Surgery Flashcards
What is pyloric stenosis?
Hypertrophy & narrowing o the pyloric sphincter
Describe typical presentation of pyloric stenosis
*Be sure to include blood gas findings
Typically presents in first few weeks of life (rarely can present later at up to 4 months) with:
- Hungry, thin, pale baby that is failing to thrive
- Projectile vomiting (~30 mins after food)
- Evidence of dehydration
- Palpable mass in upper abdo may be present (feels like a large olive)
- Hypochloraemic hypokalaemic metabolic alkalosis (due to persistent vomiting which results in loss of hypochloric acid)
*Projectile vomiting occurs because after feeding peristalsis starts in stomach. Due to hypertrophied sphincter it is harder to push food through the sphincter out of stomach so peristalsis becomes increasingly powerful eventually resulting in ejection of food into oesophagus, out of mouth and across room.
How is pyloric stenosis diagnosed?
Abdominal ultrasound (visualise hypertrophied, thickened pylorus)
Discuss the management of pyloric stenosis
- Laparoscopic pyloromyotomy known as Ramstedt’s operation (incision made in smooth muscle of pylorus to widen cana so that food can pass through as normal.)
*Prognosis is excellent following operation
What is biliary atresia?
Congenital condition in which section of or entire biliary tree is narrowed or absent. It can occur before birth due to bile ducts developing abnormally or shortly after birth due to bile ducts becoming inflamed resulting in narrowing or potentially obstruction. In most babies, affects both intrahepatic and extrahepatic ducts. Results in fibrosis in liver and cholestasis and hence impaired excretion of conjugated bilirubin.
Biliary atresia can be perinatal or postnatal; explain the difference and state when each typically presents
- Perinatal: abnormal development of biliary tree in utero- presents in first 2 weeks of life
- Post-natal: narrowing and/or complete obstruction of biliary tree due to inflammation- presents in first 2-8 weeks of life
Biliary atresia can occur in isolation or in association with other conditions; state some conditions
- Polysplenia or asplenia
- Heart defects
- Intestinal malrotation
There are 4 types of biliary atresia; describe each
- Type 1: proximal ducts patent but common bile duct is obliterated
- Type 2a: atresia of common hepatic duct
- Type 2b: atresia of common hepatic duct, common bile duct & cystic duct
- Type 3: atresia of left & right ducts to level of porta hepatis (>90% cases)
Describe typical presentation of biliary atresia (include symptoms & signs)
Typically presents in first few weeks of life with:
- Jaundice (extending beyond physiological 2 weeks in full term and 3 weeks in pre-term)
- Dark urine
- Pale stools
- May be appetite and growth disturbance
- Hepatomegaly with splenomegaly
- May have other congenital abnormalities e.g. cardiac defects so may hear murmurs
What investigations would you do if you suspect biliary atresia?
- Serum bilirubin including differentiation between conjugated and total: total may be normal, conjugated high
- LFTs: usually raised
- Coagulation: assess liver function
- FBC: give overall picture of health of child- not diagnostic
- Ultrasound biliary tree & liver: may show distension & tract abnormalities
- Some require percutaneous liver biopsy with intraoperative cholangioscopy
Others:
- Serum alpha-1 antitrypsin: deficiency can cause neonatal jaundice
- Sweat chloride test: cystic fibrosis can affect biliary tree
- Urine sample for test such as urinary bile acids etc..
Discuss the management of biliary atresia
- Surgical intervention only definitive treatment (other than transplant). Different surgical options dependent on type. One option is Kasai portoenterostomy (attach section of small intestine to opening of liver where bile duct normally attaches)- helps clear jaundice and prolongs survival. Ideally done before 45-60 days of life to prevent damage.
- Following surgery:
- Antibiotic prophylaxis for at least 1yr
- Ursodeoxycholic acid
- Nutritional support & vitamin supplementation
- Liver transplant often required to resolve condition
State some potential complications of the Kasai procedure for biliary atresia
- Cholangitis
- Ascites
- Portal hypertension
- Itching
State some potential complications of biliary atresia
- Unsuccessful anastomosis formation
- Progressive liver disease
- Cirrhosis with eventual hepatocellular carcinoma
What is Hirschsprung’s disease?
Congenital condition where there is absence of parasympathetic ganglion cells in the myenteric plexus (Auerbach’s plexus) in distal bowel and rectum.
Passmed: Hirschsprung’s disease is caused by an aganglionic segment of bowel due to a developmental failure of the parasympathetic Auerbach and Meissner plexuses. Although rare (occurring in 1 in 5,000 births) it is an important differential diagnosis in childhood constipation.
Explain pathophysiology of Hirschsprung’s disease
- During fetal development parasympathetic ganglion cells start higher in GI tract and gradually migrate down to the distal colon and rectum.
- In Hirschsprung’s, these parasympathetic ganglion cells do not travel all the way down hence a section of colon and rectum is left without these cells.
- Parasympathetic ganglion cells form nerve plexuses in bowel:
- Myenteric plexus: when activated primary causes smooth muscle relaxation stimulates peristalsis hence absence of some of cells that contribute leads to loss of peristalsis in colon
- Submucosal plexus: absorption, blood flow & secretions
- Length of colon without innervation varies (if entire colon affected called total colonic aganglionosis).
- Aganglionic section of colon does not relax/is in a tonic state causing it to become constricted leading to loss of movement of faeces leading to obstruction & distension of bowel proximal to obstruction.
- Furthermore, faeces in rectum fail to trigger relaxation of internal anal sphincter due to aganglionosis hence get accumulation of faeces which further contributes to obstruction.
*Passmed: parasympathetic neuroblasts fail to migrate from the neural crest to the distal colon → developmental failure of the parasympathetic Auerbach and Meissner plexuses → uncoordinated peristalsis → functional obstruction
A FH of Hirschsprung’s disease does not increase risk of child having disease; true or false?
FALSE; FH greatly increases risk
*NOTE: more common in males
Hirschsprung’s usually occurs in isolation but it can be associated with certain syndromes; state some
- Down’s syndrome
- Neurofibromatosis
- MEN type II
- Waardenburg syndrome (pale blue eyes, hearing loss, patches of white skin & hair)
Describe typical presentation of Hirschsprung’s disease
Severity of presentation depends on individual & amount of bowel affected. Can present with acute intestinal obstruction (which may lead to Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis +/- sepsis) shortly after birth or more gradually developing symptoms:
- Delay in passing meconium (>24hrs)
- Chronic constipation since birth
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal distension
- Vomiting (may be bilious)
- Poor weight gain/failure to thrive
What investigations are required to diagnose Hirschsprung’s disease? Include first line and then gold standard
- First line = AXR: look for evidence of distended colon as unlikely to be Hirschsprung’s if no distension. May be done to diagnose intestinal obstruction and look for features of Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis
- Rectal biopsy used to confirm diagnosis: histology shows absence of ganglionic cells
Discuss the management of Hirschsprung’s disease; include initial management, definitive management and total colonic aganglionosis specific management
Initial Management
- Bowel irrigation (tube inserted through rectum and put small amounts of saline into bowel, liquid rectal & colonic content expected to drain through lumen of tube)
- If have enterocolitis would also give IV fluids, IV antibiotics and potentially decompression by colostomy or ileostomy (above transition zone)
Definitive Management
- Surgical removal of aganglionic section of bowel
- *Prognosis after surgery is good; most life normal life although can have disturbances in bowel function and be left with some degree of incontinence*
Total colonic aganglionosis specific management
- Irrigations do not work as difficult to reach small bowel hence hence will require ileostomy (may still require rectal irrigations to prevent enterocolitis)
- Reversal of ileostomy and removal of aganglionic bowel at later stage
State some potential complications of Hirschsprung’s disease
- Acute intestinal obstruction
- Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis
- Post-operative constipation
For Hirschsprung associated enterocolitis, discuss:
- What it is
- Presentation
- Investigations
- Management
- Stasis of faeces has lead to bacterial overgrowth (particularly C.diff, S.aureus & anaerobes) in colon. Can lead to toxic megacolon & perforation.
- Presents: fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdo distension, abdo tenderness and eventually sepsis if not recognised early enough
- Investigations: stool culture, AXR
- Management: IV fluids, IV abx, bowel decompression by colostomy or ileostomy
Remind yourself of difference between intestinal obstruction & ileus
- Intestinal obstruction is physical obstruction that prevents flow of faeces through intestine
- Ileus is a failure of normal intestinal motility in the absence of mechanical obstruction.
State some potential causes of intestinal obstruction in neonates/children
- Meconium ileus
- Hirschsprung’s disease
- Intussusception
- Imperforate anus
- Malrotation of intestines with volvulus
- Strangulated hernia
- Oesophageal atresia
- Duodenal atresia
State some causes of ileus in children
- Electrolyte imbalance (mainly hypokalaemia)
- Infection gastroenteritis/enterocolitis
- Spinal cord injury
- Kidney disease
- Medications e.g. morphine
Describe typical presentation of intestinal obstruction
- Persistent vomiting (may be bilious)
- Abdo pain
- Abdo distension
- Absolute constipation (failure to pass wind or stools)
- Abnormal bowel sounds (tinkling at first then absent later)
What is the initial investigation for acute intestinal obstruction in children?
AXR, may show dilated loops of bowel proximal to obstruction and closed loops distally, absence of air in rectum
Discuss the management of acute intestinal obstruction in children
Emergency referral to paediatric surgical unit. Emergency management:
- NBM
- NG tube to help drain stomach
- IV fluids
Definitive management depends on underlying cause.
State some potential complications of acute intestinal obstruction
- Bowel perforation (peritonitis & sepsis)
- Dehydration
- Bowel ischaemia
- Dehydration
- AKI
Remind yourself of the pathophysiology of appendicitis
- Luminal obstruction due to:
- Faecolith
- Lymphoid hyperplasia
- Impacted stool
- Foreign object
- Appendiceal or caecal tumour (rare)
- Obstruction causes mucus in appendix to become blocked
- Increase in intra-luminal pressure
- Results in increased venous pressure
- Leads to mucosal oedema
- Mucosal oedema impairs arterial supply to appendix
- Ischaemia allows bacteria to invade the appendix wall
- Immune response to bacteria invading wall causes further swelling further impairing blood supply
- If ischaemia untreated then necrosis of wall can occur
- Necrosis of wall can laed to perforation
What is the peak age of incidence for appendicitis?
10-20yrs
Describe typical presentation of appendicitis
Children may not present in classical way so always have suspicion.
- Abdominal pain (start central then moves to RIF)
- Nausea& vomiting
- Anorexia
- Fever
- Guarding
- Tenderness at McBurney’s point (⅓ distance from ASIS to umbilicus)
- Rovsing’s sign (palpation of LIF causes pain in RIF)
- Rebound tenderness (suggest peritonitis)
- Percussion tenderness (suggest peritonitis)
Discuss how acute appendicitis is diagnosed
- Diagnosis based on clinical presentation & raised inflammatory markers (FBC, CRP)
- Ultrasound can be used in females to exclude ovarian pathology
- CT scan can be used to confirm
If clinical picture suggests acute appendicitis but investigations negative then do a diagnostic laparoscopy (can then proceed to appendicectomy if required)
State some key differentials to exclude when diagnosing appendicits
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Ovarian cysts leading to ruputre
- Ovarian torsion
- Meckel’s diverticulum
- Mesenteric adenitis (often associated with URTI or tonsillitis)
- Appendiceal mass (omentum surrounds & sticks to inflamed appendix. Treat with abx then do appendicectomy once acute condition resolved)
What scoring system can be used to risk stratify children with acute appendicitis?
Shera score
Discuss the management of appendicitis
Emergency admission to surgical team (older children >10yrs can often be manged by adult general surgeons as long as paediatric department. Younger need paediatric surgeons).
- Appendicectomy (laparoscopic preferred as fewer risk & faster recovery)
State some potential complications of appendicitis
- Perforation (leading to peritonitis and potentially sepsis)
- Appendiceal mass
- Pelvic abscess
State some potential complications of appendicectomy
- Haemorrhage/bleeding
- Infection
- Damage to bowel or other nearby organs
- Anaesthetic risk
- VTE
- Scars
What is intussusception?
Where in bowel most common?
What ages is it common between?
Which gender more common in?
- Bowel invaginates/telescopes into itself/prolapse of one part of intestine into the lumen of the adjoining distal part
- Mostly commonly around ileocaecal region
- 6 months - 2yrs
- Boys > girls (2:1)
State some conditions associated with intussusception
- Concurrent viral illness
- Henoch-Schonlein purpura
- Cystic fibrosis
- Intestinal polyps
- Meckel diverticulum
*Lead point is often an enlarged lymph node (Peyer’s patch) in terminal ileum.
What investigations are required for intussusception?
- First line= ultrasound: show target like mass
- AXR: if perforation or obstruction suspected- shows meniscus
- Contrast enema (x-ray): contraindicated if perforation, peritonitis, shock, unstable
Describe typical presentation of intussusception
- Severe, colicky abdo pain
- Pale. lethargic, unwell child
- Redcurrant jelly stool
- RUQ mass on palpation “sausage shaped”
- Vomiting
- Symptoms & signs of intestinal obstruction
Describe what happens to the bowel during intussusception
The invagination/telescoping of bowel into itself thickens the overall size of the bowel (why you feel mass in RUQ) and narrows the lumen (which can lead to obstruction). Also results in bowel wall oedema as it obstructs venous flow.
Discuss the management of intussusception
- Non-surgical reduction:
- Insufflation under radiological control (now widely used first line)
- Contrast enemas
- If above fails or child is clinically unstable surgical reduction is required
- If have bowel wall necrosis or perforation then surgical resection required