Advances in Pediatric Gastrointestinal Surgery

In pediatric age, the incidence of gastrointestinal illness is high and increasing. Gastrointestinal diseases involve a wide range of conditions, from congenital to acquired pathologies, and often require intervention. Pediatric gastrointestinal disorders may be divided into different groups on the basis of their unique pathophysiologic mechanisms. Several disorders result from congenital malformations (e.g., malrotation, Meckel diverticulum) or genetic abnormalities (e.g., Hirschsprung disease). Others occur as variants of neonatal and infant development (e.g., gastroesophageal reflux, hypertrophic pyloric stenosis). Notably, poorly explained disorders include necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Further, gastrointestinal symptoms are also common among pediatric patients presenting to the emergency department. However, the signs and symptoms commonly attributed to the gastrointestinal tract are often nonspecific.

Significant advancements have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric gastrointestinal pathologies. Notably, gastrointestinal endoscopy has become a key element in the diagnosis and therapy of many of these diseases affecting children. In addition, laparoscopic surgery (LS) represents one of the most important surgical advances in the modern era, particularly in the pediatric population. However, the use of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in children has increased more slowly in pediatric patients than in adults, principally because of the technical challenge of working in small spaces. Notably, oncological pediatric surgery deserves special mention regarding MIS, and the main matter of debate remains whether the fundamental oncological principles of no spillage and total resection of the margins can be fulfilled with the use of minimally invasive techniques.

In last decades, new technologies have been incorporated into the armamentarium of surgeons treating pediatric patients with gastrointestinal diseases. The benefits of MIS compared with open surgery include a reduction in postoperative pain, length of hospital stay, wound complications, improved aesthetic outcomes, and earlier postoperative recovery. Further, robotic platforms are currently being developed and improved to overcome limitations of MIS. Despite this, robotic surgery is not still widely used in pediatric surgery owing to issues related to costs, operative time, and the lack of dedicated instruments. Finally, indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence-guided surgery has shown the advantage of allowing surgeons to better recognize anatomical structures and artificial intelligence (AI) is permeating society and the healthcare system and will probably transform pediatric surgery as well.

This Research Topic aims to highlight the latest advancements in understanding, diagnosing, and treating gastrointestinal diseases in the pediatric population. We invite colleagues and researchers to contribute manuscripts exploring cutting-edge developments that are transforming pediatric gastroenterology and surgery. We welcome submissions covering, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Advances in the diagnosis and management of a wide range of pediatric gastrointestinal disorders, including congenital malformations (e.g., malrotation, Meckel diverticulum), genetic abnormalities (e.g., Hirschsprung disease), developmental variants (e.g., gastroesophageal reflux, hypertrophic pyloric stenosis), and poorly explained conditions (e.g., necrotizing enterocolitis, inflammatory bowel disease).
- Innovative diagnostic techniques, with a particular focus on advancements in gastrointestinal endoscopy for pediatric patients.
- Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) in pediatric gastrointestinal pathologies, discussing its benefits, current applications, technical challenges, and evolving role.
- Robotic surgery platforms and their development, application, and limitations in pediatric gastrointestinal surgery.
- Oncological principles and the ongoing debate surrounding the safe and effective application of MIS in pediatric gastrointestinal cancer surgery.
- The impact of emerging technologies, such as Indocyanine Green (ICG) fluorescence-guided surgery and Artificial Intelligence (AI), on the future of pediatric gastrointestinal diagnosis, treatment, and patient care.
- Studies on the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of pediatric gastrointestinal diseases, including common scenarios in emergency departments.

We encourage the submission of diverse manuscript types, including base science researches, original studies, reviews, case series, and interesting case reports. We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Recent Advances, Children, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Management, Minimally Invasive Surgery

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.