Latex Sensitivity in Children With Recurrent Gastrointestinal Tract or Abdominal Surgical Interventions

INTRODUCTION: The frequency of latex allergy is increased for repeated surgical interventions. This effect was investigated especially in patients with spina bifida and urogenital anomalies. There is limited data about latex allergy in repeated surgical interventions that were done for other
reasons. It was aimed to determine the prevalence of latex allergy in children who underwent two or more interventions especially for gastrointestinal tract surgery.
METHODS: A total number of 27 children who underwent two or more surgical interventions in Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity, Child Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital Department of Pediatric Surgery before 2009, and 25 healthy children with no history of any
allergic complaints and surgical intervention were included in the study. Skin prik tests were performed with the same allergens for patient and control groups. Total immunoglobulin E was evaluated.
RESULTS: The mean age was 5.7 ± 4.5 (5 months to 18 years) years and 51.9 %(14) of the patients were male. The mean age was 5.9 ± 1.6 (2,7 to 8,4) years and 52 %(13) of the children in the control group. The most diagnoses of the patients were; eight (29.6%) patients with anal atresia, five (18.5%) patients with esophageal atresia and five (18.5%) patients with gastrointestinal damage due
to ingestion of caustic materials. The number of surgical procedures varied between 2 to 21 (mean±SD: 5.2 ± 4, median: 4). Seven (26%) patients underwent surgery more than five. Between two groups there was no significant difference for developing findings with contact to latex, family history of allergic disease, IgE elevation, eosinophilia and skin prik tests (p< 0.05). Latex allergy
was detected in any of the control group, while only one patient (3,7%) was allergic to latex in the patient group.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Children who underwent more than one surgical intervention for gastrointestinal tract was not statistically differences in terms of latex allergy compared to controls. Especially those operated for malignancy patients should be monitored carefully because they have frequent contact with latex products.