Factors of Nephroblastomas’ Relapse in Children at the Academic Hospital Gabriel Toure, Bamako, Mali

Introduction:?The factors of nephroblastomas’ relapse are a set of elements playing a role in the reappearance of cancer cells in the same place of the kidney or in other regions of the body after a 5-year remission.?Objectives:?To determine the frequency and the factors of nephroblastomas’ relapse in the pediatric oncology unit and pediatric surgery of the academic hospital Gabriel Touré. Materials and methods:?This was a retrospective study carried out from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2019 in all children treated for nephroblastoma relapses in the pediatric oncology unit and in the pediatric surgery service.?Results:?In 15 years, we have managed 182 cases of nephroblastoma, of which 128 cases were declared in complete remission after 5 years and 12 cases presented a recurrence. The relapses factors were: capsular break, intraoperative tumor rupture, presence of an associated malformation, surgery without neoadjuvant chemotherapy and tumor surgical stage (p??0.05). Patients’ age at diagnosis, sex, number of neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy sessions and histological type were not decisive (p?> 0.05).?Conclusion:?Relapses are more and more frequent in cases of nephroblastoma. The correct use of the protocol would avoid these recurrences.

Subcutaneous Emphysema Associated with Pneumomediastinum and Complicated Pneumopericardium in a 14-Month-Old Infant

Pneumomediastinum is sometimes observed in adult patients but its occurrence in pediatric patients (especially infants) is very rare. We here report a 14-month-old male infant who had subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum, and importantly, pneumopericardium. He had no particular past histories. He abruptly had cough, fever, and eruption on the abdomen. Computed tomography and echocardiography revealed pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium. Antibiotics, rest, and supportive therapy ameliorated the condition. We must be aware that pneumomediastinum, and importantly pneumopericardium, can be present in a pediatric patient with subcutaneous emphysema. The infant’s symptoms disappeared under strict monitoring of respiratory status, nasal oxygen therapy and antibiotic therapy.

Invasive <i>Haemophilus influenzae</i>Type b (Hib) Infections in Children in the Pediatric Department of the University Hospital Gabriel Touré(UH-GT)

Introduction: According to Mali’s National Immunization Center, the Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib) vaccine coverage rate was 90% in 2015. Our work aimed to study invasive bacterial infections due to Haemophilus influenzae type b in children aged 0 - 15 years hospitalized in the pediatrics department of the UH-GT. Method: We carried out a retrospective descriptive study from January 2017 to December 2018 (i.e. 2 years) among children aged 0 - 15 years and hospitalized for Haemophilus influenzae type b infection confirmed by culture (blood culture, Cerebro-spinal Fluid, and pleural and skin fluid). Results: Thirty-three cases of Hib infections were collected giving a frequency of 0.2% and the age group 3 months to 3 years was the most affected (72.73%). Children who received no vaccine accounted for 21.21%. The Cerebro-spinal Fluid culture and other samples (pleural and skin) identified the bacterium in 100% of cases, against 72.72% in the blood culture Meningitis was the most frequent pathology (78.79%) and the lethality was high (21.21%). Conclusion: Despite the introduction of the Hib vaccine in the routine immunization program in Mali, Hib infections remain with a high lethality linked to meningitis.