13- Paediatric Surgery Flashcards
peritonitis
Peritonitis is an infection of the peritoneum which is the membrane that lines your abdomen (the belly).
Primary
- Bacterial infection arising from the peritoneum itself
- e.g. intraperitoneal dialysis
- e.g. spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
Secondary
- E.g. perforation of bowel
define localised peritonitis
o Inflammation limited to area adjacent to an inflamed region e.g. appendix or diverticulum prior to rupture
generalised peritonitis
Inflammation is widespread e.g. after rupture of viscus
causes of peritonitis
- Peritoneal dialysis
- Bowel obstruction with perforation
- Appendix rupture
- Liver disease
peritonitis presentation
- High fever
- Abdominal pain
- Initially dull and poorly localised, becoming gradually worse and more localised
- Rebound tenderness
- Guarding
- Anorexia, nausea and vomiting
- Rectal examination may increase abdominal pain
- Bowel sounds may be absent
investigations for peritonitis
Bloods
- FBC, U&Es, LFTs, blood culture
Peritoneal fluids
Urinalysis
Imaging
- AXR
- Upright CXR
- US
- CT/MRI
management of peritonitis
- IV fluids
- Antibiotics
o SBP- cephalosporins
o Secondary peritonitis- systemic abx
appendicitis background
- Inflammation of the appendix
- Peak incidence 10 to 20 yo
appendicitis pathophysiology
Pathophysiology
- Appendix is a small, thin tube which comes off the caecum
- Infection trapped within appendix by etc faecolith or lymphoid hyperplasia, impacted stool can cause inflammation which can proceed to ischaemia, gangrene and rupture
- Releasing faecal content and infective material into the abdomen -> peritonitis
risk factor for appendicitis
- caucasian
- CF
- family history
presentation of appendicitis
Abdominal pain
- Starts centrally and moves down to the right iliac fossa over time and becomes localised to the RIF
- Tender at McBurneys point (one third distance from anterior superior iliac spine to the umbilicus)
Other symptoms
- Anorexia
- N and V
- Rovsings sign (palpation in left iliac fossa causes pain in the RIF)
- Guarding
- Rebound tenderness
- Percussion tenderness
In children
- Diarrhoea
- Urinary symptoms
- Possibly left sided pain
McBurneys point
differentials for appendicitis
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Ovarian cyst
- Testicular torsion
- Constipation
- Mesenteric adenitis (assoc with tonsilitis and URTI)
- Meckel’s diverticulum
investigations for appendicitis
- Clinical presentation of appendicitis: diagnostic laparoscopy to visualise appendix directly
- FBC: Raised inflammatory markers
Imaging
- CT scan to confirm diagnosis if another diagnosis is more likely
- US can be used to exclude ovarian and gynaecological pathology
- Definitive treatment appendicectomy
management of appendicitis
- Emergency admission under surgical team
- Definitive management for acute appendicitis: laparoscopic appendicectomy
complications of appendicectomy
o Complications: bleeding, infection, pain, scars
o Damage to bowel and bladder
o Removal of normal appendix
o Anaesthetic risks
o VTE
complications of appendicectomy
o Complications: bleeding, infection, pain, scars
o Damage to bowel and bladder
o Removal of normal appendix
o Anaesthetic risks
o VTE
intestinal obstruction background
Passage of food, fluids and gas become blocked.
- Small bowel more common than large bowel
- Results in build up of gas and faecal matter proximal to obstruction
o Back pressure- vomiting and dilatation of proximal intestines
o Surgical emergency
how can bowel obstruction cause dehydration
- Obstruction also reduces fluid reabsorption in the colon- fluid loss from intravascular space – hypovolaemia
- This is called third-spacing
- Higher up the obstruction the worse the fluid losses- less bowel where the fluid can be reabsorbed
pathophysiology of obstruction presentation
- Obstruction leads to back-pressure through the GI system causing vomiting
- Causes absolute constipation
presentation of intestinal obstruction
- Vomiting (particularly green bilious vomiting)
-> Early- upper obstruction
-> Later- lower - Abdominal distention
- Diffuse abdominal pain
- Absolute constipation and lack of flatulence (early in lower,
Late in upper)
“Tinkling” bowel sounds may be heard in earlybowel obstruction- become absent later
causes of bowel obstruction general
The big three (HAM)
* Hernias (small bowel)
* Adhesions (small bowel)
* Malignancy (large bowel)
causes of bowel small bowel obstruction
o Hernias
o Adhesions
Scar tissue that binds abdominal contents
together
Causing kinking or squeezing of the
bowel
Causes
* Surgery
* Peritonitis
* Infection
* Endometriosis
causes of large bowel obstruction
- Malignancy
- Volvulus- bowel twists on self
- Diverticular disease
which pathologies cause both small and large intestine obstruction
- Stricture e.g. secondary to Crohns
- Intussusception (in young children 6m-2y)
risk factors for bowel obstruction
- Abdominal surgery
- Cancer
- Hernias
- Crohns disease
investigations for bowel obstruction
- Abdominal X-ray – distended loops of bowel
- May skip straight to contrast abdominal CT- confirm diagnosis and establish site and if perforation has occurred- modality of choice
- Blood tests: U and E (electrolytes), venous blood gas (metabolic alkalosis due to loss of HCL in vomit), bowel ischaemia- raised lactate)
abdominal X-ray normal diameter of bowel
Upper limits of normal diameter of bowel
- 3cm small bowel
- 6cm colon
- 9cm caecum
findings of small bowel obstruction on x-ray
- Dilated >3cm
- Central, valvulae conniventes
- String of pearls sign
- Paucity of gas in large bowel
- no gas in rectum
findings of large bowel obstruction on x-ray
- Colon >6cm, caecum >9cm
- Peripheral and haustra (don’t extend full width)
general management of bowel obstruction
- ABCDE
o Hypovolaemia shock due to third spacing
o Bowel ischaemia
o Bowel perforation
o Sepsis - Nill by mouth
- Analgesia, catheterise
- IV fluids to hydrate and correct electrolyte imbalances
- NG tube with free drainage to allow stomach contents to freely drain and reduce risk of vomiting and aspiration
- Conservative treatment if adhesions or volvulus, where this fails- surgery
surgical intervention only if closed loop or ischaemia (pain)
Laparoscopy or laparotomy
o Exploratory surgery in patients with an unclear underlying cause
o Adhesiolysis to treat adhesions
o Hernia repair
o Emergency resection of the obstructing tumour- may need stoma
intussusception
- Condition where one part of the bowel ‘telescopes’ into another part
- Leads to bowel obstruction
- Typically 6 months to 2 years (peak 5-7 months)