Spontaneous appendicocutaneous fistula: report of a case and review of the literature.
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OBJECTIVE: There are several differential diagnoses for acute abdominal discomfort with pain referred to the right lower quadrant region. The objective of this report is to outline our experience with diverticulitis of the caecum, which is a rare condition that is particularly difficult to diagnose correctly pre-operatively. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of acute diverticulitis of the caecum was performed over the period from January 1992 to December 2000 within the Surgical Department of the RWTH Aachen, Germany. The progress of each patient was assessed by interviewing the patient and by telephone contact with the patient's general practitioner. RESULTS: Seven patients with isolated infective diverticulitis of the caecum were encountered in the course of this study. In five of these cases, the pre-operative diagnosis was either unclear or incorrect. Four patients underwent surgery for suspected appendicitis. In one patient, the diverticulitis was diagnosed during laparoscopic surgery undertaken for presumed adnexal disease. Intestinal continuity was restored in all cases. The postoperative course was uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: Right-sided caecal diverticulitis is rare in comparison to diverticulitis of the sigmoid or descending colon. Nevertheless, it should be actively considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with acute tenderness in the right lower abdominal region.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the value of characteristic thin-section helical CT findings of acute diverticulitis involving the cecum and ascending colon in excluding colonic carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thin-section helical CT scans (5-mm collimation) of 19 consecutive patients with proven diverticulitis and 21 consecutive patients with surgically proven carcinoma involving the cecum and ascending colon were reviewed retrospectively. Two radiologists independently analyzed these parameters: degree of pericolic infiltration, mesenteric fluid, vascular engorgement, arrowhead-shaped wall thickening, air-filled diverticula, inflamed diverticula, and preserved enhancement pattern of involved colonic wall. Inter-observer agreement was assessed with a kappa statistical analysis, and the features that most distinguished diverticulitis from colonic carcinoma were selected with a stepwise logistic-regression analysis. RESULTS: The two CT findings of right-sided colonic diverticulitis that most distinguished it from colonic carcinoma were inflamed diverticula and the preservation of an enhancement pattern of the involved colonic wall. Excellent interobserver agreement (kappa > 0.60) was obtained for both findings. Inflamed diverticula (kappa = 0.80) had a mean sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for diverticulitis of 86.8%, 92.9%, and 90.0%, respectively, in differentiating right-sided colonic diverticulitis from colonic carcinoma. Preserved wall enhancement pattern (kappa = 0.70) had a mean sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 89.5%, 95.3%, and 92.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: On thin-section helical CT, an inflamed diverticula and a preserved enhancement pattern of the thickened colonic wall were the two most statistically significant CT findings of acute diverticulitis involving the cecum and ascending colon that distinguished diverticulitis from colonic carcinoma.
AIM OF THE STUDY: Internal hernia is an uncommon cause of acute intestinal obstruction. The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the diagnosis, the management, and the follow-up of the internal hernias operated over a 10-year period in our department of visceral surgery. METHODS: 14 spontaneous internal hernias were observed. The patients were evaluated with respect to symptoms, radiological findings, time elapsed between the onset of symptoms and surgery, type of operation performed, postoperative morbidity and mortality, postoperative stay, and follow-up. RESULTS: There were 8 men and 6 women. The preoperative diagnosis was evoked in only one case. The mean time elapsed between the onset of the symptoms and surgery was 31.1 hours (range 6 to 72 hours). Two intestinal resection were performed. Mean postoperative hospital stay was 11.3 days (range 6 to 22 days). The morbidity was 21.4% with no mortality. Mean follow-up was 7 months (range 3 to 15 months); one patient developed an incisional hernia. CONCLUSION: Since preoperative diagnosis of an internal hernia is difficult because of the lack of specific signs, morbidity and mortality can be decreased with early surgical intervention. Operative risks include vascular accidents, especially to hernia neck vessels.
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Delay in appendectomy occurs from failure to contact a physician, or from a physician's failure to make a proper diagnosis. In our study delay was due to physician error in 32 of 422 children who had appendectomy. Symptoms consistent with appendicitis were documented on the initial visit in each case, but 22 patients had a history of previous similar pain or recent viral illness to confuse the diagnosis. Misdiagnosis was responsible for the delay in 14 cases (gastroenteritis in ten and urinary tract infection in four). Antibiotics given before proper diagnosis in 22 instances increased diagnostic difficulty in 20. Late referral is increasing, perhaps because of a perceived innocuous nature of appendicitis. Complicated appendicitis was found in 26 children (81%), compared with 38% of the total experience. Their hospital stay averaged nine days, as opposed to 6.6 days in the nondelayed group. Failure of resolution of symptoms after therapy begins mandates reassessment to avoid progression of this common surgical disease.
A case of solitary caecal ulcer in an elderly woman who developed rectal bleeding is reported. The difficulties encountered in the detection of this rare lesion are described, and the importance of excluding other gastrointestinal disorders in a patient with peptic ulcer disease are highlighted.
Diverticula occur throughout the gastrointestinal tract. A high index of suspicion is necessary to diagnose and treat complications arising from diverticula. Presented is a review of gastrointestinal diverticular disease exclusive from the more common diverticular disease of the colon.
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Acute pseudo-obstruction is a rare complication in burns patients. An awareness of the factors implicated in its pathogenesis such as prolonged bed rest, narcotic medications, hypokalaemia, sepsis and surgery (all commonly associated with burns patients) is essential if this condition is to be avoided. Early diagnosis, prokinetic and cathartic agents, and aggressive endoscopic intervention are essential to halt the progression of caecal dilatation. Excisional surgery and stoma formation are necessary for salvage of complicated colonic pseudo-obstruction.
BACKGROUND: The presence of peritonitis has previously been considered to be a contraindication for the laparoscopic approach because of the theoretical risk of malignant hypercapnia and toxic shock syndrome. The aim of this retrospective study was to demonstrate that laparoscopy is feasible, safe and efficient in cases of peritonitis. METHODS: From January 1990 to July 1995, 231 patients had a laparoscopy for acute peritonitis in two centres (91 appendicular peritonitis, 69 gastroduodenal perforated ulcers, 35 perforations of the colon, 36 miscellaneous). RESULTS: The diagnostic accuracy of laparoscopic exploration was 84.8 per cent. The clinical preoperative diagnosis was changed by laparoscopic exploration in 25.1 per cent of patients. An unnecessary laparotomy was avoided in 6.5 per cent of patients and the site of traditional incision was modified in 8.7 per cent. Conversion rates were 25 per cent for appendicular peritonitis, 16 per cent for gastroduodenal perforation and 83 per cent (29 of 35 patients) for colonic perforation. The overall mortality rate was 3.9 per cent. No malignant hypercapnia occurred. Two patients (0.9 per cent) had postoperative septic shock but survived. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopy is feasible and safe in cases of peritonitis. Laparoscopic treatment is particularly effective in the case of appendicular and gastroduodenal perforation. In the case of colonic perforation, the conversion rate remains high but with growing experience and surgical skill, more of these cases will be treated laparoscopically in the future.
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A case of pseudomyxoma peritonei associated with mucocele of the appendix is reported. To date there is no general agreement as to whether this entity (pseudomyxoma) should be categorized as a malignant lesion. The presence of intracellular canaliculus-like structures adds support to those investigators who believe that pseudomyxoma peritonei reflects a form of malignant disease.