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Purpose: To study the relationship between the angiographic pattern of extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO) and its etiology and clinical manifestations., Methods: Clinical, etiological, and angiographic findings in 155 children with EHPVO were reviewed. Anatomy of extrahepatic portal venous system (EPVS) was categorized into five imaging patterns. Assessment of the severity of esophageal and gastric varices (EV and GV) was performed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy., Results: Based on multislice CT angiography, most commonly observed pattern of EHPVO was type I (48.4%) and type II (29%). According to anamnesis, 68 (43.8%) children had pathological conditions in neonatal period. Of these, 35 (22.6%) had an umbilical vein catheterization, 11 (7.1%) had a history of omphalitis, and 9 (5.8%) had prolonged jaundice. Thirteen (8.4%) patients had various septic conditions in neonatal period and it was more common associated with widespread thrombosis throughout the EPVS (type 5)-28% of observations. Significantly lower risk of bleeding from EV (p = 0.01) was noted in children with type IV pattern, whereas children with type III and V patterns had higher grades of EV., Conclusion: Angiographic pattern of portomesenteric occlusion may provide a clue to its etiology, and clinical manifestation, especially in children with widespread thrombosis throughout the EPVS., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to perform a comparative analysis of the examination and treatment outcomes of children with cylindrical and button batteries (BB) ingestion depending on their size and anatomical locations., Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of 124 children aged from 1 month to 18 years who ingested batteries and were treated in a tertiary care center from January 1, 2014 to March 31, 2019. The data studied included age, sex, presenting symptoms at the time of evaluation, type and size of battery and modality of management., Results: Twenty-three (18.5%) patients ingested cylindrical batteries (CBs), and 101 (81.5%) ingested BBs. The duration of hospital stay was significantly longer (p = 0.004) in the group of children who ingested BBs larger than 20 mm. Endoscopic removal was performed in 75 (60.5%) children, 46 (37.1%) were followed up and three (2.4%) underwent open surgeries. Children with CBs ingestion, in 55% of cases, had gastric mucosal injuries. Children with BBs impacted in the esophagus in 96% cases had visible severe mucosal damage, whereas patients with gastric BB ingestion 19.5% had superficial gastric mucosal damage., Conclusion: Performing timely endoscopic retrieval in children who are admitted early to the hospital will reduce the risk of damage to the gastrointestinal mucosa, especially in the stomach. Unlike BBs, CBs, despite their large size, have advantageous shapes, uneventfully pass the esophagus and are more often retained in the stomach; thus, mucosal injuries are more often observed in the stomach. Consequently, endoscopic extraction is the treatment of choice for children with BB ingestion., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: The aim of the study was to test the feasibility of spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) by two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) and compare data on its diagnostic use with upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in children with extrahepatic portal hypertension (EHPH) before and after surgery., Methods: A total of 44 children were included in this study [34 children with EHPH (main group)] and 10 controls (7.57 ± 1.22 years), who underwent ultrasonography including SSM by 2D-SWE. Patients in the main group also underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE) and CT angiography. The main group was divided into three subgroups: Group A: patients with EHPH without large spontaneous portosystemic shunts (n = 15); Group B: patients with EHPH with large spontaneous portosystemic shunts (n = 9); Group C: patients with EHPVO and after surgical portosystemic shunts (n = 10)., Results: According to UGE, children in group A had significantly higher grades of esophageal varices (EV) (2.3 ± 0.14; p < 0.001) compared to those in groups B and C. After surgical shunting procedures (in group C), the grade of EV declined to 0.37 ± 0.14. There was significant difference (p < 0.001) in the mean SS of children in group A (70 ± 4.64 kPa) compared to those in group B (37.04 ± 4.62 kPa) and group C (26.3 ± 2.9 kPa). After surgery, SS decreased but remained elevated compared with controls (26.3 ± 2.9 vs 17.85 ± 1.3 kPa; p = 0.016). The SS showed a small but significant correlation with grades of EV (r = 0.56, p = 0.002)., Conclusions: The SS measured by 2D-SWE is feasible in children with EHPH and the results reflect the presence or degree of EV, thus elastography of spleen is useful in monitoring portal hypertension before and after shunt surgeries.

The purpose of this study was to assess the prognostic value of abdominal color Doppler ultrasound (US) in determining predictors of early complications of NEC., Methods: Fifty-one consecutive infants with stage Ia to IIIa NEC were prospectively included in the study between 2013 and July 2016. At least one abdominal US examination was performed in each patient., Results: According to abdominal color Doppler US, neonates with NEC Ia stage in most cases (80%) found increased bowel wall perfusion. For the stage IIa typical signs were intramural gas and decreased bowel peristalsis. Patients in IIb stage had bowel wall thinning (less than 1 mm), decreased or absence of bowel peristalsis and absence of perfusion. In stage IIIa 71% of the cases had absence of bowel peristalsis and intramural gas. Absence of perfusion and bowel wall thinning less than 1 mm was found in 86% of neonates. One patient had portal venous gas. Nine patients with IIb and seven neonates with IIIa stage of NEC had laparotomy. In all 16 cases, US signs of bowel wall necrosis were verified intraoperative., Conclusion: US provides an opportunity to image the bowel loops in cross section with dynamic evaluation of perfusion and peristalsis. Our study shows that abdominal US examination in neonates with NEC can highlight the presence of intestinal necrosis before the onset of intestinal perforation. Surgically intervening earlier in the clinical pathway of NEC may lead to improved outcomes.

Introduction: Variceal haemorrhage in children with extrahepatic portal hypertension is best controlled by an effective decompressive shunt, but long-term follow up of children who have had splenorenal shunt due to extrahepatic portal hypertension (EHPH) gave evidence for assuming the risk of renal venous hypertension (RVH)., Purpose: To study renal hemodynamic before and after portal decompression., Methods: The results of 144 portosystemic shunt operations were followed from 2005 to 2013. Seventy-two patients applied central splenorenal shunt (CSS) with splenectomy, ten side-to-side splenorenal shunt without splenectomy (SRSss), ten patients assessed the distal splenorenal shunt (DSS). Forty-three iliacomesenterial anastomosis (IMA) and in nine cases performed mesocaval anastomosis (MCA). Children had a standard pre- and postoperative work up including gastrointestinal endoscopy, Doppler ultrasonography (US), multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and renography., Results: In 11 (15.2 %) patients after CSS on duplex, Doppler study revealed signs of impeded venous outflow on the left renal vein (LRV). At long-term follow-up PI and RI of left renal artery remained at high numbers (1.48 ± 0.17 and 0.72 ± 0.19, p ≤ 0.05, respectively) after the CSS. Venous blood flow in the LRV at the hilum showed slower speed performance in groups of CSS and after IMA. After DSS, these signs have not been detected. Four patients after IMA on US Doppler and CT angiography revealed dilated left testicular and ovarian veins, with retrograde blood flow in them, which clinically manifested as left flank pain, macro- and microhematuria, varicocele and ovaricocele., Conclusion: The study shows that CSS and IMA more negatively effect on hemodynamics of left kidney and symptoms of RVH obviously due to shunting the large amounts of blood from a system of high pressure to a low.