Gastrointestinal perforations (GIP) in newborns are serious neonatal conditions that have significant morbidity and mortality, especially in resource constrained setups. This study was done to describe our experience of GIP in neonates and identify the factors leading to high mortality in our setup. We collected 18 cases with GIP in neonates. The average age was 5.7 days (range, 1-7 days). The sex ratio was 0.64. The average time to treatment was 3.3 days (range, 1-10 days). The etiology of GIP was perforated necrotizing enterocolitis (13 patients), spontaneous gastric perforation (2 patients), perforated ileal atresia (1 patient), ileal perforation complicating a strangulated inguinoscrotal hernia (1 patient), and peritonitis after colostomy (1 patient). Mortality was 77.8% (n=14), among which 9 newborns (64.3%) died preoperatively. Prematurity, management delay, and lack of a neonatal intensive care unit were the main poor prognostic factors. Mortality from GIP is still high in our context due to several factors, especially prematurity, management delay, and lack of a neonatal intensive care unit.

No abstract

No abstract

Background: There are no real comparative study between guided growth and tibial osteotomy in early stage of Blount disease. The aim of this work was to compare the results of patients treated by these two techniques. Method: We had performed a multicenter retrospective, descriptive and analytical study over a period of 05 years. All children admitted for Blount disease without medial proximal tibial epiphysiodesis and treated by one of these techniques were included. Age, sex, existence of tibial torsion, radiological stage based on Catonne's classification were studied. We also evaluated preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and at latest follow-up tibiofemoral angle, mechanical medial proximal tibial angle, mechanical lateral distal femoral angle, and the tibial metaphyso-diaphyseal angle. Results: Seventeen (17) patients for 24 knees were included. The sex ratio was 0.54. All patients had tibial torsion. Fourteen knees (64%) were treated by guided growth at a mean age of 5.5±2.5 (range, 3-9 years). With a mean follow-up of 12 ± 3.5 months (range 6-15month); tibiofemoral, mechanical medial proximal tibial, and tibial metaphyso-diaphyseal angles were significantly corrected with normalization of the mechanical axis in 8 patients (60%). Ten patients (36%) were treated by revisited Rab osteotomy at a mean age of 7.7±4.9 years (range, 4-12 years). At a mean follow-up of 23±15 months (range, 10-48 months), only tibial metaphyso-diaphyseal angle was significantly corrected. The recurrence rate was 60%. Despite perfect correction of tibiofemoral, and mechanical medial proximal tibial angles in immediate postoperative follow-up, they gradually decrease in patients treated by Rab osteotomy, whereas they gradually increased in case of guided growth. Conclusion: Guided growth appears to be the best treatment for early stage of Blount disease. Trial registration: Retrospectively registered

Highlights Congenital macrostomia is an uncommon facial malformation in children. The choice of the surgical procedure should be based on functional, aesthetic results and the surgeon's experience. Even in underdeveloped countries, Z-commissuroplasty could be performed with good results. Further research should focus on long-term follow-up of large series, regardless of the type of surgical procedure.