Virtual Reality for Preoperative Planning and Education in Pediatric Surgery: Preliminary Results for the Treatment of Congenital Malformations and Tumors.

Purpose: Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a valuable tool in surgical planning, offering detailed anatomical spatial orientation and three-dimensional (3D) navigation. This study explores using virtual reality head-mounted display (VR-HMD) technology in preoperative planning for pediatric surgery, aiming to improve outcomes in treating congenital malformations and tumors while advancing surgical education.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on pediatric patients diagnosed with congenital malformations and tumors who received treatment between 2021 and 2024 at the "V.

Efficacy of core biopsies for diagnosing inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors in pediatric patients: case series from a single tertiary referral center.

Background: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are rare, often non-metastasizing neoplasms characterized by fibro/myofibroblastic spindle cells with varying infiltrates of plasma cells, lymphocytes, and/or eosinophils. Despite their generally indolent nature, IMTs can exhibit locally aggressive behavior and a significant tendency for local recurrence, making complete surgical resection the standard treatment approach. Accurate diagnosis can be challenging due to the overlap in imaging features with more aggressive tumors, necessitating preoperative biopsies to enable differential diagnosis and guide treatment decisions.

A retrospective analysis of alimentary tract duplications in pediatric patients: a 14-year single-center experience.

Purpose: Alimentary tract duplications (ATDs) are rare congenital lesions often associated with anomalies such as spinal, urinary and GI tract malformations. The purpose of this study was to report the experience of a single center with ATDs in children, focusing on the natural history, associated malformations, and their impact on patient management.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis over 14 years, collecting prenatal, clinical, surgical, and follow-up data.

Congenital Esophageal Atresia Long-Term Follow-Up-The Pediatric Surgeon's Duty to Focus on Quality of Life.

Esophageal atresia (EA) is the most common congenital esophageal malformation. An improvement in survival led to a focus on functional outcomes and quality of life (QoL). We analyzed the long-term outcomes and QoL of patients submitted to surgery for EA.