Abstract Background Emergence Delirium (ED) is a combination of disturbance of perception and psychomotor agitation that is common in pediatric patients after general anesthesia, especially at preschool age. Since the effect of ED on the length of stay has been studied in adults but infrequently in children, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between ED and length of stay in this population. Methods A single center, retrospective, observational study was carried out in children who underwent tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy. The Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) scale was used to assess ED. In addition to the time to hospital discharge (time frame 24 hours), drugs used, comorbidities, early postoperative complications, and pain were investigated if potentially associated with the complication. Results Four hundred sixteen children aged from 1.5 to 10 years (183 female, 233 male) were included. ED occurred in 25.5% of patients (n = 106). Patients were divided into the ED group and the No-ED group. The discharge time was similar in both groups. No significant differences were observed in the frequency of postoperative complications. The use of fentanyl or dexmedetomidine did not affect ED occurrence. The frequency of pain was greater in the ED group, both in the recovery room and in the ward (p= 0.01). Conclusions The occurrence of ED in children after tonsillectomy/adenotonsillectomy did not extend the length of stay.

Terminal and interstitial deletions of the distal segment of the long arm of chromosome 4 (Cr4q del) are not common genetic disorders. The severity of the phenotype is correlated with the size of the deletion because small deletions have little clinical impact, whereas large deletions are usually associated with multiple congenital anomalies, postnatal growth failure, and moderate to severe intellectual disability. Alteration in pain tolerance has not been included among these features, also in case of large deletions. The purpose of this report is to document a case of a child affected by interstitial Cr4q del, expressing pain insensitivity as clinical feature not previously described. We also offer a discussion on genetic disorders featuring pain insensitivity/indifference. Case report. A Caucasian girl aged 12 came to our observation for a developmental delay with multiple congenital abnormalities and moderate intellectual disability (IQ 47). A de novo interstitial Cr4 del between band q31.3 and q32.2 (Cr4 del q31.3 to q32.2) was found. The child also expresses no evidence of pain perception to injures which normally evoke pain. Consequently, she is affected by severe disability caused by painless injuries and self-injurious behaviours, such as excessive self-rubbing and scratching. The neurological examination manifested high pain threshold with preserved tactile sensitivity. Conclusions. This is the first report of pain insensitivity in a patient with a specific genetic deletion involving the interstitial region of the distal long arm of Cr4. Moreover, this report could serve as a useful model to better understand mechanisms of pain perception and its modulation.

Cholera ravaged many American and European cities in the nineteenth century. Likewise, Italy was struck by six epidemics since the morbus first appeared in 1835-1837. After the International Sanitary Conferences held in Paris in 1851, there was a decrease of the cases due to consolidation of the city in terms of public and private health. Nevertheless, due to the lack of alternative and innovative remedies, the mortality remained unchanged, affecting more than 60 percent of patients. The city of Brescia in Northern Italy was severely hit by the epidemic of 1867. Not being able to implement effective therapeutic strategies, the administration of drugs like quinine and strychnine was proposed to be done intravenously. The results of intravenous injections were ominous, and all the patients died of ‘sudden death’. Alhtough the academic authorities forbade further experiments, some physicians carried on a long trial using test animals and mental patients as ‘guinea pigs’.

El cólera arrasó muchas ciudades americanas y europeas durante el siglo XIX. Italia tuvo seis epidemias después de la primera aparición de la enfermedad en 1835-1837. Después de las Conferencias Sanitarias Internacionales de Paris en 1851, hubo una disminución de casos debido a una consolidación de la salud pública y privada. Sin embargo, debido a la falta de tratamientos innovadores, la mortalidad no cambió, afectando más del 60% de los pacientes. La ciudad de Brescia en el norte de Italia fue afectada por la epidemia de 1867. Ya que no se pudieron implementar terapias efectivas, se propuso usar quinina y estricnina por vía intravenosa. Esto tuvo resultados ominosos ya que todos los pacientes tuvieron una muerte súbita. A pesar que las autoridades académicas prohibieron nuevos experimentos, algunos médicos hicieron un ensayo prolongado usando animales de experimentación y pacientes mentales. El fracaso de esta experiencia estimuló el desarrollo de la bioética.

Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, or DiGeorge syndrome, or velocardiofacial syndrome, is one of the most common multiple anomaly syndromes in humans. This syndrome is commonly caused by a microdelection from chromosome 22 at band q11.2. Although this genetic disorder may reflect several clinical abnormalities and different degrees of organ commitment, the clinical features that have driven the greatest amount of attention are behavioral and developmental features, because individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome have a 30-fold risk of developing schizophrenia. There are differing opinions about the cognitive development, and commonly a cognitive decline rather than an early onset intellectual disability has been observed. We report a case of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome with both early assessment of mild intellectual disabilities and tetralogy of Fallot as the only physic manifestation.

El síndrome del cromosoma 22q11.2, también conocido como supresión o síndrome de DiGeorge o síndrome velocardiofacial, es uno de los síndromes más comunes de anomalías múltiples en los seres humanos. Este síndrome es comúnmente causado por una microdeleción del cromosoma 22 en q11.2 banda. Aunque este trastorno genético muestra varias anomalías clínicas y diferentes grados de compromiso orgánico, las características clínicas que han atraído la mayor atención son el comportamiento y el desarrollo, porque las personas con síndrome de deleción 22q11.2 tienen un riesgo 30 veces mayor de desarrollar esquizofrenia. Hay diferentes opiniones sobre el desarrollo cognitivo, y comúnmente se se ha observado un deterioro cognitivo en lugar de un inicio temprano de discapacidad intelectual. Presentamos un caso de síndrome de deleción 22q11.2 tanto con la evaluación temprana de discapacidades intelectuales leves como con la tetralogía de Fallot como única manifestación física.

Maria Montessori is one of the most well-known women in Italian history. Although she was the first woman who graduated in medicine in Italy, she is mostly known as an educator. Her teaching method -the Montessori Method- is still used worldwide. Because she could not speak English during the imprisonment in India, there was a big obstacle for her communication with children. However, the need to adopt a non-verbal communication, led her to a sensational discovery: children use an innate and universal language. This language, made of gestures and mimic, is called extra verbal communication.