OVERVIEW: What every practitioner needs to know Superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) is an unusual presentation of small bowel obstruction that results from compression of the duodenum between the abdominal aorta, posteriorly, and the superior mesenteric artery, anteriorly. SMAS is more frequently found in females than males, can be found in every age category including…
OVERVIEW: What every practitioner needs to know about eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease How do you define eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease? Eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs) are a broad group of diseases characterized by gastrointestinal complaints and intestinal eosinophilia. A mucosal biopsy is required to make the diagnosis. EGIDs have been classified in two ways, either according to the…
Overview: What every practitioner needs to know Are you sure your patient has allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis? What are the typical findings for this disease? Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a hypersensitivity lung disease due to bronchial colonization by Aspergillus fumigatus that occurs in susceptible patients with asthma and cystic fibrosis (CF). ABPA affects approximately 1-2%…
OVERVIEW: What every practitioner needs to know Are you sure your patient has an airway foreign body? What are the typical findings for this disease? Airway foreign bodies are a common pediatric emergency, but often the child will recover from the initial event with very few residual physical findings. A thorough history and high index…
OVERVIEW: What every practitioner needs to know Are you sure your patient has obstructive sleep apnea? What are the typical findings for this disease? Obstructive sleep apnea should be suspected in children who snore, have restless sleep or show labored breathing and/or apnea. Other nocturnal symptoms include sweating, enuresis, parasomnia (sleep walking and talking) and…
OVERVIEW: What every practitioner needs to know Are you sure your patient has cystic fibrosis? What are the typical findings for this disease? Patients with cystic fibrosis can be asymptomatic at diagnosis if diagnosed through newborn screening or secondary to a positive family history. In symptomatic diagnosis, they can have a single or multisystem presentation…
OVERVIEW: What every practitioner needs to know Are you sure your patient has pulmonary hypertension? What are the typical findings for this disease? Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates and children. Since the introduction of new targeted therapies, survival has markedly improved. Nevertheless, there is still no cure…
OVERVIEW: What every practitioner needs to know Are you sure your patient has a patent ductus arteriosus? What are the typical findings for this disease? The ductus arteriosus (DA) is a normal and essential fetal structure and is patent at the time of birth. In healthy term infants, the DA closes within 1 to 2…
OVERVIEW: What every practitioner needs to know Are you sure your patient has Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)? What are the typical findings for this disease? Peripheral areas of avascular retina The development of a ridge between avascular and vascularized retina where fibrovascular proliferation can occur Retinal vessel tortuosity and dilation (Plus Disease) Iris neovascularization Vitreous…
OVERVIEW: What every practitioner needs to know Are you sure your patient has uveitis? Uveitis is a group of disorders characterized by the presence of intraocular inflammation. There are many causes of uveitis with numerous clinical manifestations. Referral to an ophthalmologist is always necessary to confirm the presence of intraocular inflammation. If uveitis is suspected,…
