ABSTRACT
Introducción: La lipomatosis intestinal es una rara enfermedad con una incidencia en autopsias de 0.04 a 4.5 %. Pocos casos se han informado en la literatura médica. La condición es por lo general asintomática. Los casos sintomáticos se presentan con obstrucción o, con menor frecuencia, hemorragia. Los estudios con bario, ultrasonografía y tomografía computarizada son los procedimientos diagnósticos más comunes. Caso clínico: Hombre de 51 años de edad evaluado por dolor abdominal progresivo, taquicardia, cefalea y náusea. Fue estudiado un año antes por hemorragia gastrointestinal sin diagnóstico definitivo. La tomografía computarizada de abdomen con contraste demostró múltiples masas submucosas en estómago e intestino delgado. Las características del estudio con bario y tomografía computarizada fueron típicas de lipomatosis, por lo que no se realizaron procedimientos invasivos o quirúrgicos. El paciente se ha mantenido asintomático por un año. Conclusiones: Los tumores benignos del intestino delgado son relativamente raros, siendo el lipoma el tipo más común. El caso informado es inusual debido a la afección de estómago, duodeno, yeyuno e íleon. Los lipomas por lo general se presentan con superficie lisa y defectos de llenado no ulcerados. Con los hallazgos radiológicos típicos es posible hacer el diagnóstico preoperatorio si se considera esta rara enfermedad.
BACKGROUND: Intestinal lipomatosis is a rare disease with an incidence at autopsy ranging from 0.04 to 4.5%. Few cases have been reported in the medical literature. The condition is usually asymptomatic. Symptomatic cases usually present as obstruction or, less frequently, as bleeding. Intestinal barium studies, ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) are useful diagnostic techniques. CLINICAL CASE: A 51-year-old male was evaluated for progressive abdominal pain, tachycardia, headache and nausea. One year before this examination, he was evaluated for gastrointestinal bleeding. Abdominal CT with contrast enhancement demonstrated multiple submucosal masses in stomach and small bowel. CT and barium examination features were typical of lipomas. No specific treatment, invasive procedures or surgery were performed for the asymptomatic intestinal lipomas. The patient has remained symptom-free for 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Benign tumors of the small bowel are relatively rare, with lipoma being the most common type. The case reported here is considered to be unusual because stomach, duodenum, jejunum and ileum were affected. Lipomas are usually seen as smooth, nonulcerated filling defects. With these typical radiographic findings, preoperative diagnosis is possible keeping in mind this rare disease.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Intestinal Diseases/diagnosis , Intestine, Small , Lipomatosis/diagnosisABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Bochdalek's hernia is a congenital defect of the posterolateral region of the diaphragm, usually on the left side. It appears frequently in infants and is rare in adults. Diagnosis is incidental or when it becomes symptomatic. Our objective was to offer the general surgeon a differential diagnosis for presence of noncardiac thoracic pain in the adult. CLINICAL CASE: We present the case of a 78-year-old female with cardiorespiratory and digestive symptoms of slight intensity and managed for many years as hypertensive cardiopathy and dyspeptic syndrome until she was admitted to our service with severe epigastric pain. Postero-anterior x-ray of the thorax demonstrated the presence of the stomach in the thoracic cavity. This was confirmed by barium esophagogram, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and abdominal CT scan where porcelain gallbladder was also detected. The patient underwent abdominal surgery where a large diaphragmatic hernia was found with the complete stomach and small bowel inside. Primary repair of the diaphragm and cholecystectomy were performed, confirming gallbladder cancer. DISCUSSION: It is frequent that thoracic pain in patients of advanced age is interpreted as cardiac and/or digestive pathology and that more diagnostic investigation is not pursued due to patient age and invasive nature of the studies. Therefore, patients are treated according to their symptoms. It is important that the surgeon establishes an etiological diagnosis in order to offer appropriate treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia in the adult is rarely suspected in the differential diagnosis of noncardiac thoracic pain. The surgeon must keep this in mind, especially in patients of advanced age, even when cardiac and/or gastrointestinal diagnosis is confirmed.