Pediatric laparoscopic splenectomy has gained increasing acceptance in the surgical management of a variety of splenic disorders, in particular hematologic diseases. We report our experience with 16 patients who underwent this procedure because of hematologic disorders during the past 3 and a half years at the Department of Surgery, St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College. The mean age was 10 years (Range 6-16 years) and the mean spleen weight was 210 gm (Range 85-500 gm). The indications for splenectomy were hereditary spherocytosis (6 cases), idiopatic thrombocytopenic purpura (8 cases), autoimmune hemolytic anemia (1 case), and idiopatic splenomegaly (1 case). All splenectomies were performed safely with mean estimate blood loss of 233 ml. Mean operative time and mean postoperative hospital stay was 157 min and 4.5 days. Respectively postoperative pain medication was needed in 3 case, just one injection in immediate postoperative period. Diet was started on posterative second day or third day. In conclusions, Laparoscopic splenectomy in pediatric patients surely is a safe procedure, offering better cosmesis, much less pain, and shorter hospital stay with lower post operative mobidity.

Because rectal prolapse in pediatric age was known to have a self-limitting natural history in weeks to years, this disease is prone to be regarded as a minor codition to the most of surgeons. But to the children and the parents who have to be suffered each time could be a heavy distress. Even though operative or nonoperative methods can be applicable for treatment, the main problem is in surgeon's side, whose preference is based on the experiences of adult patients. The authors have experienced 16 cases of ano-rectal prolapse for 9 years since 1986. Eleven of them were true rectal prolapses. In 7 cases of true type, injection therapy has been tried. One ml of five per cent phenol in glycerine was injected into the submucosal layer of the ano-rectal angle level at both lateral and posterior sides. After first trial of each cases, 5 of them were cured completely so far. Recurrences were in two cases, but one of them was temporary to be subsided afterward. Complete bowel cleansing and adequate sedations were required as preoperative preparations. Two days' oral antibiotics and two weeks' laxatives for free of defecation straining were recommended after the procedure. The safety of sclerosis was supported by the experimental histology. In pediatric rectal prolapse, sclerosis seems to be a safe and effective treatement of choice without any significant morbidity.