Gastrointestinal Dysfunction Criteria in Critically Ill Children: The PODIUM Consensus Conference

CONTEXT Prior criteria to define pediatric multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) did not include gastrointestinal dysfunction. OBJECTIVES Our objective was to evaluate current evidence and to develop consensus criteria for gastrointestinal dysfunction in critically ill children. DATA SOURCES Electronic searches of PubMed and EMBASE were conducted from January 1992 to January 2020, using medical subject heading terms and text words to define gastrointestinal dysfunction, pediatric critical illness, and outcomes. STUDY SELECTION Studies were included if they evaluated critically ill children with gastrointestinal dysfunction, performance characteristics of assessment/scoring tools to screen for gastrointestinal dysfunction, and assessed outcomes related to mortality, functional status, organ-specific outcomes, or other patient-centered outcomes. Studies of adults or premature infants, animal studies, reviews/commentaries, case series with sample size ≤10, and non-English language studies with inability to determine eligibility criteria were excluded. DATA EXTRACTION Data were abstracted from each eligible study into a standard data extraction form along with risk of bias assessment by a task force member. RESULTS The systematic review supports the following criteria for severe gastrointestinal dysfunction: 1a) bowel perforation, 1b) pneumatosis intestinalis, or 1c) bowel ischemia, present on plain abdominal radiograph, computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or gross surgical inspection, or 2) rectal sloughing of gut mucosa. LIMITATIONS The validity of the consensus criteria for gastrointestinal dysfunction are limited by the quantity and quality of current evidence. CONCLUSIONS Understanding the role of gastrointestinal dysfunction in the pathophysiology and outcomes of MODS is important in pediatric critical illness.

Severe pneumoperitoneum in a newborn without any established cause in a tertiary health institution in a low resource setting: A case report

Pneumoperitoneum is the presence of air within the peritoneal cavity. Pneumoperitoneum is said to occur more in neonates than in infants and most cases are idiopathic. However it may be caused by necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), gastrointestinal tract perforation, iatrogenic causes such as mechanical ventilation and intrathoracic pathology (pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum). Plain abdominal radiograph has a good diagnostic value in evaluating patients with suspected pneumoperitoneum. Pneumoperitoneum can also be diagnosed using computed tomography (CT). A case of neonatal pneumoperitoneum without any established cause is reported due to its rarity. The approach to its management and radiological signs of pneumoperitoneum are also presented.

Dysgerminoma: diagnostic impasse

Dysgerminoma is a rare malignant ovarian tumour in women of reproductive age group, featuring lower abdominal pain and abdominal mass with elevated tumour markers. The tumour grows rapidly and diagnosed at an earlier stage. We present a short-statured 20 years girl with intermittent abdominal pain and distention for 4 months, on examination huge abdominal mass of size 20x15 cm, firm in consistency was palpable, lower limit not ascertained. Routine blood investigations normal, thyroid function test showed hypothyroidism. A plain abdominal radiograph shows a large homogenous mass fitting mid part of abdomen with displaced bowel loop. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography abdomen and pelvis show up 20x18.5x9.5 cm well defined heterogeneous mass, with areas of necrosis suggesting mesenchymal tumour or germ cell tumour. CA 125, alpha-fetoprotein, lactate dehydrogenase, beta human chorionic gonadotropin were raised. Magnetic resonance imaging abdomen and pelvis show 10x16x17cm hetero intense lesion, bilateral ovary normal. After tumour board discussion image-guided biopsy was done, suggestive of epithelioid gastrointestinal stromal tumour. Laparotomy displayed a large mass 22x16x10 cm arising from left ovary, no enlarged lymph node, completed with left salpingo-oophorectomy. Histopathology examination and immunohistochemistry definitive of dysgerminoma. In this clinical scenario, we narrate the importance of clinical examination and increased dependence on imaging modalities in diagnosing the patient. The treatment is based on the international federation of gynaecology and obstetrics staging with surgical treatment, adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Acute massive gastric dilatation: a rare, forgotten complication of fundoplication

An 8-year-old boy with a history of multiple neonatal laparotomies, including congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair and an open fundoplication, presented acutely with severe abdominal pain, distension, vomiting and shock. A large abnormal opacity in the left upper quadrant was visible on a plain abdominal radiograph. The patient was taken to the theatre for emergency laparotomy and was found to have a massively distended stomach, the fundus and body of which were necrotic. A subtotal gastrectomy was performed, sparing the viable tissue. The patient went on to make a full recovery. Acute massive gastric dilatation (AMGD) is a rare condition characterised by severe gastric distension. Gastric ischaemia results when intragastric pressure exceeds venous pressure, obstructing venous outflow. It is important to recognise AMGD as a severe complication of fundoplication due to closed-loop gastric obstruction. It should prompt consideration of an early laparotomy in cases where the diagnosis is suspected.

Primary Gastrointestinal Amyloidosis: An Unusual Cause of Acute Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction

Amyloidosis of the gastrointestinal tract is an uncommon disorder characterized by the extracellular deposition of an abnormal fibrillar protein. It is rarely proven by biopsy. Amyloid deposition interferes with organ structure and its function. We report a case of a 64-year-old male who presented with severe colicky pain, unable to pass feces, and progressive abdominal distension for 2 days. Physical examination revealed marked abdominal distension, visible peristalsis, high-pitched hyperactive bowel sounds, and generalized tenderness. Plain abdominal radiograph showed markedly diffuse disproportional dilatation of the small bowel with different heights of air-fluid levels in the same loop. Abdominal computed tomography showed an evidence of small bowel obstruction, which revealed no gross mass or cause of obstruction, but long segment narrowing of the terminal ileum was seen. Ileocolonoscopy showed diffuse edematous mucosa of the ileum without mechanical obstruction but loss of normal bowel peristalsis. A random biopsy of the ileum was performed for pathological diagnosis, which reported extensive deposits of amorphous material within the muscle layers and in the submucosal vessels that stained strongly with Congo red and displayed the typical apple-green birefringence of amyloid protein when viewed under plane polarized light. Serum electrophoretic tests disclosed a monoclonal band of IgG-kappa monoclonal protein. His clinical symptoms improved after receiving chemotherapy with melphalan and prednisolone. Our case illustrated the rare cause of acute intestinal obstruction which mimicked a surgical condition. Primary intestinal amyloidosis should be in a differential diagnosis in patients without a demonstrated cause of obstruction.

Seorang Wanita Muda dengan Tuberkulosis Usus Menyerupai Apendiksitis Akut

Background: Tuberculosis has become a global health problem, with increasing numbers of cases in line with the increasing number of immunocompromised patients. Intestinal of tuberculosis is believed to be a form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis which will occur most often in the future . Case: This case presents a young woman, 20 years old, suspected of acute appendicitis with suspected perforation, had right abdominal pain since 1 month and getting worse since 5 days PTA (prior to admission). The abdomen enlarges and feels hard on the right abdomen after being treated for 3 days. Fever,body weaknes,decreased of appetite, decreased of body weight approximately 7 kg since 2 months PTA. There are nausea, vomiting, diarea with runny mucus since 2 weeks PTA. The chest x-ray, abdominal ultrasound, endoscopy was normal result and plain abdominal radiograph showed that intestinal dilatation and step ladder features suspicious obstructive ileus. Discussion: After 2 months of therapy abdominal symptoms improved and weight began to gradually increase. Intestinal of tuberculosis is a challenge for clinicians to diagnose despite using modern medical techniques because the clinical and laboratory features are not specific especially when active pulmonary infection is absent and there are similarities with other abdominal diseases. The histological features will provide a diagnose. The delay in diagnosis will lead to more severe complications. Conclusion: At present a combination of clinical, radiological and pathological features continues to be the key to diagnosing intestinal tuberculosis. Medical management with antituberculosis drugs will produce a significant resolution of symptoms.