical skills is crucial through standardization of the technique applied and supervised by the mentor. Early thoracoscopy for congenital pulmonary lesions at an early age can be achieved with a low conversion rate and minimal complications creating a change in the paradigm of practice when considering surgery for CPAM in Israel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]