Background: This was a meta-analysis and systematic review to determine the global prevalence of the mitochondrially encoded 12S RNA (MT-RNR1) genetic mutation in order to assess the need for neonatal screening prior to aminoglycoside therapy. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Ovid, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effect, Cochrane Library, Clinical Evidence and Cochrane Central Register of Trials was performed including cross-referencing independently by 2 assessors. Selections were restricted to human studies in English. Meta-analysis was done with MetaXL 2013. Results: Forty-five papers out of 295 met the criteria. Pooled prevalence in the general population for MT-RNR1 gene mutations (A1555G, C1494T, A7445G) was 2% (1-4%) at 99%. Conclusion: Routine screening for MT-RNR1 mutations in the general population prior to treatment with aminoglycosides appear desirable but poorly supported by the weak level of evidence available in the literature. Routine screening in high-risk (Chinese and Spanish) populations appear justified.

Background: To emphasise the value of on-going commitment in Global Health Partnerships. Materials and Methods: A hospital link, by invitation, was set up between United Kingdom and Tanzania since 2002. The project involved annual visits with activities ranging from exchange of skill to training health professionals. Furthermore, the programme attracted teaching and research activities. For continuity, there was electronic communication between visits. Results: Six paediatric surgeons are now fully trained with three further in training in Africa. Paediatric surgery services are now separate from adult services. Seven trainee exchanges have taken place with four awarded fellowships/scholarships. Twenty-three clinical projects have been presented internationally resulting in eight international publications. The programme has attracted other health professionals, especially nursing and engineering. The Tropical Health and Education Trust prize was recently achieved for nursing and radiography. National Health Service has benefited from volunteering staff bringing new cost-effective ideas. A fully funded medical student elective programme has been achieved since 2008. Conclusion: Global Health Partnerships are an excellent initiative in establishing specialist services in countries with limited resources. In the future, this will translate into improved patient care as long as it is sustained and valued by long term commitment.

Background: Our aim is to share our experiences regarding patients who cannot be fed effectively through the gastrostomy tube, but were inserted feeding jejunostomy through the gastrostomy orifice using scopic fluoroscopic techniques utilised by the interventional radiology. Patients and Methods: Between January 2010 and May 2013 the patients that were inserted jejunostomy tube through the gastrostomy orifice using fluoroscopic techniques were retrospectively analysed. Data including primary indication for gastrostomy, sex, concomitant disease and the requirement for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were all recorded. Results: There were five patients with these criteria. They all received either medical or surgical GERD therapy; nevertheless enteral feeding failed to reach an effective level, they all had vomiting and did not gain any weight. Following conversion, all the patients gained minimum 2 kg in 2-5 months; all the patients tolerated enteral feeding and were discharged in the early period. There were neither procedure related complications such as perforation, bleeding nor sedation related complications. Procedure took no more than 30 min as a whole. There was no need for surgical intervention. However in one patient re-intervention was required due to accidental removal of the catheter. Conclusions: In case of feeding difficulties following the gastrostomy; instead of an invasive surgical intervention; physicians should consider jejunal feeding that is advanced through the gastrostomy, which does not require any anaesthesia.

Background: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is a technique in laparoscopic surgery, which is based on the idea that all the laparoscopic trocars are inserted through a single umbilical incision. This paper documents a single-centre experience, which performed the single-port surgery in children using an improvised trans-umbilical glove-port with conventional rigid instruments. Materials and Methods: We prospectively studied the outcomes of SILS procedures between January 2013 and June 2014. Materials required making our homemade trans-umbilical port consisted on: A flexible ring, a rigid larger ring, one powder-free surgical glove, a wire-to-skin and standard standards laparoscopic trocars. Results: A total of 90 consecutive procedures had been done in our institution: 15 girls and 75 boys (mean age: 7.5 years). We used SILS on 59 appendectomies with an average operative time of 48 minutes. We needed conversion to conventional surgery in three cases (two with perforated appendicitis and one for difficulty to mobilize the appendix). SIL cholecystectomy was performed for four patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis; mean operative time was 60 min. All patients were discharged on postoperative day 2. Eighteen boys with non-palpable testis were explored and treated. Other procedures included: Varicocelectomy (n = 2), intra-abdominal lymph node biopsies (n = 2), ovarian cystectomy (n = 1), ovarian transposition (n = 1), aspiration of renal hydatid cyst (n = 1), explorative laparoscopy in research to Meckel's diverticulum (n = 1) and intestinal intussusceptions (n = 1). No post-operative complications were seen in all cases. Conclusions: SILS in the paediatric population using conventional rigid instruments is feasible, safe and effective. It may be an alternative to the costly commercially available single-port systems especially in a developing country like Tunisia.

Background: In 1980, Mitrofanoff described the creation of an appendicovesicostomy for continent urinary diversion. This procedure greatly facilitates clean intermittent catheterisation in patients with neurogenic bladder. The purpose of our study was to determine the clinical efficacy of the laparoscopic Mitrofanoff catheterisable stoma for children and adolescents with spina bifida. Materials and Methods: Review of hospital records revealed that 11 children with spina bifida underwent a laparoscopic Mitrofanoff procedure with at least 1-year of follow-up. A four-port transperitoneal laparoscopic approach was used to create a Mitrofanoff appendicovesicostomy. The child was followed-up in the urology clinic at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1-year, and then semiannually after that. Questionnaires were administered to determine, from the children's perspective, the level of satisfaction with catheterisation and the psychosocial implications of catheterisation before and after the creation of the Mitrofanoff continent catheterisable stoma. Results: Of the 11 children, six were female, and five were male. The mean age at presentation to Paediatric urological services was 11 × 3.22 years. Overall the mean operative time was 144.09 × 17.00 min. Mean estimated blood loss was 37.36 × 11.44 cc. None of the cases needed conversion to open. Patient satisfaction with their catheterisation was measured at 2.18 × 0.98 preoperatively, Post-operatively, this improved to 4.27 × 0.46. Statistical analysis using paired t-test showed significance with P < 001. Conclusions: Laparoscopic Mitrofanoff catheterisable stoma is feasible in children with spina bifida and is associated with reasonable outcome with early recovery, resumption of normal activities and excellent cosmesis.

Background: Repair of congenital groin hernia/hydrocele is the most common surgical procedure performed by paediatric surgeons. There is dearth of literature comparing the outcomes of open herniotomy in children using various surgical approaches. This study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy of open herniotomy by comparing external ring incision, hernial sac twisting and whether or not double ligation has benefit over a single suture application. Materials and Methods: A multi-centre prospective randomised clinical trial was conducted with a total of 428 patients having congenital inguinal hernia and/or hydrocele. Patients were randomly assigned into four groups: RO (had external ring opened, hernial sac twisted and doubly ligated), ST (had hernial sac twisted and doubly ligated without opening the ring), DL (had double ligation of hernial sac without ring opening nor twisted) while SL (had single ligation of hernial sac with neither ring opening nor sac twisting). Results: A total of 458 repairs were done. Patients' age ranged from 0.25 years (3 months) to 21 years in group RO with mean of 4.87 × 4.07 (median, 4), 0.069 years (24 days) to 17 years in group ST with mean of 4.23 × 4.03 (median, 3), 0.5 years (6 months) to 16 years in group DL with mean of 4.59 × 3.87 (median, 4) and 1 year to 19 years in group SL with mean of 5.00 × 4.19 (median, 4). Operation time per repair was 26.50 × 5.46 min, range 16-40 min (median, 27 min) in group RO, 22.18 × 5.34 min, range 12-39 min (median, 21 min) in group ST while 17.98 × 3.40 min with range of 12-39 min (median, 17 min) in group DL and 15.27 × 4.18 min, range 7-40 min (median, 15 min) in group SL P < 0.0001. The mean paracetamol dose/patient was 3.96 × 1.43, 2.94 × 0.81, 2.18 × 0.69, 1.87 × 0.78 in group RO, ST, DL and SL, respectively, P < 0.0001. Conclusion: Congenital inguinal hernia repair with opening of the external ring, hernia sac twisting and double ligation of the processus vaginalis confers no advantage.

Background: Pediatric neck mass is a frequent cause for surgical consultation. Neck masses can be simply classified into congenital, inflammatory, and neoplastic. Although most of the cases are due to benign processes, malignant causes must not be overlooked. The aim of this study is to assess the paediatric neck masses in Iraqi patients highlighting the distribution of cases according to their demographic characteristics and etiology. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional observed study is conducted in the Department of Pediatric Surgery, at the Central Teaching Hospital of Pediatrics in Baghdad from April 2008 to March 2009. Sixty four patients with neck masses aged 14 years and below were examined and managed. The underlying causes of the neck masses were addressed and categorized. Results: Among the 64 patients, 42 (65.6%) were male. The inflammatory group represents 57% of the cases, while the malignant neoplasm accounts for approximately 10% of the conditions mainly due to lymphoma 5 (7.8%). Sixteen patients (25%) fall in the congenital group, in which the thyroglossal duct cyst was the commonest type. Wound infection developed in two patients, while one patient with cystic hygroma showed recurrence. Conclusion: Pediatrics neck masses are distributed in categories that similar in pattern and distribution in the world except the infectious/inflammatory category that shows variation in distribution in respect to the socioeconomic status. The surgical intervention and procedures are related to the facility as well as to the experience.

Background: To evaluate and compare the ultrasound (US) features of transient small bowel intussusception (SBI) with those which required surgical management. Materials and Methods: US features of 26 children with 32 intussusceptions from January 2014 to August 2014 were recorded and compared with follow-up imaging or surgical findings. Results: Transient SBI when compared to surgically managed intussusception has shorter length of intussusception (mean 2.25 cm, range 1.8-4.5 cm vs. mean 5.6 cm, range, 2.3-7.8 cm), smaller transverse diameter (mean, 1.2 cm, range 0.8-2.3 cm vs. mean, 3.3 cm, range 2.9-5.4 cm) and thin wall (mean, 3.3 mm, 2.3-4.9 mm vs. mean, 6.8 mm, range, 4.3-11.2 mm). Four out of five surgically managed intussusceptions were associated with the lead point while none of the transient SBI had any lead point. Peristalsis was absent in all surgically managed intussusceptions. Conclusion: Transient SBI is associated with a shorter length of intussusception, smaller transverse diameter, thin walls, absence of the lead point and visible peristalsis. All these findings may help in distinguishing it from those requiring surgical management.

Background: Bowel function has been reported to be adversely affected following surgery in cases of Hirschsprung. We retrospectively studied both the clinical outcome and bowel function status following surgery in patients diagnosed with Hirschprung's disease (HD). 161 cases, who underwent pull-through operations for HD in Sheikh Pediatric Tertiary Centre, Mashhad, Iran. The specified time bracket spanned between 2006 and 2011. Materials and Methods: Data was extracted from Health Information System with the aim of investigating patients for both short and long-term gastrointestinal (GI) complications after surgery bases in addition to the concurrence of any associated anomalies. Three main procedures were analysed in this respect (Swenson, Duhamel and Soave). Results: In a study of 96 (59%) boys and 65 (40.3%) girls, mortality rate was reported to be 15.5% (15 males and 10 females). A considerable majority of almost three fourths were detected with both early and late GI complications after surgery. The latter mainly included constipation (30.8%), incontinence (19.8%), enterocolitis (8%), diarrhea (11%) in a declining order of incidence. Down syndrome and others HD-associated anomalies were detected in 3.7% and 24.3% of cases respectively. Conclusions: Constipation and foecal incontinence were the most prevalent postoperative complications, which were reported almost as frequent in other studies. Yet, Enterocolitis, was reported slightly less in prevalence. Also mortality rates were considerably higher, compared to developed nations.

Gastroschisis is a congenital defect of the abdominal wall involving evisceration of abdominal contents. Initial surgical treatment of this condition depends on the size of the defect, size of the abdominal cavity and amount of bowel exposed. Various techniques described are primary closure, use of the skin flap and silo bag application, followed by fascial closure. Here we present a case wherein even after 7 days of silo bag application, fascial closure was not possible, and a composite mesh was used to cover the bowel until further repair could be attempted.

Anorectal malformation is a common anomaly in neonates. Although colorectal perforations have been reported as a complication, ileal perforation is rarely encountered. This is a report of a 2-day-old boy presenting with a low anorectal malformation, complicated with ileal perforation, necessitating laparotomy and ileal repair. Anoplasty was done for the low anomaly. Early presentation and prompt treatment of anorectal malformations is important to prevent such potential life threatening complication.

There has been reported increased incidence of ovarian tuberculosis in the tropics since the advent of HIV/AIDS disease. We report a case of bilateral ovarian tuberculosis associated with a single right kidney of uncertain origin in an immunocompetent 15-year-old generally healthy-looking girl. Abdominopelvic scan was equivocal about the diagnosis of the lesion as it failed to differentiate it from malignancy. Tuberculin and histopathology were necessary to confirm the diagnosis of ovarian tuberculosis. Antituberculous medical therapy successfully resolved the disease.