Category Archives: Pediatrics

Fundamentals, Pediatrics, Print Release

PUBLISHED: Pediatric Surgical Treatment of a Wrist Ganglion Cyst in a Resource-Limited Setting

Pediatric Surgical Treatment of a Wrist Ganglion Cyst in a Resource-Limited Setting
Jonathan Sledd1; Marcus Lester R. Suntay, MD, FPCS, FPSPS, FPALES2
1Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
2Philippine Children’s Medical Center

Ganglion cysts are benign, mucinous-filled swellings that overly tendons and joints. They are the most common soft tissue mass found in the hand and wrist but also commonly encountered in the knee and foot. Presenting as a palpable knot, the cyst is asymptomatic until it impinges on local neurovasculature causing pain, numbness, tingling, and/or motor deficits. Pediatric ganglion cysts have different epidemiological characteristics than adults, with the majority found on the volar aspect on the wrist.

Treatment of ganglion cysts is most often observation due to the 50% chance of resolution over time. Activity causes the cyst to increase in size, and thus more aggressive treatment is often desirable. If the cyst recurs or symptoms are not relieved with observation alone, a more aggressive treatment such as surgical excision is often desirable. This article presents a female pediatric patient undergoing surgical excision of a large ganglion cyst on the dorsum of her right wrist. With the treatment options explained to her, she chose excision for the lower rate of recurrence.

General Surgery, Pediatrics, Plastic Surgery, Print Release

PUBLISHED: Split-Thickness Skin Graft for Scar Release, Permanent Pigment Transfer, and Fractional CO2 Laser Therapy

Split-Thickness Skin Graft for Scar Release, Permanent Pigment Transfer, and Fractional CO2 Laser Therapy
Aleia M. Boccardi, DO1; Robert J. Dabek, MD2; Lisa Gfrerer, MD, PhD3; Daniel N. Driscoll, MD, FACS4
1St. John’s Episcopal Hospital
2Massachusetts General Hospital
3Harvard Plastic Surgery Combined Residency Program
4Shriners Hospitals for Children – Boston

Pediatric burns are one of the most common forms of injury affecting children worldwide. Of these, hand involvement occurs in 80–90% of such incidents. With the skin in children already diffusely thinner throughout the body than adults, this provides a particular challenge for areas naturally possessing thinner skin, such as the dorsal hand. There, the cutaneous tissue is the only protection for vital structures in the hand that allow full function, such as extensor tendons, nerves, and vessels. Injury to this area early in life can have a detrimental impact on how the survivor interacts with the physical world, affecting their functional capacity and quality of life.

Here presents a case of burn contractures on the right hand of an 8-year-old boy that will be released using a split-thickness graft, along with a pigment transfer graft for his left knee and fractional CO2 laser therapy over areas of hypertrophic scar tissue on his bilateral upper extremities. The split-thickness graft will greatly decrease the tension built up from the burn contracture, while the fractional CO2 laser procedure can soften the surrounding scar, allowing mild remodeling and increased range of motion.

Pediatrics, Plastic Surgery, Print Release

PUBLISHED: Pulsed Dye and Fractional CO2 Laser Therapy for Treatment of Burn Scars

Pulsed Dye and Fractional CO2 Laser Therapy for Treatment of Burn Scars
Robert Dabek, MD1; Harrison McUmber2; Branko Bojovic, MD1,3
1Massachusetts General Hospital
2Tufts University School of Medicine
3Shriners Hospitals for Children – Boston

Burn injuries are often devastating accidents that result in long-term physical and psychosocial consequences and the formation of hypertrophic scars. Laser treatment is a low risk minimally invasive approach to treating such burn scars.

This video discusses the pulsed dye laser (PDL) and fractional ablative CO2 laser, and demonstrates their use in treating the scars on a pediatric patient who suffered from burn injuries 7 years ago in Vietnam.

General Surgery, Pediatrics, Plastic Surgery, Print Release

PUBLISHED: Contracture Release and Full-Thickness Skin Graft to Volar Index Finger with K-Wire Insertion

Contracture Release and Full-Thickness Skin Graft to Volar Index Finger with K-Wire Insertion
Ryan P. Boyle1; Jonah Poster2; Jonathan Friedstat, MD3
1Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
2Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
3Shriners Hospitals for Children – Boston

The complications stemming from a poorly-healed burn wound can lead to functional deficits and overall aesthetically unfavorable results leading to psychological distress. Due to the inquisitive nature of infants and toddlers, and their nature to learn the world with their hands, their sensitive regions like the hands become likely targets for burns.

Superficial burns can be managed on an outpatient basis with spontaneous healing expected in 2 or 3 days with minimal scarring. Deep burns, particularly in pediatric populations, need considerable attention to avoid secondary contracture that leads to deformity.

Many treatment options exist, but in sensitive areas like the hands and face, full-thickness skin grafts are favored due to their superior healing and decreased likelihood of secondary contracture. This article aims to guide the surgeon in managing a pediatric burn wound with an arsenal of treatment options with the goal of achieving full mobility and functionality of the hand.

Global Surgery, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Print Release

PUBLISHED: Bone Graft for Nonunion of Right Thumb Proximal Phalanx Fracture

Bone Graft for Nonunion of Right Thumb Proximal Phalanx Fracture
Sudhir B. Rao, MD1; Mark N. Perlmutter, MS, MD, FICS, FAANOS2; Arya S. Rao3; Grant Darner4
1Big Rapids Orthopaedics
2Carolina Regional Orthopaedics
3Columbia University
4Duke University School of Medicine

In this video, the authors describe and demonstrate a surgical technique for the treatment of an unstable nonunion of a proximal phalangeal fracture of the thumb.

The video describes the surgical exposure, preparation of the nonunion site, harvesting of autogenous iliac corticocancellous bone graft, bone grafting of the defect, and stabilization with K-wire fixation.

General Surgery, Pediatrics, Plastic Surgery, Print Release

PUBLISHED: Bilateral Dorsal Foot Scar Contracture Release with Split-Thickness Skin Grafts from the Anterior Thigh

Bilateral Dorsal Foot Scar Contracture Release with Split-Thickness Skin Grafts from the Anterior Thigh

Jonah Poster
Shriners Hospitals for Children – Boston

Jonathan Friedstat, MD
Shriners Hospitals for Children – Boston
Massachusetts General Hospital

Burn scar contracture of the dorsal foot causes metatarsophalangeal joint hyperextension and interphalangeal joint hyperextension. In children, these issues only intensify over time as a child grows. Here, Dr. Friedstat at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Boston presents the case of a young boy who suffered a 32% total body surface area flame burn to his lower back, bilateral buttocks, legs, and feet. This patient had previously undergone a bilateral contracture release of the dorsum of the foot. Because the contractures recurred, another bilateral dorsal foot scar contracture release was performed using a split-thickness 1:1 meshed skin graft harvested from the anterior left thigh.

Pediatrics, Print Release, Urology

PUBLISHED: Prophylactic Laparoscopic Bilateral Gonadectomy for Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome

Prophylactic Laparoscopic Bilateral Gonadectomy for Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome

J. Corbin Norton
Department of Urology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Amrit Singh, MD
Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences / Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Laura L. Hollenbach, MD
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Georgia Gamble, MD
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Laura A. Gonzalez-Krellwitz, MD
Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences / Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Stephen J. Canon, MD
Department of Pediatric Urology, Arkansas Children’s Hospital

The patient in this case is a 15-year-old female who presented with primary amenorrhea and who on work-up was found to have complete androgen insensitivity syndrome. Here, Dr. Canon at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences performs a prophylactic laparoscopic bilateral gonadectomy to reduce her future risk for intra-abdominal testicular malignancies. Final pathology results showed a rare case of bilateral germ cell neoplasia in situ and bilateral paratesticular leiomyomas and reinforced the decision to intervene early allowing for the removal of the gonads prior to their conversion to formal germ cell tumors.

Announcement, Pediatrics, Preprint Release, Urology

PREPRINT RELEASE: Prophylactic Laparoscopic Bilateral Gonadectomy for Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome

Prophylactic Laparoscopic Bilateral Gonadectomy for Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

J. Corbin Norton, MD
Department of Urology
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Stephen J. Canon, MD
Department of Pediatric Urology
Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Amrit Singh, MD
Department of Pathology
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences / Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Laura L. Hollenbach, MD
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Georgia Gamble, MD
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Laura A. Gonzalez-Krellwitz, MD
Department of Pathology
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences / Arkansas Children’s Hospital

The patient, in this case, is a 15-year-old female who presented with primary amenorrhea and who on work-up was found to have complete androgen insensitivity syndrome. Here, Dr. Canon at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences performs a prophylactic laparoscopic bilateral gonadectomy to reduce her future risk for intra-abdominal testicular malignancies. Final pathology results showed a rare case of bilateral germ cell neoplasia in situ and bilateral paratesticular leiomyomas and reinforced the decision to intervene early allowing for the removal of the gonads prior to their conversion to formal germ cell tumors.

General Surgery, Global Surgery, Pediatrics, Preprint Release

PREPRINT RELEASE: Colonic Interposition for Esophageal Atresia

Colonic Interposition for Esophageal Atresia
Mario Catarino Rivas Hospital, Honduras

Yoko Young Sang, MD
Resident Physician
General Surgery
Louisiana State University Shreveport

Caroll Alvarado Lemus, MD
Pediatric Surgery, Mario Catarino Rivas Hospital, Honduras
San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Domingo Alvear, MD
Founder
World Surgical Foundation

The patient in this case is a 6-year-old boy who was born with Down syndrome and esophageal atresia. In this video article, Dr. Alvear performs a colonic interposition to replace the absent esophagus with part of the patient’s colon. This was performed during a global surgical mission in Honduras with the World Surgical Foundation.

General Surgery, Global Surgery, Pediatrics, Preprint Release

PREPRINT RELEASE: Pediatric Open Right Inguinal Herniorrhaphy: The Alvear Technique with High Ligation and Internal Ring Repair

Pediatric Open Right Inguinal Herniorrhaphy: The Alvear Technique with High Ligation and Internal Ring Repair
St. Catarina Hospital, Honduras

Domingo Alvear, MD
Founder, World Surgical Foundation

Yoko Young Sang, MD
Resident Physician
General Surgery
Louisiana State University Shreveport

In this case, Dr. Alvear performs an open right inguinal herniorrhaphy on a 1-year-old male using his own technique involving high ligation of the hernia sac and internal ring repair. This was filmed during a surgical mission in Honduras with the World Surgical Foundation.