Role of water soluble contrast agents in assigning patients to a non-operative course in adhesive small bowel obstruction

Adhesive small bowel obstruction [SBO] is a common surgical emergency. It is estimated that at least 60% of SBO are due to post-operative adhesions. Water soluble contrast agents [gastrografin] have been used to identify patients who might be treated non-operatively. This study aims to determine the role of gastrografin in adhesive intestinal obstruction patients. In this prospective study, 27 patients admitted between 1[st] August 2004 and 1[st] July 2006 with clinical signs suggestive of postoperative adhesive SBO met the inclusion criteria. After intravenous hydration, nasogastric tube insertion and complete suctioning of the gastric fluid, 100 ml of gastrograsfin was given and plain abdominal radiography was taken 6 hours and 24 hours if the contrast is not seen in the colon. Those in whom the contrast reached the colon in 24 hours were considered to have partial SBO and started oral intake. If gastrografin failed to reach the colon in 24 hours and the patient did not improve in the following 24 hours, laparotomy was performed. Conservative treatment was successful in 31 cases [91%] and 3 [9%] required operation. Patients treated conservatively had short hospital stay [mean=4 days] and tolerated oral feeding with no morbidity or mortality. Oral gastrografin helps in the management of patients with postoperative adhesive SBO

Normal serum alkaline phosphatase in the presence of extensive skeletal metastases of prostate cancer

Alkaline phosphatase [ALP] is a nonspecific tumor marker as it is neither organ or tumor specific. An elevation of the enzyme in relation to carcinoma of the prostate is usually due to boene or liver involvement, or both, by metastatic disease. We report the case of a 91-year-old man who presented with chronic urinary retention. Investigations revealed prostate specific antigen [PSA] of 831.4 ng/ml, biochemical evidence of moderate renal impairment, normal liver function tests and normal alkaline phosphatase. Whole body skeletal scintigraphy with 99mTC-MDF showed widespread skeletal metastases. Transrectal ultrasound of the prostate revealed a 40 gm prostate gland with a hypoechoic defect in the periphery of the gland. Prostate biopsy revealed prostate cancer [Gleason's score 8]. Total serum testosterone, zinc and magnesium were below the normal range. Bone densitometry revealed osteoporosis. Channel transurethral resection of the prostate was performed together with bilateral orchidectomy. Testicular histology revealed atrophic tests. Normal serum alkaline phospatase in this patient in the presence of extensive skeletal metastases may be due to the combination of the following factors: relative hypogonadism, osteoporosis, low serum zinc and magnesium. This case report may provide a possible explanation for the observation that about 10% of men with widespread skeletal metastases from prostate cancer may not have elevated serum alkaline phosphatase