Aims: To correlate the age at surgery, liver function tests, and hepatic and portal tract histo-pathological changes with surgical outcome in the form of disappearance of jaundice in extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA). Materials and Methods : This is a retrospective study of 39 cases of EHBA. There were 19 males and 10 females. Kasai's portoenterostomy (KPE) along with liver biopsy was performed in these patients; for purpose of correlation this biopsy was considered to be the preoperative biopsy. These patients were divided into three groups based upon surgical outcome: (A) disappearance of jaundice; (B) initial disappearance of jaundice with recurrence after 3 months; and (C) persistence of jaundice. Postoperatively, liver function tests and liver biopsies were repeated at 3 months after the KPE. Results : There were 11 patients in group A (28%), 21 patients in group B (54%), and seven patients in group C (18%). The age at surgery was comparable in all the three groups. The postoperative levels of serum bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) showed statistically significant improvement as compared with the preoperative levels in group A and B patients. Patients belonging to group C showed no improvement in the liver functions following surgery. The preoperative hepatic histopathological changes (hepatocellular alteration, cholestasis, bile ductular proliferation, and bile duct inflammation) showed a significant difference among the three groups; patients with lesser degrees of pre-existing histopathological changes had better outcome following surgery. Fibrosis was seen in all the three groups preoperatively but the difference was not statistically significant. Group C had significant fibrosis in more than 50% patients. Additional findings, viz. ductal plate malformation (9 patients, 23%) and giant cell transformation (19 patients, 49%) did not show any correlation with surgical outcomes. Conclusions : The liver function tests and the histopathological features appeared to affect the final surgical outcome of these patients. Higher degree of cholestasis, hepatocellular alteration, bile ductule proliferation, bile duct inflammation showed definite correlation with poor surgical outcome. High grade hepatic fibrosis and portal edema showed a trend towards poor outcome but did not achieve statistical significance.

Aim: To analyse the clinicopathological features of neonatal mucormycosis Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of cases of neonatal gastrointestinal mucormycosis. Results : There were six neonates with male: female ratio of 1:1. Except one all were preterm babies. The clinical presentation was abdominal distension in the majority. All were clinically diagnosed as either NEC or toxic megacolon with perforation. Neonatal gastrointestinal mucormycosis was not suspected clinically in any. All the children were explored immediately. Biopsy revealed transmural hemorrhagic necrosis/infarction of the intestinal wall with fungal hyphae. Conclusions: The physicians should have a high index of suspicion for gastrointestinal tract mucormycosis in neonates with metabolic disturbances who present with abdominal distension and pneumoperitoneum. Early diagnosis and aggressive medical and surgical treatment may improve the outcome of neonates with this potentially lethal invasive disease.

Aims: To analyse the factors affecting clinical and functional outcome of Veau-Wardill-Kilner palatoplasty in various types of cleft palate. Materials and Methods: Demographic data were retrieved from case records and a detailed speech, language and hearing and an orthodontic analysis were carried out prospectively. Results: Mean age at operation was 2.7 years; whereas mean age at the time of evaluation was 6 years. Most of the patients (43.3%, 13/30) had a bilateral cleft lip and palate. The postoperative fistula had developed in 31% (4/13) of the patients with bilateral clefts and in 17% (1/6) and 9% (1/11) of the patients with left unilateral and isolated cleft palate respectively (P<0.05). Eight per cent (2/24) of the patients operated before 2 years of age developed a fistula as compared to 66.6% (4/6) of the patients who had undergone a repair after 2 years of age (P<0.01). Severe speech abnormality was seen in 33.4% of the patients having postoperative fistula as compared to 16.6% of non-fistula patients (P<0.05). Derangement of speech was found in 66.6% of the patients who had undergone surgery after the age of 2 years as compared to the patients (13%, 3/24) undergoing correction before 2 years of age (P<0.05). Hearing loss was seen most commonly in patients with bilateral cleft palate as compared to the other varieties (P>0.05). Tympanic membrane (TM) abnormalities were also more common in bilateral cleft patients (P<0.05). Mean maxillary arch length, arch circumference and maxillary inter-canine and inter-molar width were significantly reduced as compared to the control group (P<0.001). Conclusions: Socially acceptable quality of speech can be achieved in more than 85% of the patients. The postoperative fistula is associated with poor speech; bilateral cleft and older age being the risk factors for fistula formation. Many patients require audiological surveillance even when asymptomatic. Maxillary growth is impaired in all the patients despite early surgery.

All the currently known reconstructions for aphallia are carried out around puberty. We describe a novel technique as a temporizing procedure which would see the patient through childhood. This would not cause any hindrance while undertaking any of the other established procedures later on after puberty.

A novel technique of bladder augmentation is reported, wherein the distal dilated ends of tortuous ureters were used for ureterocystoplasty while proximal remaining ureters reimplanted back into the native bladder.

A neonate with unilateral complete duplex system with congenital giant megaureter of the upper moiety presenting as abdominal lump is reported. A left upper moiety nephroureterectomy was performed. Such an anomaly with this presentation has not been reported in neonates.

A 6-month-old boy presented with pallor, large left hypochondrial mass and hepatomegaly. Computerized tomography (CT) revealed cystic lesions in bilateral adrenals, liver and retroperitoneal lymph nodes and a lytic left femur lesion. There was hemorrhagic aspirate with round blue cells. Excised left sided mass with adjacent lymph nodes and biopsies of others confirmed well differentiated neuroblastoma. He received 4 cycles of chemotherapy with remaining lesions markedly reduced at 2 months CT scan. At 2 year follow up he is doing well.

We report a case of acute urinary retention due to intravesical auto knotting of infant feeding tube in a child treated successfully by endoscopic approach.

A rare case of unilateral scrotoschisis in a full term infant delivered by Caesarean section is reported.

A rare case of thoracic fetus in fetu is reported. Complete excision was curative.

Report of the use of video assisted thoracic surgery for traumatic diaphragmatic hernia repair in two children