Intra-abdominal and retroperitoneal lymphangiomas are a rare, congenital malformations of the lymphatics, which are found predominantly in children. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical features of this tumor, highlighting the differences in adults and pediatric patients. We also evaluate the preoperative diagnosis, radiological features, surgical treatment, and outcome of this rare condition. Between 1990 and 2004, 14 patients who underwent surgical resection of an intra-abdominal lymphangioma were reviewed retrospectively. There were five pediatric patients between fetal age and 17 years of age and nine adults between 31 and 62 years of age. Overall, females outnumbered males in the series, with a male-to-female ratio of 3:4. However, males predominated in the pediatric age group with a male-to-female ratio of 1.5:1. The clinical presentation of children was more acute ranging from 3 days to 2 months. In adults, four patients were asymptomatic, and the remaining five had symptom duration ranging from 2 weeks to a year. The lymphangiomas occurred in the mesentery (n = 4), retroperitoneum (n = 4), omentum (n = 3), pancreas (n = 2), and spleen (n = 1). All the patients underwent total surgical resection with or without organ resection, and there were no recurrences at a median follow-up of 2 years (range; 3 months--13 years). This series demonstrates that abdominal lymphangiomas have a male preponderance and present more acutely in pediatric patients, whereas in adults, female patients predominate and the history is more chronic.

The aims of this study were to determine the pattern of presentation of childhood mediastinal masses in our community and to identify factors associated with the development of acute airway compromise. The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 29 consecutive patients with mediastinal masses managed at their institution between January 1995 and December 2001. Demographic data, mass characteristics, clinical presentation, and surgical procedures were recorded. Seven patients (24.1%) were asymptomatic at presentation. Eight (27.6%) were classified as having acute airway compromise at presentation. Respiratory symptoms and signs were the most common mode of presentation (58.6% and 55.2%, respectively). The most common histological diagnosis was neurogenic mass (37.9%), followed by lymphoma (24.1%). Most masses were located in the superior mediastinum (41.1%). Factors associated with the development of acute airway compromise were (1) anterior location of the mediastinal mass (P=0.019), (2) histological diagnosis of lymphoma (P=0.008), (3) symptoms and signs of superior vena cava syndrome (P=0.015 and 0.003, respectively), (4) radiological evidence of vessel compression or displacement (P=0.015), (5) pericardial effusion (P=0.015), and (6) pleural effusion (P=0.033). Clinical presentation of childhood mediastinal masses is often nonspecific or incidental. Yet they have the propensity of developing acute airway compromise, which is closely associated with superior vena cava obstruction. Such patients should be managed as a complex cardiorespiratory syndrome, termed "critical mediastinal mass syndrome", by an experienced multidisciplinary team.

Meckel's diverticulum (MD), a seemingly innocuous anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract, presents distinctive challenges to a clinician, as it is prone to varied complications that are frequently elusive to diagnosis with conventional diagnostic modalities. This case series illustrates the diverse presentations and advantages of laparoscopic-assisted management of Meckel's diverticular complications in children. Between October 2002 and April 2006, 36 patients (27 males and 9 females) aged 1.5 to 16 years (median 10 years) underwent laparoscopic-assisted trans-umbilical Meckel's diverticulectomy (LATUM). Sixteen (44.4%) patients presented with lower gastrointestinal bleeding (14 with painless bleed and 2 with perforated peptic ulcer in the ileum adjacent to the MD), six (16.7%) patients presented with intestinal obstruction (four due to a mesodiverticular band and one each due to intussusception and floppy giant cystic dilatation of MD causing intestinal compression) and four (11.1%) patients presented with features masquerading as appendicitis (one with Meckel's diverticulitis and perforation, one with perforated peptic ulcer adjacent to MD and two with a torted and gangrenous MD). In ten (27.8%) patients, incidental MD with a narrow base was noted at laparoscopic exploration for suspected appendicitis. All patients underwent successful LATUM along with appendicectomy in 15 (41.7%) patients. The operative duration ranged from 72 to 266 min (mean 125.9+/-48.4). There were no intra-operative complications and none required conversion to open surgery. The hospital stay was 3 to 9 days (mean 5.3+/-1.2). There were three (8.3%) cases of postoperative adhesive intestinal obstruction; two underwent successful laparoscopic adhesiolysis and one necessitated conversion to suprapubic laparotomy to release the pelvic adhesions. There were no other complications during the follow-up (median 16 months). LATUM is a safe, effective and an esthetic procedure offering timely diagnosis and cure for diverse Meckel's diverticular complications. The technique also allows palpation of the MD and avoids usage of expensive staplers.

BackgroundDespite socioeconomic and clinical progress, pediatric tumors continue to present in advanced stage, and may be due to delays in diagnosis. This study aimed to identify factors associated with diagnostic delay (time between symptom onset and diagnosis) in pediatric tumors in a population‐based study, and to assess the impact of delay on subsequent outcome.ProcedureNatural logarithm of delay was retrospectively described for 390 newly diagnosed tumors reported to the Singapore Childhood Cancer Registry from 1997 to 2007. Delay was correlated with socio‐demographic, disease and healthcare‐system factors using multivariate linear regression, and with event‐free survival (EFS) using Cox regression analysis.ResultsTotal median delay was 5.3 weeks (range 0.1–283.1). Shorter delay was independently associated with younger patient age (P = 0.006), abdominal and pelvic sites (P < 0.001 and P = 0.036, respectively), incidental diagnoses by healthcare staff (P = 0.002), and when pediatric emergency units were the first contacted healthcare facilities and the first to raise suspicion of malignancy (P = 0.034, and P = 0.018, respectively). These factors explained only a small percentage of variance in delay times (21%). Delay was not associated with EFS and disease stage, with 24% of tumors presenting in stage 4.ConclusionsDiagnostic delay was independently associated with age and site of presentation, and points of first symptom detection, first healthcare contact, and first suspicion of malignancy. The broad range of clinical variables analyzed could only account in a small way for differences in delay times observed. While overall delay times were short, they did not influence disease stage at presentation and eventual outcome. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012; 58: 561–565. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The CT appearance of a pathologically proven spontaneous multiloculated multiseptated pneumomediastinum in a newborn baby has not been reported in the English literature. Our baby was delivered vaginally at term and developed mild respiratory distress after birth. The antenatal history was unremarkable apart from borderline oligohydramnios. The multiple septa seen within the pneumomediastinum on CT on day 3 may simulate an underlying 'bubbly' lung lesion like congenital cystadenomatoid malformation or congenital lobar emphysema, but actually represent anatomically known fascia surrounding the thymus. Furthermore, in neonates, air in the mediastinum often loculates locally and tends not to dissect widely as in adults.