Background: Acute extremity compartment syndrome is a surgical emergency for which timely diagnosis is essential.

Objectives: To assess whether the time from the initial insult to the fasciotomy of compartment syndrome of the upper extremity affects outcomes and to examine the differences between compartment syndrome secondary to fractures and that resulting from a non-fracture etiology with regard to the time from insult to fasciotomy and the long-term patient outcomes.

Methods: Patients presented with documented fasciotomy treatment following acute upper extremity compartment syndrome and a minimum of 6 months follow-up. Patient information included demographics, cause of compartment syndrome, method of diagnosis, and outcome on follow-up.

Results: Our study was comprised of 25 patients. Fasciotomies were performed for compartment syndrome caused by fracture in 11 patients (44%), and due to insults other than fractures in 14 patients (56%). The average time to fasciotomy in patients without a fracture was 10.21 hours and 16.55 hours with a fracture. Fasciotomy performed more than 24 hours from the initial insult was not found to significantly affect long-term sequelae compared to fasciotomy performed earlier than 24 hours from the initial insult. The non-fracture group had more long-term sequelae than the fracture group (13/15 patients and 5/11 patients, respectively).

Conclusions: Most injuries treated for fasciotomy of compartment syndrome were non-fracture related, with more complications found in patients with non-fracture related injuries. Time interval from insult to fasciotomy did not affect outcome and was longer in the fracture group, suggesting longer monitoring in this group and supporting fasciotomy even with late presentation.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related bronchiolitis is a common cause of morbidity in young infants. The recommendations for its passive prevention by palivizumab are currently under intensive debate.

Objectives: To elucidate the optimal prevention strategy by studying the morbidity of RSV disease under the current recommendations for palivizumab prophylaxis in Israel.

Methods: We collected demographic and clinical data of all children hospitalized with microbiologically confirmed RSV bronchiolitis during 2015–2016 at Schneider Children's Medical Center. The seasonality of RSV disease was also studied for the period 2010–2017 in sentinel clinics scattered throughout Israel.

Results: Of the 426 hospitalized children, 106 (25%) had underlying diseases but were not eligible for palivizumab prophylaxis according to the current criteria in Israel. Their course was severe, with a mean hospital stay of 6.7 days and a 12% admission rate to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Palivizumab-eligible children who did not receive the prophylaxis before hospitalization had the most severe course, with 22% admitted to the PICU. More children were diagnosed with RSV disease in October than in March among both hospitalized and ambulatory children; 44% of the palivizumab-eligible hospitalized children were admitted in the last 2 weeks of October, before 1 November which is the recommended date for starting palivizumab administration in Israel.

Conclusions: According to the results of the present study we suggest advancing RSV prophylaxis in Israel from 1 November to mid-October. The precise palivizumab-eligible categories should be reconsidered.

Background: Strong evidence suggests that in order to prevent irreversible testicular damage surgical correction (orchidopexy) for undescended testis (UDT) should be performed before the age of 1 year. 

Objectives: To evaluate whether orchidopexy is delayed in our medical system, and if so, to explore the pattern of referral for orchidopexy as a possible contributing factor in such delays. 

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all children who underwent orchidopexy for UDT between 2003 and 2013 in our institution. We collected data on the age at surgery and the child's health insurance plan. We also surveyed pediatricians from around the country regarding their pattern of UDT patient referral to a pediatric urologist or surgeon for surgical correction.

Results: A total of 813 children underwent orchidopexy in our institute during the study period. The median age at surgery was 1.49 years (range 0.5–13). Only 11% of the children underwent surgery under the age of 1 year, and 53% between the ages of 1 and 2 years. These findings were consistent throughout the years, with no difference between the four health insurance plans. Sixty-three pediatricians who participated in the survey reported that they referred children to surgery at a median age of 1 year (range 0.5–3 years).

Conclusions: Our results demonstrate delayed orchidopexy in our medical system. There is a need to improve awareness for early specialist consultation in order to facilitate earlier surgery and better care.

 

Background: Despite the large volume of evidence on the management of retained products of conception (RPOC), there are virtually no data regarding the optimal time frame of surgical intervention in case of RPOC.

Objectives: To examine whether the time interval between spontaneous vaginal delivery or pregnancy termination and the uterine evacuation due to pathologically confirmed RPOC influences the reproductive outcome.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all the records of women who were admitted to our department due to pathologically confirmed RPOC following either spontaneous vaginal delivery or pregnancy termination between January 2000 and December 2010. Based on the median time from delivery or pregnancy termination until the operative intervention in the study group, patients were stratified into two groups: early intervention (< 3 weeks) and late intervention (> 3 weeks). Reproductive outcomes were compared between the two study groups. 

Results: Reproductive outcomes were analyzed in 172 patients with pathologically confirmed RPOC. Of them, 95 (55.2%) were included in the early intervention group and 77 (44.8%) in the late intervention group. There were no significant differences in the conception rate, mean time to conception, and the occurrence rate of a new infertility problem in women with early surgical intervention compared to those with late surgical intervention (P > 0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the groups in the pregnancy outcomes following RPOC. 

Conclusions: Early surgical intervention in women with pathologically confirmed RPOC following spontaneous vaginal delivery or pregnancy termination yields the same reproductive outcomes as late surgical intervention.

 

Background: The timing of interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy continues to be a matter of debate. 

Objectives: To evaluate the best timing for performing this procedure after an episode of acute cholecystitis. 

Methods: In this retrospective analysis, we divided 213 patients into three groups based on the time that elapsed since an episode of acute cholecystitis to surgery: Group I: 1–6 weeks, Group II: 6–12 weeks, Group III: > 12 weeks. 

Results: The mean operative time ranged from 50 to 62 minutes, complication rate from 2.6% to 5.9%, conversion rate from 2.6% to 10.8%, length of hospitalization from 1.55 to 2.2 days, and the 30 day readmission rate from 2.7% to 7.9%. There were no statistically significant differences between the study groups in the primary outcome parameters.

Conclusions: Due to the lack of statistically significant differences between the groups, interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed safely and without increasing the complication rate within 6 weeks following the acute episode as well as 12 weeks after. However, a trend towards higher conversion and complication rates was observed in Group II (6–12 weeks).

 

Background: Previous studies led to the recommendation to schedule planned elective cesarean deliveries at or after 39 weeks of gestation, and not before 38 weeks. The question is whether this practice is appropriate in face of possible risks to the newborn should the pregnancy have to be ended by cesarean section before the scheduled date.

Objectives: To compare the outcomes of newborn infants who were delivered on their scheduled day by elective cesarean section versus those who required delivery earlier.

Methods: This single-center retrospective study was based on medical records covering a period of 18 months. We compared the neonatal outcomes of 272 infants delivered by elective cesarean section as scheduled (at 38.8 ± 0.8 weeks gestation) and 44 infants who had to be delivered earlier than planned (at 37.9 ± 1.1 weeks). 

Results: We found no morbidity directly related to delivery by cesarean section before the scheduled date. There were no significant differences in the need for resuscitation after delivery. Although more of the infants who were delivered early were admitted to intensive care and overall stayed longer in the hospital (5.8 ± 7.3 vs. 3.9 ± 0.8 days, P < 0.02), their more severe respiratory illness and subsequent longer hospitalization was the result of their younger gestational age. Transient tachypnea of the newborn was associated with younger gestational age at delivery in both groups.

Conclusions: We suggest continuing with the current recommendation to postpone elective cesarean singleton deliveries beyond 38–39 weeks of gestation whenever possible.

Background: Spontaneous coronary reperfusion occurs in 7–27% of patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction, and is an independent predictor of myocardial salvage, percutaneous coronary intervention success, and improved outcome.

Objectives: To determine the optimal PCI[1] time for patients admitted to the hospital due to STEMI[2] with SCR[3].

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to the coronary care unit between July 2002 and November 2004 with a diagnosis of STEMI with SCR.

Results: The study group comprised 86 patients. There was not a single reinfarction episode during an observation period of 6579 patient hours. Cardiac catheterization was executed early (< 24 hours from pain onset) in 26 patients and late (> 24 hours) in 55. Pre-PCI angiographic TIMI flow 2–3 was seen in > 95% in both groups. PCI was performed more frequently in the “early” group (P = 0.024), while multi-vessel coronary artery disease (P = 0.094) requiring coronary bypass surgery (P = 0.056) was observed more frequently in the “late catheterization” group. Myocardial infarction and angina pectoris at 30 days occurred more frequently in the early catheterization group (P = 0.039), however no difference in any major adverse cardiac events was detected during long-term follow-up (491 ± 245 days).

Conclusions: Reinfarction after STEMI with SCR is a rare event. Early PCI in patients with STEMI and SCR, even when executed with aggressive anti-platelet therapy, seems to result in an excess of early MACE, without any long-term advantage. Prospective randomized trials should determine the optimal PCI timing for these patients.