Background: The aim of the study was to review the cases of all children who had gastric volvulus from 2002 to 2007 at a tertiary care centre in India and to compare the outcome of management with the reported series on gastric volvulus in a paediatric age group. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study of eight children with an age range between 10 days and 2 years who were managed for gastric volvulus between 2002 and 2007. The records of these patients were reviewed for clinical features, investigations, management and outcome. Results: All patients were less than 3 years of age with female preponderance (n = 5). Three patients had acute presentation and three had acute-on-chronic symptoms, while two had chronic gastric volvulus. The commonest symptom was abdominal distension. Two patients were diagnosed by barium studies and six had clinical suspicion because of their symptoms and were confirmed intra-operatively. Seven had secondary gastric volvulus of organo axial type with associated pathologies as congenital diaphragmatic hernia (n = 5), Para oesophageal hiatus hernia (n = 2), and one had primary gastric volvulus in a postoperative period in an operated case for a tracheo-oesophageal fistula (n = 1). Seven patients were symptom free at follow-up; one patient succumbed due to septicaemia in the immediate post-operative period which was not related to the pathology of gastric volvulus. Conclusion: Gastric volvulus is a rare condition in children and requires prompt diagnosis and urgent intervention in acute presentation where it mimics acute abdomen and strong clinical suspicion.

Objective: This study aims to highlight the clinical features, investigations and treatment outcome of retroperitoneal teratomas (RPT) in children. Materials and Methods: A total of eight patients (six males and two females, age range between 6 months−10 years) of RPT admitted in the department of Paediatric Surgery, PGIMS, Rohtak, between 1996−2008, were studied. The patients were investigated with hematology, x-ray, ultrasound, and computerised tomography (CT) of abdomen and serum alpha-fetoprotein levels in pre and postoperative period. All patients underwent complete surgical resection. In one patient, the tumour had malignant component (yolk sac) and was given postoperative chemotherapy. Postoperative follow-up included serum alpha-fetoprotein in addition to clinical examination and radiological assessment to detect recurrences. Results: The tumours were located on both sides in almost equal proportion (four on right, three on left, and one bilateral]. All tumours could be excised completely preserving the kidneys in all patients. But in one patient injury to inferior vena cava (IVC) occurred which was repaired successfully. Majority (7 out of 8) were histological benign, and in one yolk sac tumour was malignant component which needed chemotherapy. All children were on follow-up and one patient with malignancy lost to follow-up after three cycles of chemotherapy. In rest there was no tumour recurrence. Conclusion: RPT are rare paediatric neoplasms. As majority are benign, a complete excision preserving the kidneys, is usually curative. Serum alpha-fetoprotein is a reliable method of assessing recurrence. Malignancy in the tumour may warrant further chemotherapy.

Background: Intestinal perforation resulting from complicated typhoid fever still causes high morbidity and mortality. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the outcome of its surgical management in Nigerian children. Materials and Methods: Emergency laparotomy and repair of the ileum was performed on 46 children with typhoid ileal perforation at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Azare, Nigeria, between January 2004−December 2008. This was followed by copious peritoneal lavage with warm normal saline and mass closure of the abdomen. Results: There were 28 (60.86%) boys and 18 (39.13%) girls, with a mean age of 9.5 ± 3.22 (range, 15 months−15 years). Abdominal pain (45), fever (44), and abdominal distention (36) were the most common presenting symptoms and majority of the patients (36) perforated within 14 days of illness. Solitary ileal perforations were the most common pathology, found in 31 (67.4%) cases. Simple closure of the perforations after debridement of the edges was the most frequent operative procedure performed. A total of 21 patients had one or more complications which included wound infection (21), postoperative fever (16), and wound dehiscence (6). Postoperative anaemia was a problem in 23 (50%) patients. The mortality rate was (13) 28.3%. The mean duration of hospital stay for survivors was 22.9 ± 12.3 (range, 6−46 days). This was not significantly affected by the location or number of perforations on the ileum. Conclusions: The clinical course of typhoid ileal perforation may be different for the very young. The typically high rate of complications can be reduced if operation is undertaken earlier. Solitary ileal perforations can be managed safely with simple closure.

Background: Aberrant lower polar vessels are uncommon causes of pelviureteric junction (PUJ) obstruction. Preoperative identifi cation would help in planning the appropriate procedure. We attempted to determine whether routine investigations would predict crossing lower polar vessels. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study of 20 patients that either had ultrasonographic investigation by a radiologist who was blinded to the aetiology of PUJ obstruction, or underwent minimal access surgery for PUJ obstruction, from 2005 to 2007, in the Birmingham Children's Hospital, UK. Results: There were 20 patients with PUJ obstruction, 8 were found at operation to have crossing lower polar vessels causing PUJ obstruction. The sonography correctly identifi ed crossing vessels in only one, with a sensitivity of 12.5%, specifi city of 66.6%, positive predictive value of 20%, and negative predictive value of 53%. Conclusion: Preliminary results showed that none of these investigations could reliably identify lower polar vessels.

Background: Studies on bone neoplasms are generally scanty globally and more so in children. Primary bone tumours and tumour-like lesions in children have not been reported from Zaria. Objective: To determine the relative frequencies, sex and age distributions, and anatomical sites of occurrence of primary bone tumours and tumour-like lesions in children in Zaria. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of histopathology reports of 40 children with bone tumours and tumour-like lesions in 11 years of age. Results: Benign tumours accounted for 12 (30%) of the 40 tumours reviewed (osteoma 2.5%, osterochondroma 22.5%, fibroma 5%); while malignant tumours occurred in 19 (47.5%) (osteosarcoma 5%, Burkitt's lymphoma 37.5%, diffuse lympholastic lymphoma 5%). Tumour-like lesions accounted for 9 (22.5%), all fibrous dysplasia. Out of 40 tumours, 23 (57.5%) occurred in males and 17 (422.5%) in females. The majority of tumours, 45% occurred in the age group of 10-15 years, followed by 15 (37.5) occurring in the 5−9 years age range. The most common malignany was Burkitt's lymphoma 15 (37.5%). Maxilla was the most common site for malignant (30%) and benign tumours (12.5%). Conclusion: This study has shown that, primary bone tumours are relatively uncommon in children in our setting.

A case of reconstruction after penile skin avulsion is described in an eight-year-old boy. Penile coverage was gained by use of the avulsed skin flap itself, without a graft or local tissue flap. The procedure avoids any valuable time delay; thus, enhancing the chances to obtain adequate flap viability, avoids patient discomfort caused by perineal expansion, gives a satisfactory cosmetic appearance, and taking into account his age, avoids future psychosomatic and psychosexual problems.

Occult enterorrhagia in infancy may become obscured and lead to diagnostic dilemma. Abnormal findings on investigative modalities, if not properly interpreted and clinically correlated, might complicate the matter leading to missed diagnosis and chronic anaemia. Occult enterorrhagia is an uncommon presentation of intestinal duplications. We describe the intriguing case of chronic anaemia in an infant, where concomitant endoscopic findings misled the diagnosis of jejunal duplication cyst as the cause of enterorrhagia.

Prune belly syndrome (PBS) is a rare congenital constellation of defects in pediatric surgical practice. Although anorectal anomalies have been reported in association with PBS, only few case of pouch colon with PBS has been reported. ^[1] In addition, our patient had deficient abdominal wall with absent dermatome in left upper quadrant, which has never been reported in the English literature. This association with abdominal wall deficiency and absent dermatome not only strengthens the theory of mesodermal arrest in the etiology of PBS but also points towards a defect in the ectodermal development.

This paper describes a rare case of a seven-month-old infant with right-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia, who was found to have fusion of his herniated part of liver with lower lobe of right lung. The report describes clinical presentation and successful surgical management along with a review of the world literature.

Small bowel intussusception (SBI) in infants and children are ususally associated with a lead point. With increased use of radiological investigations, more idiopathic SBIs are identified. As reduction by hydrostatic or air enema are less successful in these cases, most of them require surgical exploration in children. However, now many cases of SBI have been found to reduce spontaneously. We report two cases of SBI with spontaneous reduction and review the literature for the management guidelines.

Congenital duodenal atresia complicated by gastric perforation (GP) is a very rare and a very mortal condition. Only three newborns could be cured in the reported 13 cases. We report a successfully treated newborn with this complicated disease. A 2-day-old male was hospitalized with prediagnosis of duodenal obstruction. Twelve hours later, significant abdominal distention occurred promptly. At laparotomy, GP and preampullary duodenal atresia were detected. Gastrorrhaphy and duodenoduodenostomy were performed in the same operation. The patient was discharged on the 15th postoperative day. This complicated disease can be treated by early diagnosis and surgical intervention. We choose one-stage operation because of the clean peritoneal cavity. However, generalized peritonitis may require two-stage operation in delayed cases.

Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) is a rare congenital abnormality characterised by overinflation of a pulmonary lobe. Its aetiology is unknown. The management of CLE has traditionally been surgical. A newborn boy with a birthweight of 2.5 kg was delivered at full-term by caesarian section due to food delivery. There was no marked respiratory distress at birth, and little meconium stained liquor was seen on the skin. The initial diagnosis was meconium aspiration syndrome. After computed tomography of the thorax, CLE was diagnosed. The patient was observed throughout for a week and the CT of the thorax was repeated, which revealed that the emphysema had resolved. The nonoperative approach should be considered in asymptomatic patients with CLE.

Bezoars are rare foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract. They may be composed of hair (trichobezoars), vegetable matter (phytobezoars), milk curds (lactobezoars) and, very rarely, stones (lithobezoars). Colonic lithobezoars are very rare findings in children. We report an eight-year-old boy with a giant rectosigmoid lithobezoar, who presented with history of recurrent constipation and pica for five years. Four hundred and seventy two (472) pieces of asphalt stones ware manually evacuated via the anus.

Multiorgan hydatid cysts caused by larval growth of Echinococcus granulosus, is a rare condition in paediatric age group. There are very few reports of management of multiorgan hydatid cysts, involving lung, liver, and spleen by minimally invasive approach in paediatric age group. Herewith, we are reporting a case of hydatid cysts involving lung, liver, and spleen in a six-year-old child managed by minimally invasive surgery along with the review of literature.