Urinary perforation in spina bifida: Neurosurgical and infectious consequences
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Published on: September 7, 2022
Deborah Callanan1, Timothy Phillips2, Micam Tullous3
1Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine and Children's Hospital of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Insights
Pediatricians face challenges managing medically complex children with devices. Prompt consultation with specialists is crucial for recognizing and treating device-related complications, such as shunt issues in spina bifida patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Medical Device Complications
Background:
- Increasing prevalence of medically complex children necessitates advanced care strategies.
- Pediatricians and emergency physicians require updated knowledge on device-related complications.
Observation:
- A case of a child with spina bifida experiencing vesicostomy perforation, peritonitis, and septic shock.
- The patient required urgent externalization of his ventriculoperitoneal shunt.
Findings:
- Device-related complications in medically complex children can be severe and life-threatening.
- Effective management requires prompt multidisciplinary consultation.
Implications:
- Pediatricians and emergency physicians must collaborate with specialists for comprehensive patient care.
- Disseminating information on procedural complications beyond surgical literature is vital for broader clinical awareness.
Abstract:
As the number of medically complex children increases, pediatricians and emergency physicians face challenges in evaluating complications from devices placed to treat their underlying conditions. We present a child with spina bifida who developed a perforation of his vesicostomy leading to peritonitis, septic shock, and urgent externalization of his ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Multiple consultants may need to be promptly involved in the management of children with underlying medical problems. Because procedural complications are often reported only in the surgical specialty literature, pediatricians and emergency physicians should seek information from their patients' specialists about potential problems.
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