Biomedical subjects

A Settimi

Publications and source records attributed to A Settimi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Long-term outcome of laparoscopic Nissen, Toupet, and Thal antireflux procedures for neurologically normal children with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND: Nissen fundoplication is the most popular laparoscopic operation for the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Partial fundoplications seem to be associated with a lower incidence of postoperative dysphagia, and thus a better quality of life for patients. The aim of this study was to compare the long-term outcome in neurologically normal children who underwent laparoscopic Nissen, Toupet, or Thal procedures in three European centers with a large experience in laparoscopic antireflux procedures. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 300 consecutive patients with GERD who underwent laparoscopic surgery. The first 100 cases were recorded for each team, with the first team using the Toupet, the second team using the Thal, and the third team using the Nissen procedure. The only exclusion criteria for this study was neurologic impairment. For this reason, 66 neurologically impaired children (52 Thal, 10 Nissen, 4 Toupet) were excluded from the study. This evaluation focuses on the data for the remaining 238 neurologically normal children. The patients varied in age from 5 months to 16 years (median, 58 months). The median weight was 20 kg. All the children underwent a complete preoperative workup, and all had well-documented GERD. The position of the trocars and the dissection phase were similar in all the procedures, as was the posterior approximation of the crura. The short gastric vessels were divided in only six patients (2.5%). The only difference in the surgical procedures was the type of antireflux valve created. RESULTS: The median duration of surgery was 70 min. There was no mortality and no conversion in this series. A total of 12 (5%) intraoperative complications (5 Nissen, 5 Toupet, 2 Thal) and 13 (5.4%) postoperative complications (3 Toupet, 4 Nissen, 6 Thal) were recorded. Only six (2.5%) redo procedures (2 Thal, 2 Toupet, 2 Nissen) were performed. After a minimum follow-up period of 5 years, all the children were free of symptoms except nine (3.7%), who sometimes still require medication. The incidence of complications and redo surgery for the three procedures analyzed with the Mann-Whitney U test are not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: For pediatric patients with GERD, laparoscopic Nissen, Toupet, and Thal antireflux procedures yielded satisfactory results, and none of the approaches led to increased dysphagia. The 5% rate for intraoperative complications seems linked to the learning curve period. The authors consider the three procedures as extremely effective for the treatment of children with GERD, and they believe that the choice of one procedure over the other depends only on the surgeon's experience. Parental satisfaction with laparoscopic treatment was very high in all the three series.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Coherent control of stimulated emission inside one-dimensional photonic crystals.

In this paper, the quasinormal mode (QNM) theory is applied to discuss the quantum problem of an atom embedded inside a one-dimensional (1D) photonic band gap (PBG) cavity pumped by two counterpropagating laser beams. The e.m. field is quantized in terms of the QNMs in the 1D PBG and the atom modeled as a two-level system is assumed to be weakly coupled to just one of the QNMs. The main result of the paper is that the decay time depends on the position of the dipole inside the cavity, and can be controlled by the phase difference of the two laser beams.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Enlarged wandering spleen treated with hemisplenectomy and fixation of the residual spleen.

A case of enlarged wandering spleen presenting as an abdominal mass in a 7-year-old girl is reported. The diagnosis was performed by ultrasonography and confirmed by aortography. Treatment consisted of an elective partial splenectomy and fixation of the residual spleen to the left hemidiaphragm. The patient's symptoms regressed, and now, after more than 2 years, she is doing well. Two years postoperatively scintigraphy demonstrated a good captation of radionuclide by a normal-sized spleen at the left hypochondrium. The results obtained with the procedure that was adopted for treating this case of wandering spleen allow the authors to state that hemispleen fixation is a valid option for treating symptomatic enlarged wandering spleen.

Child↗

PubMed2005

Laparoscopic-assisted jejunostomy: an effective procedure for the treatment of neurologically impaired children with feeding problems and gastroesophageal reflux.

BACKGROUND: Feeding difficulties and gastroesophageal reflux (GER) are major problems in severely neurologically impaired children. Many patients are managed with a simple gastrostomy, with or without fundoplication. Unfortunately, fundoplication and gastrostomy are not devoid of complications, indicating the need for other options in the management of these patients. METHODS: Since January 2002, seven patients (age range, 5-14 years) have been treated by creating a jejunostomy with the laparoscopic-assisted procedure. The procedure was performed using two 10-mm trocars. The technique consists of identifying the first jejunal loop, grasping it 20-30 cm away from the Treitz ligament with fenestrated atraumatic forceps, and exteriorizing it to the trocar orifice under visual guide. The jejunostomy was created outside the abdominal cavity during open surgery. At the end of the jejunostomy, the correct positions of the intestinal loop and feeding tube were evaluated via laparoscopy. RESULTS: Surgery lasted 40 min on average, the laparoscopic portion only 5 min. There were no perioperative complications; hospital stay was 3 or 4 days for all patients. At the longest follow-up (18 months), all patients had experienced a significant weight gain, with a high level of parental satisfaction. One patient died 1 year after the procedure of unknown causes. All the others are well, without complications or problems, and their parents are extremely satisfied with the improved quality of life of their children. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic-assisted jejunostomy is a safe and effective procedure to adopt in neurologically impaired children with feeding problems and GER. This procedure solves these patients' feeding problems even if the reflux is not completely eliminated. We advocate the use of this procedure in neurologically impaired patients with feeding problems and reflux due to its overall practicability and because there is minimal surgical trauma. This technique is extremely safe because the surgeon is able to verify, at the end of procedure, the status of the jejunostomy from outside and inside the abdominal cavity. The improvement in the quality of life of these children after the jejunostomy seems to be the major advantage of this procedure.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Second quantization and atomic spontaneous emission inside one-dimensional photonic crystals via a quasinormal-modes approach.

An extension of the second quantization scheme based on the quasinormal-modes theory to one-dimensional photonic band gap (PBG) structures is discussed. Such structures, treated as double open optical cavities, are studied as part of a compound closed system including the electromagnetic radiative external bath. The electromagnetic field inside the photonic crystal is successfully represented by a new class of modes called quasinormal modes. Starting from this representation we introduce the Feynman's propagator to calculate the decay rate of a dipole inside a PBG structure, related to the density of modes, in the presence of the vacuum fluctuations outside the one-dimensional cavity.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Endoscopic fibrin sealing of congenital pyriform sinus fistula.

Pyriform sinus fistula is a very rare branchial apparatus malformation, often appearing in the form of a cervical inflammatory process (abscess or suppurative thyroiditis), especially in infants. Failure to diagnose this lesion may result in unexpected recurrence. A case of recurrent suppurative thyroiditis caused by pyriform sinus fistula in a 9-year-old girl is reported. In the latency period of infection, the fistula tract was identified by a barium meal contrast study. Direct endoscopy showed the fistula internal orifice at the apex of the left pyriform fossa. The fistula was completely obliterated by injection of fibrin glue. Suppurative thyroiditis is reported mainly in the pediatric literature, and the reported case is the first to be managed endoscopically by injection of fibrin adhesive.

Barium Sulfate↗

PubMed2003

Experience with the use of tissue adhesives in pediatric endoscopic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Due to technological improvements, the use of tissue adhesives and glues for tissue approximation and hemostasis in surgery has increased. We report our preliminary experience with this technology in pediatric endosurgery. METHODS: Between 1997 and 2000, we employed tissue adhesives in 48 pediatric patients during laparoscopic procedures. In 25 patients, the glue was adopted for the hemostasis of parenchimal organs (liver in 24 cases and spleen in one). In three cases, the glue was used to repair organ perforation, in 19 it was used to close the distal part of a patent processus vaginalis in case of congenital inguinal hernia. In the final case, the glue was adopted to achieve optimal airtightness in case of pulmonary biopsy. The glue was injected with the aid of a needle positioned transparietally. RESULTS: The procedure was easy and rapid in all cases, and there were no problems or complications related to glue positioning at a mean follow up of 51 months. CONCLUSION: Tissue adhesives are a very versatile product for use in pediatric laparoscopic surgery. It is likely that their usage will increase as the technology improves and more effective products are developed.

Biopsy↗

PubMed2003

Quasinormal-mode description of waves in one-dimensional photonic crystals.

Quasinormal-mode treatment is extended to the description of scalar field behavior in one-dimensional photonic crystals. A one-dimensional photonic crystal is a particular configuration of an open cavity, where discontinuities of the refractive index give rise to field confinement. This paper presents, for a one-dimensional photonic crystal, a discussion about the completeness of the quasinormal-mode representation and, moreover, a discussion on the complex eigenfrequencies, as well as the corresponding field distribution. The concept of density of modes is also discussed in terms of quasinormal modes.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

Results of the laparoscopic Heller-Dor procedure for pediatric esophageal achalasia.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal achalasia is not a frequent disorder in children and different treatments have been proposed during past decades. This study reviews the results of the laparoscopic Heller-Dor procedure performed in pediatric patients in two different surgical units. METHODS: We included the patients aged <14 years with a minimum follow-up of 6 months operated on in the period 1994-2001. A single longitudinal anterior esophageal myotomy (Heller) and a 180 degrees anterior gastropexy (Dor) were laparoscopically performed. The patients were checked to detect intra- or postoperative complications and recurrence. RESULTS: Twenty children were operated on. Mean follow-up was 45 months (range 6-102). Postoperative clinical score was Visick 1 in 15 cases and Visick 2 in five. CONCLUSIONS: As complication and recurrence rates are very low we consider modified Heller myotomy and Dor gastropexy through a laparoscopic approach our first choice to treat esophageal achalasia in the pediatric population.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Impact of laparoscopy on the management of an unusual case of nonpalpable testis in an adult patient.

BACKGROUND: In the past decade, cryptorchidism has generally been treated in the first 36 months of life using an inguinal approach, in the case of palpable testis, or using laparoscopy, in the case of nonpalpable testis. Nevertheless, before this period some children were managed incorrectly. This case report shows how laparoscopy and the collaboration between pediatric surgeons and urologists may lead to optimal results. CASE REPORT: A 19-year-old male was referred to our unit following routine medical examination for enrollment in the military service with a diagnosis of right cryptorchidism. The clinical history showed the anamnesis of right cryptorchidism diagnosed at birth as a right nonpalpable testis, confirmed at 2 years of age with clinical examination and computer tomography. The patient came to our attention to again undergo a clinical examination, ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. We found a left, well-positioned testis of 20 ml in volume and an empty right scrotum; all the instrumental examinations were negative. The patient was thus scheduled for a diagnostic laparoscopy. A pediatric surgeon with extensive experience in this pathology performed the procedure. The 10-mm 30 degrees optics introduced through the umbilicus showed a closed right inguinal ring, with no evidence of either vas deferens or inner spermatic vessels at the level of the inguinal region or pelvis. Two more trocars were introduced and a testis of 15 ml in volume was found under the ascending colon 10 cm away from the cecum. An orchiectomy was performed via laparoscopy. CONCLUSION: This case clearly shows that some males with nonpalpable testis may have been treated incorrectly in the prelaparoscopic era and may now have an intraabdominal testis. In addition, our experience shows that intraabdominal testis may sometime be in an unusual location, and a laparoscopic surgeon with experience in this pathology is fundamental to finding the testis. In the case of adults with nonpalpable testis, when echography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging are not useful, the only effective diagnostic procedure is laparoscopy.

Abdominal Cavity↗

PubMed2003

Risks and benefits of surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux in neurologically impaired children.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and results of laparoscopic antireflux procedure in neurologically impaired children. METHODS: Over a 5-yr period, 259 children affected by gastroesophageal reflux disease underwent laparoscopic antireflux procedure. Eighty of them (30.8%) were neurologically impaired. In 58 children we performed an anterior fundoplication according to Thal and in 22 patients a 360 degrees fundoplication according to Nissen. Forty-eight children underwent an associated gastrostomy placement at the same time as the laparoscopic antireflux procedure. RESULTS: We recorded 4/80 intraoperative complications; in all cases the complication was managed laparoscopically and no conversion was needed. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 6 yrs (median 3 yrs). We recorded 24/80 postoperative complications, 5 of which required a redo procedure. We have a mortality rate of 17.5% but in only one case was the event related to the antireflux procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic fundoplication can be performed safely and with acceptable results in neurologically impaired children. The indication to add a gastrostomy should be tailored to the needs of the individual patient. Mortality rate in neurologically impaired children patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease is high but in most cases unrelated to the antireflux procedure.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

One-trocar laparoscopy: a valid procedure to treat abdominal complications in children with peritoneal shunt for hydrocephalus.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this paper is to show the efficacy of laparoscopy using only one umbilical trocar to treat abdominal complications of hydrocephalic children with ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a 15-year period, 14 laparoscopies were performed on as many children with VPS complications: in the last 4 patients only one trocar was used to solve the complications, and this subgroup will be the object of the present study. Concerning the indication for surgery, the patients presented one catheter lost in the abdominal cavity; one cerebrospinal fluid pseudocysts; one bowel obstruction; and one malfunctioning peritoneal limbs of the catheter. We used the one-trocar laparoscopic approach in all the 4 patients, and the 10-mm trocar was always introduced through the umbilical orifice in open laparoscopy. RESULTS: The laparoscopic technique was curative in all four cases and permitted the solution of the complication. CONCLUSIONS: One-trocar laparoscopic surgery can be considered as the ideal procedure in case of abdominal complications of VPS in children with hydrocephalus.

Abdominal Cavity↗

PubMed2003

Is the risk of hypertension an indication for prophylactic nephrectomy in patients with unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney?

OBJECTIVE: Surgery is still proposed by some as the treatment of choice for unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney (UMCDK) because of the potential complications of hypertension, infection and malignant change. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the risk of hypertension does not justify routine nephrectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We report 41 cases of UMCDK, treated between 1980 and 2001, 28 of whom were male (68%). Twenty-one patients were nephrectomized (51%). Twenty patients (49%) underwent clinical and ultrasound follow-up. Blood pressure was controlled every 3-4 months (over a period ranging from 9 months to 6 years) and an ultrasound scan was performed every 6 months during the first 2 years, and annually thereafter. RESULTS: In the patients treated non-operatively we observed a progressive spontaneous involution of their multicystic dysplastic kidneys and the total absence of complications such as hypertension or malignancy. CONCLUSION: It is reasonable to conservatively manage patients with UMCDK by means of repeated ultrasound examinations and blood pressure control.

Child↗

PubMed2002

Italian multicenter survey on laparoscopic treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease in children.

BACKGROUND: Skepticism is still present today about the laparoscopic treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) in children. We present the prospective experience and short-term results of eight Italian pediatric surgical units. METHODS: We included all the children with complicated GER, operated after January 1998 by single surgeons from eight different centers. Diagnostic aspects, type of fundoplication, and complications were considered. All the patients were followed for a minimum period of 6 months in order to detect complications or recurrences. RESULTS: 288 children were prospectively included. Mean age was 4.8 years (3 m-14 y). Nissen fundoplication was done in 25%, floppy Nissen in 63%, Toupet in 1.7%, and anterior procedures (Lortat Jacob, Thal) in 10%. Gastrostomy was associated, if neurological impairment or feeding disorders were present. Mean follow-up was 15 months and reoperation was necessary in 3.8% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: This experience underlines that minimal invasive access surgery in children is safe and that the laparoscopic approach is considered in eight centers the golden standard for surgical repair of gastro-esophageal reflux disease maintaining the same indications and techniques of the open approach.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Laparoscopic solution of a vascular complication occurring during an open procedure in a child.

Usually the word conversion implies conversion from a laparoscopic procedure to an open procedure to solve complications occurring during laparoscopy. In this article we report a conversion from an open procedure to a laparoscopic one, to treat a vascular complication that occurred during an orchiectomy performed in open surgery. A 2-year-old boy came to our center for a right orchiectomy. The clinical history of this baby showed the presence of a right atrophic testis positioned in the medial part of the inguinal canal, a finding also confirmed by ultrasonography. One of our residents performed a right orchiectomy via an open inguinal procedure. After removing the testis, and before ligating the inner spermatic vessels at the level of the internal inguinal ring, the forceps that held the vessels was inadvertently opened, causing a contraction of the spermatic vessels. Since we were unable to identify the vessels and achieve hemostasis via the inguinal opening, a conversion to laparoscopic surgery was decided. A 10-mm 0 degrees optics was introduced through an umbilical trocar and revealed a large retroperitoneal hematoma along both the inner spermatic vessels and the deferential vessels, for about 3-4 cm from the internal inguinal ring. Two 5-mm trocars were positioned in triangulation and hemostasis was achieved by positioning clips on the vessels at the level of internal inguinal ring and proximally to the hematoma. Surgery lasted 1 hour; the laparoscopic procedure, 25 minutes. The baby was discharged 2 days after surgery. At a 9-month follow-up the clinical and ultrasonographical evaluation was normal. This case clearly shows the usefulness of laparoscopy in pediatric surgery, as well as to solve complications due to open surgery. We think that nowadays the use of laparoscopy should be considered indispensable by every pediatric surgical team.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed2002

The efficacy of laparoscopy in detecting and treating associated congenital malformations in children.

One of the main advantages of laparoscopy in children is the fact that it enables a magnified view and the possibility to explore the whole abdominal cavity. This case report clearly shows these advantages. We report the case of a 3-yr-old girl, suffering from severe GERD and right inguinal inguinal hernia, who had already been operated at birth for esophageal atresia. We performed a laparoscopic fundoplication according to Nissen and, at the end of procedure, we decided to turn the optic down to control the right inguinal region to confirm the presence of an inguinal hernia. To our great surprise we found a right oblique external hernia as well as a direct inguinal hernia on the same side. Both hernias was treated successfully in laparoscopy. At a 1-year follow-up, the patient presented no reflux and no recurrence of the inguinal hernias. The laparoscopy in this case permitted operation on two different pathologies involving the upper and lower parts of the abdominal cavity using the same ports and without enlarging the incision, as would happen in laparotomy. The main relevance of this case is that laparoscopy allowed the detection of an associated pathology like a direct inguinal hernia that would have been certainly overlooked in open surgery and could have caused a recurrent hernia if operated via open surgery.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed2002

Complications and conversions of pediatric videosurgery: the Italian multicentric experience on 1689 procedures.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and management of complications of videosurgical procedures that occurred during a 4-year period in eight Italian pediatric surgery centers. METHODS: Between 1996 and 1999, 2305 videosurgical procedures were performed in 11 centers of pediatric surgery. The data from 3 centers, for a total of 616 procedures, were largely incomplete and were thus excluded from the study. We analyzed the data from 8 centers only, for a total of 1689 laparoscopic or thoracoscopic operations on patients aged between 15 days and 16 years. The type of operations performed ranged from basic videosurgical interventions, such as varicocelectomy and cryptorchidism, to advanced laparoscopic procedures, such as splenectomy, total colectomy, and esophageal achalasia. Each patient's file was examined for any complications that may have occurred during the surgical procedure and for a record of how these were managed. RESULTS: We recorded 79 complications (4.6%) in our series. In 57 cases (72.2%) the problem was solved by videosurgery. Twenty-two cases (27.8%) required conversion to open surgery. There was no mortality in our series. At a maximum follow-up of 4 years, all children were alive and had no problems related to the videosurgical complications. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that the routine use of open laparoscopy in pediatric patients is a key factor to avoiding complications related to the Veress needle and blind introduction of the first trocar. Moreover, the surgeon's laparoscopic experience, the correct indications for laparoscopic surgery, and the verification of the laparoscopic equipment before surgery are also important rules to follow to reduce the incidence of complications. In the beginning, it is preferable to have the assistance of an expert laparoscopic surgeon to decrease the complications related to the learning curve period.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Results and complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in childhood.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the results and complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a case series of 110 infants. METHODS: Over a 5-year period (1993-98), we performed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 110 pediatric patients. Surgery was performed at different institutions by three different surgeons. The patient population was composed of 69 girls and 41 boys; their ages ranged from 1 to 16 years (median, 8.5). All of the 110 children had symptomatic cholelithiasis, which was confirmed at ultrasound examination. An associated pathology was present in 27 patients (sickle cell disease in 17 cases, hereditary spherocytosis in seven cases, thalassemia in three); the other 83 infants were affected by idiopathic cholelithiasis. In 107 patients, the operation was performed using four ports; in three patients, it was done using five ports. In three patients, we also performed a concomitant splenectomy. RESULTS: Median duration of simple cholecystectomy was 45 min (range, 25-75) and hospital stay ranged from 1 to 10 days (median, 2). Only 15 children required drainage. We had 17 complications in our series (15.5%), including a gallbladder perforation during dissection in 11 patients, a fall of stones into the abdominal cavity during extraction in one patient, and a trocar orifice infection in the postoperative period in five patients. At a maximum follow-up of five years (range, 1-5), all patients were doing well. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in children seems to be as effective as open surgery in cases of symptomatic cholelithiasis. In pediatric patients more than in adults, an accurate and precise dissection and a sound knowledge of possible congenital biliary abnormalities are essential to avoid any kind of complication.

Adolescent↗