Minimal invasive surgery (MIS) has rapidly gained acceptance for the management of a wide variety of pediatric diseases. A questionnaire was sent to all members of the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons. Thirty one members (25.4%) took part in the survey that included data for the year 2012: demographic details, opinion regarding minimal invasive surgery and robotic surgery, spectrum of minimally invasive operations, and quantity of procedures. 48.4% of the respondents had more than 10 years experience, 35.5% less than 10 years experience, and 16.1 % had no experience. The respondents of the recommend MIS and perform MIS for surgical procedures are as follow; inguinal hernia (61.3%), simple appendicitis (87.1%), complicated appendicitis (80.6%), reduction of intussusceptions (83.9%), pyloromyotomy (90.3%), fundoplication (96.8%), biopsy and corrective surgery of Hirschsprung's disease (93.5%/90.3%), imperforate anus (77.4%), congenital diaphragmatic hernia (80.6%), and esophageal atresia (74.2%). The MIS procedures with more than 70% were lung resection (100%), cholecystectomy (100%), appendectomy (96.2%), ovarian torsion (86.7%), fundoplication (86.8%), hiatal hernia repair (82.6%), and splenectomy (71.4%). The MIS procedures with less than 30% were congenial diaphragmatic hernia reapir (29.6%), esophageal atresia (26.2%), correction of malroatation (24.4%), inguinal hernia repair (11.4%), anorectal malformation (6.8%), Kasai operation (3.6%).

The purposes of this study was to describe the clinical correlation of mass size and gestational age, prognostic factors in sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) at a tertiary pediatric surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center (AMC), Seoul, Korea. Fifty five patients admitted to the AMC with a SCT between May 1989 and April 2013 were included in this retrospective review. Mean follow up was 861 days. Mean maternal age at delivery was 30 ± 2.7 year, mean gestational age (GA) was 36.9 ± 3.6wks, and preterm delivery was 21.8%. Birth body weight was 3182 ± 644 g and male vs. female ratio was 1:2.05. We can't find significant difference between Caesarean section and maternal age at delivery (p = 0.817). But, caesarean section was favored by gestational age (p = 0.002), larger tumor size (p = 0.029) or higher tumor weight fraction rate to birth body weight (p = 0.024). Type I was 13, II 21, III 17, and IV 3 according to Altman et al. classification. The tumor component was predominantly cystic(>50%) in 73.1%. And the majority histological classification of tumors were mature teratoma (70.3%). The motality rate was 5.5%. Three patients expired because of postpartum bleeding, post-op bleeding related complication such as DIC. SCT recurred in four patients. The interval between first and second operation was 206.2 ± 111.0 d (range 53~325 d). In two patients, serum AFP levels were elevated at a regular checkup without any symptom, and subsequent imaging studies revealed SCT. The most common cause of death was bleeding and bleeding related complication. So Caesarean section and active peripartum and perioperative management will be needed for huge solid SCT. In the case of Yolk sac tumor or huge immature teratoma, possibility of recurrence have to be always considered, so follow up by serial AFP and MRI is important for SCT management.

The Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons (KAPS) performed the second nationwide survey on biliary atresia in 2011. It was a follow-up study to the first survey, which was performed in 2001 for the retrospective analysis of biliary atresia between 1980 and 2000. In the second survey, the authors reviewed and analyzed the clinical data of patients who were treated for biliary atresia by the members of KAPS from 2001 to 2010. A total of 459 patients were registered. Among them, 435 patients primarily underwent the Kasai operation. The mean age of patients who underwent the Kasai operation was 66.2±28.7 days, and 89.7% of those patients had type III biliary atresia. Only five patients (1.4%) had complications related to the Kasai operation. After the Kasai operation, 269 (61.8%) of the patients were re-admitted because of cholangitis (79.9%) and varices (20.4%). One hundred and fifty-nine (36.6%) of the patients who underwent the Kasai operation subsequently underwent liver transplantation. The most common cause of subsequent liver transplantation was persistent hyperbilirubinemia. The mean interval between the Kasai operation and liver transplantation was 1.1±1.3 years. Overall the 10-year survival rate after the Kasai operation was 92.9% and the 10-year native liver survival rate was 59.8%. We had 23 patients for primary liver transplantation without the Kasai operation. The mean age patients who underwent primary liver transplantation was 8.6±2.9 months. In summary, among the 458 Kasai-operation and liver-transplantation patients, 373 lived, 31 died, and 54 were unavailable for follow up. One-third of the patient who survived have had complications correlated with biliary atresia. In comparison with the first survey, this study showed a higher survival rate and a greater number of liver transplantation.

A nationwide survey on acute appendicitis (AAP) was undertaken among members of the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons. The members were required to complete a questionnaire and the case registration form for each patient during the 6 months period from the 1st October, 2005 to 31st March, 2006. Questionnaires were collected from 23 members. Four hundred seventy six patients were registered from 21 hospitals where the members were working. The male to female ratio was 1.67:1. Average age was 9 years and 5 months (range 21 months-20 years). Operations were performed on average 10.4 hours (range 1-230 hours) from arrival at hospital. The average operation time was 59.1 minutes. The average admission days were 5.8 days (range 2-45 days). The most frequent symptoms were abdominal pain (95.1%), vomiting (50.6%) and fever (43.7%). The average duration of symptoms was 42.2 hours (range 1 hour-22 days). Leukocytosis (WBC count>10,000) was found in 85.9%. The most popular diagnostic tools were ultrasonography and CT. Open surgery was performed in 72.1% and laparoscopic surgery in 27.5%. Two laparoscopic surgeries were converted to open surgery (0.4%). Simple appendicitis was found in 54.5% and complicated appendicitis such as abscess, gangrenous change and perforation in 45.5%. According to the questionnaires 12 hospitals were performing open surgery only in all patients. Four hospitals were performing laparoscopic surgery in all patients. Seven hospitals are performing both surgical methods according to surgeon or occasion. Regarding the use of antibiotics in acute appendicitis, three kinds of antibiotics were used in 40% of total simple appendicitis patients. The results showed the trend of management in acute appendicitis in Korea. Especially it is necessary for the members to discuss the use of antibiotics for prophylaxis in the simple appendicitis

A nationwide survey on Choledochal cyst was undertaken among 39 members of the Korean Association of Pediatric Surgeons. The members were required to complete a questionnaire and the case registration form for each patient during the five-year period of 1997 to 2001. Three hundred and forty eight patients were registered from 32 institutions. The average number of patients per surgeon was one to two every year. The male to female ratio was 1: 3.4. The age of patients on diagnosis was 49.0±44.4 months. The geographic distribution was 34.8% in Seoul and Kyoungki-do, 33.3% in Kyoungsang-do, 17.9% in Cholla-do, and 8.5% in Choongchung-do, in order of frequency. The three common clinical presentations were abdominal pain (63.8%), vomiting (35.3%), and jaundice (29.1%). Only seven patients (2%) presented with classic triad, and 25 patients were diagnosed by antenatal ultrasonographic examination. According to the Todani classification, 238 patients (71.3%) were type I, 3 (0.9%) type II, and 93 (27.8%) type IV. At the time of the operation, three important associated conditions were choledocholithiasis in 45 patients (15.1%), liver fibrosis (Grade 1-4) in 35, and previous operative procedure for biliary diseases in 10. Associated anomalies were observed in 13 patients (3.8%). Three hundred thirty nine (98.8%) of 343 lesions were treated by cyst excision and Roux-Y hepaticojejunostomy. One hundred seventy-six patients had an anomalous arrangement of the pancreatobiliary ductal system: APBD was not in 92 patients, biliary duct joined to the pancreatic duct in 51, and pancreatic duct joined to the biliary duct in 26. There were 8.5% early, and 7.7% late phase operative complications. The major complications were bleeding, anastomotic leakage, and acute pancreatitis. The combination of acute abdomen and choledochal cyst may suggest spontaneous rupture. Because of the development of late intrahepatic bile duct stones, long-term follow-up after cyst excision and hepaticojejunostomy is required. The optimal time of surgical intervention should also be considered in the situation of routine use of antenatal ultrasonographic examination. This is the first review of the choledochal cyst in Korea and provides baseline data for future comparisons.