• Advances in pediatric surgery
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.59-62
• /
• 1995

Meconium peritonitis is defined as an aseptic, chemical or foreign-body peritonitis caused by spill of meconium in the abdominal cavity related to the prenatal perforation of the intestine. Perforation is usually caused by obstruction from meconium ileus, intestinal atresia, stenosis, volvulus, internal hernia, congenital peritoneal bands, intussusception, or gastroschisis. Less commonly, no evidence of distal obstruction exists. Here, we present two cases of generalized meconium peritonitis of antenatal diagnosis. The first case, detected at 8 months of gestational age, had a perforation of the proximal blind pouch of jejunal atresia, associated with respiratory distress due to severe abdominal distension. This case was successfully treated with resection and anastomosis and brief period of postoperative ventilatory support. The second case had a distal ileal perforation with thick meconium in the terminal ileum. In this case, there was no dilatation of ileum proximal to the perforation site. Resection and anastomosis was performed and postoperative course was uneventful.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.8-13
• /
• 2015

Antenatal hydronephrosis (ANH) is one of the most common abnormal findings detected on prenatal ultrasound (US), and it has been reported in 1-5% of all pregnancies. The likelihood of significant postnatal pathologic abnormality in the urinary tract correlates with the degree of anterior-posterior diameter (APD) according to the gestational age. Detection of urologic anomalies prenatally permits fetal interventions that avoid complications in rare cases of bladder outlet obstruction with oligohydramnios even though their final benefits still remain controversial. There is no clear consensus on the extent and mode of postnatal imaging after a diagnosis of ANH. US is the mainstay of the postnatal evaluation and helps guide further testing with voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) and diuretic renography. Although most algorithms continue to recommend generous VCUG for identification of lower urinary tract anomalies, VCUG may be safely reserved for high grade ANH cases or any grade of ANH with dilated distal ureter without increasing the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI). There are conflicting studies about efficacy of postnatal prophylactic antibiotics. It still seems reasonable to consider use of a prophylactic antibiotic to prevent infant UTIs in high-risk populations, such as females and uncircumcised males with high grades of hydronephrosis, hydroureteronephrosis, or vesicouretral reflux.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.201-206
• /
• 1994

Down syndrome is one of the major chromosomal anomalies in Korea. To decrease incidence of Down syndrome, antenatal diagnosis is essential. At present, antenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome is done by karyotyping from chorionic villus sampling, amniocentesis, and cordocentsis. All these methods have some problems such as a risk of abortion, a long waiting time, difficulties in sampling, and so on. The aim of study was to confirm that PCR(Polymerase Chain Reaction) using D21S11 primer could be a diagnostic tool for Down syndrome. PCR using D21S11 primers with $^{32}P$ labeling at 5' end was done in 21 cases of DNA from 21 Trisomy and 20 cases of DNA from normal karyotype. PCR product was running for 10 hours on the 6% polyacrylamide gel under 1,000 V or for 8 hours under 1,500 V. After X-ray film exposure, it was read by densitometry. Normal group showed 1: 1 band or single band. 21 Trisomy group showed 1.3-2: 1 band or 2.3 times of density compared to normal single band or 3 bands. This method gave the result within 24 hours. It can be an useful diagnostic tool to detect 21 Trisomy antenatally, especially in late pregnancy, and in preimplantation diagnosis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.53 no.8
• /
• pp.809-813
• /
• 2010

Bartter syndrome (BS) is an autosomal recessively inherited rare renal tubular disorder characterized by hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis and hyperreninemic hyperaldosteronism with normal to low blood pressure due to a renal loss of sodium. Genetically, BS is classified into 5 subtypes according to the underlying genetic defects, and BS is clinically categorized into antenatal BS and classical BS according to onset age. BS type I is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the $SLC12A1$ gene and usually manifests as antenatal BS. This report concerns a male patient with compound heterozygous missense mutations on $SLC12A1$ (p.C436Y and p.L560P) and atypical clinical and laboratory features. The patient had low urinary sodium and chloride levels without definite metabolic alkalosis until the age of 32 months, which led to confusion between BS and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI). In addition, the clinical onset of the patient was far beyond the neonatal period. Genetic study eventually led to the diagnosis of BS type I. The low urinary sodium and chloride concentrations may be caused by secondary NDI, and the later onset may suggest the existence of a genotype-phenotype correlation. In summary, BS type I may have phenotype variability including low urine sodium and chloride levels and later onset. A definitive diagnosis can be confirmed by genetic testing.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.16-20
• /
• 2020

Purpose: Duodenal atresia (DA) and atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) are well known ultrasonographic findings associated with Down syndrome. The risk of Down syndrome in fetuses with these anomalies has been reported as 30% to 40%. However, on the basis of our clinical experience, the risk of Down syndrome of DA may be lower in Korean population. To clarify this issue, we compared the risk of Down syndrome between cases with DA and AVSD. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of neonates who were confirmed as DA or AVSD by postnatal diagnosis. Postnatal diagnosis was made by surgery, postnatal echocardiography, or autopsy. Medical record was reviewed retrospectively. Results: A total of 213 neonates with DA or AVSD were included: 67 cases with DA and 146 cases with AVSD. The risk of Down syndrome was 4.5% (3/67) in DA vs. 29.5% (43/146) in AVSD. When confining analysis to those whose karyotyping were not performed during antenatal period, the risk of Down syndrome were 7.9% (3/38) in DA and 35.4% (35/99) in AVSD. Conclusion: The risk of Down syndrome in cases with DA was much lower in Korean population than previously reported risk in the literature. The significance of some antenatal sonographic markers for Down syndrome may be different according to ethnicity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.183-191
• /
• 2011

Although antenatal diagnostic technique has considerably improved, precise detection and proper management of the neonate with congenital heart disease (CHD) is always a great concern to pediatricians. Congenital cardiac malformations vary from benign to serious conditions such as complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA), critical pulmonary and aortic valvular stenosis/atresia, hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), obstructed total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR), which the baby needs immediate diagnosis and management for survival. Unfortunately, these life threatening heart diseases may not have obvious evidence early after birth, most of the clinical and physical findings are nonspecific and vague, which makes the diagnosis difficult. High index of suspicion and astute acumen are essential to decision making. When patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is opened Widely, many serious malformations may not be noticed easily in the early life, but would progress as severe acidosis/shock/cyanosis or even death as PDA constricts after few hours to days. Ductus dependent congenital cardiac lesions can be divided into the ductus dependent systemic or pulmonary disease, but physiologically quite different from each other and treatment strategy has to be tailored to the clinical status and cardiac malformations. Inevitably early presentation is often regarded as a medical emergency. Differential diagnosis with inborn error metabolic disorders, neonatal sepsis, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) and other pulmonary conditions are necessary. Urgent identification of the newborn at such high risk requires timely referral to a pediatric cardiologist, and timely intervention is the key in reducing mortality and morbidity. This following review deals with the clinical presentations, investigative modalities and approach to management of congenital cardiac malformations presenting in the early life.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.87-91
• /
• 2004

As prenatal ultrasonography becomes popular, the number of prenatal diagnosis of congenital surgical diseases is also increasing. To evaluate the impact of antenatal ultrasonography on outcome the mortality rate in neonatal surgical emergencies was studied. The authors retrospectively reviewed 281 patients (congenital diaphragmatic hernia: 44, tracheoesophageal fistula: 78, intestinal atresia: 98, omphalocele: 28 and gastroschisis: 33 who had been managed at Seoul National University Childrens Hospital, from January 1991 to December 2000. The patients were divided into two groups; group A (1991 to 1995; 139 patients) and group B (1996 to 2000; 142 patients). These two groups were subdivided into prenatally diagnosed subgroup and postnatally diagnosed subgroup. We analyzed the changes of prenatal diagnosis rate, total mortality rate, and mortality rate of subgroups. Prenatal diagnosis rate was increased significantly in group B (Group A: 24.5 % and Group B: 45.1 %). Total mortality rate of group A was 21.6 %, and that of group B was 10.6 %, showing a significant decrease in group B. However, in both group A and B, when compared antenatally diagnosed subgroup with postnatally diagnosed subgroup, the mortality rate was lower in postnatally diagnosed subgroups but statistically not significant. The authors conclude that although prenatal diagnosis rate has been increased, prenatal diagnosis itself has not resulted in significant improvement in outcome.

• Korean Journal of Cleft Lip And Palate
• /
• v.14 no.1_2
• /
• pp.29-36
• /
• 2011

The frequency of fetal malformations accounts for around 3-5% and evaluation of the health of the fetus and screening for fetal malformations has become an important part of prenatal care. Improvements in prenatal diagnosis have allowed identification of malformation in fetuses during first and second trimesters of pregnancy. Prenatal ultrasonography has become routine part of antenatal examination. For development of imaging, the accuracy of diagnosis is getting higher and earlier diagnosis of congenital malformation, such as cleft lip and palate, can provide to parent counseling, and opportunity to prepare the further treatment. For the better understanding of congenital cleft lip diagnosis to the oral and maxillofacial surgeons, as healthcare providers, we reviewed around 19 english-written articles and summarized some knowledges of ultrasound findings in the prenatal cleft lip fetus.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.72-78
• /
• 2015

Recently, noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT) has been adopted as a primary screening tool for fetal chromosomal aneuploidy. The principle of NIPT lies in isolating the fetal fraction of cell-free DNA in maternal plasma and analyzing it with bioinformatic tools to measure the amount of gene from the target chromosome, such as chromosomes 21, 18, and 13. NIPT will contribute to decreasing the need for unnecessary invasive procedures, including amniocentesis and chorionic villi sampling, for confirming fetal aneuploidy because of its higher positive predictive value than that of the conventional prenatal screening method. However, its greater cost than that of the current antenatal screening protocol may be an obstacle to the adoption of this innovative technique in clinical practice. Digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) is a novel approach for detecting and quantifying nucleic acid. dPCR provides real-time diagnostic advantages with higher sensitivity, accuracy, and absolute quantification than conventional quantitative PCR. Since the groundbreaking discovery that fetal cell-free nucleic acid exists in maternal plasma was reported, dPCR has been used for the quantification of fetal DNA and for screening for fetal aneuploidy. It has been suggested that dPCR will decrease the cost by targeting specific sequences in the target chromosome, and dPCR-based noninvasive testing will facilitate progress toward the implementation of a noninvasive approach for screening for trisomy 21, 18, and 13. In this review, we highlight the principle of dPCR and discuss its future implications in clinical practice.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.25-28
• /
• 2013

There have only been 35 pediatric cases and one adult case reported on segmental multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK) from our search in PubMed, including 19 cases detected antenatally. There is little documentation of segmental MCDK, particularly concerning its natural history. Segmental MCDK can be presented atypically, making diagnosis more difficult. We report an another case with segmental MCDK. Multicystic abdominal mass detected on antenatal sonogram in this infant was diagnosed as segmental MCDK by renal ultrasonography and computed tomography. If a definitive diagnosis of segmental MCDK can be made on imaging, surgery is not required for a diagnostic biopsy.