Aims: Study on prognostic significance of antenatal ultrasonography and renin angiotensin system activation in predicting disease severity in posterior urethral valves. Materials and Methods: Antenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis patients were included. Postnatally, they were divided into two groups, posterior urethral valve (PUV) and non-PUV. The studied parameters were: Gestational age at detection, surgical intervention, ultrasound findings, cord blood and follow up plasma renin activity (PRA) values, vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR), renal scars, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Results: A total of 25 patients were included, 10 PUV and 15 non-PUV. All infants with PUV underwent primary valve incision. GFR was less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m ² body surface area in 4 patients at last follow-up. Keyhole sign, oligoamnios, absent bladder cycling, and cortical cysts were not consistent findings on antenatal ultrasound in PUV. Cord blood PRA was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in PUV compared to non-PUV patients. Gestational age at detection of hydronephrosis, cortical cysts, bladder wall thickness, and amniotic fluid index were not significantly correlated with GFR while PRA could differentiate between poor and better prognosis cases with PUV. Conclusions: Ultrasound was neither uniformly useful in diagnosing PUV antenatally, nor differentiating it from cases with non-PUV hydronephrosis. In congenital hydronephrosis, cord blood PRA was significantly higher in cases with PUV compared to non-PUV cases and fell significantly after valve ablation. Cord blood PRA could distinguish between poor and better prognosis cases with PUV.

Aim: To review our experience of laparoscopic repair of Morgagni's hernia (MH) using transfascial sutures. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective review of patients presenting to the first author with the diagnosis of MH over a 15-year period. The variables analyzed included demographic data, clinical presentation, and operative details. Results: In all there were five male with a median age of 2 years. They were asymptomatic and MH was detected incidentally by observing an air-filled density in the right cardiophrenic angle on plain X-ray of the chest. Computed tomography (CT) confirmed the diagnosis in all patients. All patients underwent laparoscopic repair of MH using transfascial sutures. The average operative time was 75 min. Oral feeding was started 6 h after surgery and patients were discharged on either 3 ^rd or 4 ^th postoperative day. Postoperative follow-up X-ray confirmed the intact repair. Conclusions: Laparoscopic repair of MH using transfascial sutures is an easy and effective solution. Multiple horizontal mattress sutures taking full thickness of abdominal wall muscles with the edge of the diaphragm leads to a strong repair. As sutures are tied extracorporeally, the technique is easily reproducible.

Background: Surgical correction of severe proximal hypospadias represents a significant surgical challenge and single-stage corrections are often associated with complications and reoperations. Bracka two-stage repair is an attractive alternative surgical procedure with superior, reliable, and reproducible results. Purpose: To study the feasibility and applicability of Bracka two-stage repair for the severe proximal hypospadias and to analyze the outcomes and complications of this surgical technique. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted from January 2011 to December 2013. Bracka two-stage repair was performed using inner preputial skin as a free graft in subjects with proximal hypospadias in whom severe degree of chordee and/or poor urethral plate was present. Only primary cases were included in this study. All subjects received three doses of intra-muscular testosterone 3 weeks apart before first stage. Second stage was performed 6 months after the first stage. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 24 months. Results: A total of 43 patients operated for Bracka repair, out of which 30 patients completed two-stage repair. Mean age of the patients was 4 years and 8 months. We achieved 100% graft uptake and no revision was required. Three patients developed fistula, while two had metal stenosis. Glans dehiscence, urethral stricture and the residual chordee were not found during follow-up and satisfactory cosmetic results with good urinary stream were achieved in all cases. Conclusion: The Bracka two-stage repair is a safe and reliable approach in select patients in whom it is impractical to maintain the axial integrity of the urethral plate, and, therefore, a full circumference urethral reconstruction become necessary. This gives good results both in terms of restoration of normal function with minimal complication.

Caudal epidural block is one of the most commonly performed neuraxial block techniques with reliable peri-operative and post-operative analgesia in pediatric patients. In our randomized, prospective, double-blinded, open level, parallel group study, we have established the effect of caudal epidural block on maintenance requirement of intravenous (IV) propofol in targeted bispectral (BIS) monitored patients. Context: Neuraxial anesthesia exhibits sedative properties that may reduce the requirement for general anesthesia. TIVA with propofol has been administered as an established method of maintaining general anesthesia in children. Caudal analgesia being a type of neuraxial block, also seems to reduce the requirement of sedative hypnotics in pediatric patients. Numerous studies show that for patients, administered with caudal epidural block, they require reduced intra-operative volatile inhalation anesthetics. In the present study, we have established the anesthetic sparing effect of Caudal Epidural Analgesia in children undergoing infra-umbilical surgical procedure and calculated the efficacy of propofol-infusion in maintaining adequate depth of anesthesia. Aims: (1) To study and compare the dose requirements of propofol using caudal epidural analgesia. (2) To calculate the efficacy of propofol as maintenance anesthetic agent in both groups and to compare hemodynamic stability of patients in both the techniques. Settings and Design: In our study, after administering general anesthesia to pediatric patients, we have administered caudal analgesia and IV analgesia to monitor the requirement of intra-operative propofol infusion using BIS monitor with a target value of 40-60 in both groups. Materials and Methods: 82 patients (aged between 3 and 6 years) have been selected undergoing infra-umbilical surgery and randomly allocated into two groups containing 41 patients in each group. Both the groups group B and group A then intubated with glycopyrrolate, 2 mg/kg injection fentanyl, propofol till loss of verbal contact and atracurium at the rate of 0.5 mg/kg and group B has been administered caudal epidural blockade with 1 ml/kg 0.2% ropivacaine. Propofol infusion at the rate of 10 mg/kg/h is given as maintenance. BIS value has been recorded throughout and propofol requirement at the end of surgery has been calculated. Statistical Analysis Used: Numerical variables between groups have been analyzed using the Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test as applicable. Categorical variables have been analyzed using the Pearson's Chi-square test. P < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Results: Consumption of propofol at the start of operation in the group A is 2.9 ± 0.17 and group B is 2.91 ± 0.17, which is not statistically significant (P > 0.05), whereas at the end of the operation in the group A is 11.33 ± 0.17 and group B is 7.83 ± 0.63, which is statistically significant (P < 0.05). Incidence of adverse effects is statistically insignificant between the two groups. The time for administration of rescue analgesic is 2.1 ± 0.88 in group A and 6.5 ± 0.17 in group B, which is statistically significant due to caudal analgesia. Conclusions: We conclude that in BIS-monitored patients (3-6 years) with infra-umbilical surgeries have shown a reduction in consumption of IV propofol due to caudal epidural blockade.

Bilateral cystic nephroma is an extremely rare benign renal neoplasm. Here we present a case of bilateral cystic nephroma in a four month old boy who subsequently developed embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the urethra. Both tumors were successfully treated. To our knowledge this is the first reported case of this association which could be related to Dicer-1 mutation.

The diagnosis and management of a child with ambiguous genitalia and severe variety of urogenital sinus with a high vesico-vaginal confluence is challenging. This 4-year-old female child had solitary right kidney with ectopic ureter opening in high variety of urogenital sinus with hypo-plastic urinary bladder and incontinence. We describe genitourinary reconstruction with complete functional rehabilitation in this child. This complex problem was managed with continent urinary diversion with Penn pouch and refashioning of external genitalia, rendering continence and near normal female external genitalia. The child and parents are happy with continence and aesthetically normal external genitalia.

This report describes a successful outcome in a preterm baby with an esophageal atresia and tracheo-esophageal fistula, who initially underwent a primary esophageal repair; but a persistent nonexpanding lung on the side of surgery led to further investigations. A further diagnosis of an esophageal lung resulted in pneumonectomy and prophylactic placement of an intra-thoracic prosthesis to prevent post-pneumonectomy syndrome. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a prophylactic placement of an intra-thoracic prosthesis in a neonate with the condition of esophageal atresia and tracheo-esophageal fistula and associated esophageal lung.

Multiple Magnet ingestion may cause a number of sinister complications. We report a case of multiple singing magnets ingestion by a 2-year-old girl resulting in intestinal obstruction and pressure necrosis of the small bowel. A bunch of seven magnets present in the small bowel was removed operatively.

A 2-year-old female child was referred from a private hospital as a case of recurrent lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). The chest X ray revealed a hypoplastic right lung and further workup led to the diagnosis of esophageal lung - a rare type of communicating bronchopulmonary foregut malformation. A right posterolateral thoracotomy was done, anamolous bronchial communication with esophagus disrupted, esophageal fistula repaired and the lung resected. Postoperatively, diet was allowed from day 7. The patient tolerated the diet well. Repeat dye study revealed no leak and subsequently the patient was discharged on day 10.

Solitary crossed renal ectopia (SCRE) is a very rare anomaly of urinary tract. Most cases are diagnosed incidentally. We report a case of SCRE associated with vesicoureteric junction obstruction in a 7-year-old child which has not been reported in the literature till date.