Infantile hemangioma (IH) is the most prevalent benign vascular tumor in infants, with distinct disease stages and durations. Despite the fact that the majority of IHs can regress spontaneously, a small percentage can cause disfigurement or even be fatal. The mechanisms underlying the development of IH have not been fully elucidated. Establishing stable and reliable IH models provides a standardized experimental platform for elucidating its pathogenesis, thereby facilitating the development of new drugs and the identification of effective treatments. Common IH models include the cell suspension implantation model, the viral gene transfer model, the tissue block transplantation model, and the most recent three-dimensional (3D) microtumor model. This article summarizes the research progress and clinical utility of various IH models, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of each. Researchers should select distinct IH models based on their individual research objectives to achieve their anticipated experimental objectives, thereby increasing the clinical relevance of their findings.

Background: Biliary atresia (BA) is one of the most destructive liver and biliary diseases in neonates and is characterized by progressive fibrous inflammatory obstruction of the intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts, ultimately leading to liver fibrosis and liver failure. This study aimed to use integrated bioinformatics methods to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in BA liver tissue, identify key genes, and explore their mechanisms in liver fibrosis. Methods: We obtained data from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) dataset GSE122340 [171 BA patients and 7 normal controls (NCs)]. DEGs were screened via the limma package, followed by gene ontology (GO)/kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed via STRING and Cytoscape, and core genes were selected via the maximum clique centrality (MCC), maximum neighborhood component (MNC), and degree algorithms from the CytoHubba plugin. Further focus was placed on the key gene EGF-like repeats and discoidin I-like domains 3 (EDIL3) through gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), expression validation, subcellular localization analysis, and clinical tissue sample validation. To minimize batch effects, we performed ComBat correction on the combined gene expression data of GSE122340 and the validation dataset GSE46960 before interdataset comparison. Results: We identified a total of 3706 DEGs, including 2774 upregulated DEGs and 932 downregulated DEGs. The functional enrichment analysis revealed that the DEGs were involved mainly in biological processes such as the cell cycle, DNA replication, and extracellular matrix organization, as well as signaling pathways such as herpes simplex virus infection, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis revealed 7 core genes (BRCA1, TOP2A, BRCA2, BUB1B, HSP90AA1, PLK4, and EDIL3), with EDIL3 showing the greatest increase in BA. EDIL3 is located on chromosome 5, and its encoded protein is expressed primarily in the cell membrane and extracellular region. GSEA indicated that high EDIL3 expression was significantly associated with apoptosis and activation of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Clinical sample validation revealed that EDIL3 expression was significantly elevated in BA liver tissue, and its high expression was significantly negatively correlated with the survival rate of patients’ native livers. Conclusion: Discoidin I-like domain 3 is a novel gene with a potentially key role in BA-related liver fibrosis, possibly influencing the proliferation and apoptosis of cholangiocytes by regulating the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, thereby participating in the occurrence and development of liver fibrosis. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms and potential treatment strategies for BA.

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of modified thoracoscopic wedge resection of limited peripheral lesions in the posterior basal segment (S10) in children with congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM).Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of children with CPAM who underwent thoracoscopic modified wedge resection at our institution from November 2020 to February 2022. The surgical method was as follows: we marked the external boundary of the lesion with an electric hook, dissected and retained the segmental vein between the lesion and normal lung tissue as the internal boundary, cut the arteries, veins, and bronchus entering the lesion, and cut and sealed the lung tissue between the internal and external boundaries with LigaSure™ to complete the modified wedge resection.Results: A total of 16 patients were included, aged 3.8−70.0 months and weighing 6.5−21.0 kg. The intraoperative course was uneventful in all patients. The median operation time and intraoperative bleeding volume were 74 min (50−110 min) and 5 mL (5−15 mL), respectively. The median postoperative drainage tube indwelling time was 3 days (2−4 days), and the median postoperative hospital stay was 6 days (4−8 days). Pathological diagnosis included two cases of type 1, 10 cases of type 2, and four cases of type 3 CPAM. There were no cases of intraoperative conversion, surgical mortality, or major complications. However, subcutaneous emphysema occurred in two children, which spontaneously resolved without pneumothorax orbronchopleural fistula development. All patients were followed up for a median period of 10 months (3–18 months), and there were no cases of hemoptysis or residual lesions on chest computed tomography.Conclusion: Modified thoracoscopic wedge resection via the inferior pulmonary ligament approach is safe and feasible for children with CPAM with limited peripheral lesions in S10.

Background: While hemangiomas are the most commonly occurring benign vascular tumors, their occurrence in the gastrointestinal system is rare. This case report presents a unique instance of small intestinal hemangioma in a pediatric patient.Case description: A 21-month-old girl was admitted to the hospital with a history of “recurrent blood in the stool for one year and anemia for five months.” Upon evaluation at our facility, abdominal color ultrasound and enhanced CT scans revealed a protruding mass in the wall of the small intestine, leading to a preliminary diagnosis of small intestinal hemangioma. Subsequent single-site umbilical laparoscopic exploration identified a tumor measuring approximately 6cm×2.5cm×1.2cm on the jejunum wall. Consequently, segmental resection of the intestine was performed, and the postoperative pathological diagnosis confirmed cavernous hemangioma.Conclusion: Small intestinal hemangiomas, particularly in pediatric patients, are exceptionally rare and challenging to diagnose as the cause of gastrointestinal bleeding prior to surgery. Hence, small intestinal hemangiomas should be considered in such cases. Laparoscopic surgical resection emerges as the optimal approach for addressing small intestinal hemangiomas.

Background: Splenic cysts are relatively rare benign tumors that are asymptomatic in most patients and are usually discovered incidentally by imaging. In our case, we report a splenic cyst in a child who underwent laparoscopic partial splenectomy.Case description: A 13-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital after an incidental finding of a splenic cyst on an abdominal ultrasound conducted 4 days prior. He was asymptomatic before admission. Upon admission, abdominal ultrasound and CT revealed a cystic lesion in the spleen, highly suspicious for a splenic cyst. Then, we used transumbilical single-site laparoscopic exploration and found a cyst measuring approximately 12 cm × 11 cm × 10 cm at the upper pole of the spleen, so we performed a partial splenectomy and diagnosed a primary epithelioid splenic cyst via postoperative pathology.Conclusions: Splenic cysts in children are very rare and can be treated conservatively in asymptomatic patients with a diameter of less than 5 cm, while surgery is required in symptomatic patients or those with a diameter greater than or equal to 5 cm. Transumbilical single-site laparoscopic partial splenectomy is a minimally invasive and effective treatment, especially for children.

The occurrence of simultaneous extralobar pulmonary sequestration, esophageal duplication, and bronchogenic cysts is relatively low. We report the case of a 9-month-old Chinese child who had a right lung cyst, detected in utero and was closely monitored until birth. At age 9 months, contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed right mediastinal extralobar pulmonary sequestration and two cysts. The patient did not exhibit any abnormalities. However, the parents were concerned about the disease. Following positive psychological counseling to the parents, surgery was the strong desire. Subsequently, successful thoracoscopic surgery was performed, excising the three lesions. No postoperative complications occurred. Postoperative pathology confirmed extralobar pulmonary sequestration syndrome combined with esophageal duplication and bronchogenic cysts. The patient was followed-up at 1 and 12 months postoperatively and recovered well with no abnormal space occupation. In such cases, preoperative imaging examinations should be carefully performed, and intraoperative exploration should correspond to that before surgery to avoid lesion omission.