Hernia diafragmática congénita de presentación tardía Reporte de caso con revisión de literatura / Late Presentation Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia: Case Report with Literature Review

Resumen Una hernia diafragmática congénita ocurre cuando existe un defecto estructural en el diafragma que permite la migración de los órganos abdominales a la cavidad torácica. Se considera de presentación tardía cuando se diagnostica después de los 30 días de vida extrauterina. Más del 60% de los pacientes con hernia diafragmática congénita cuentan con un diagnóstico erróneo al momento del nacimiento, encontrándose dentro de los diagnósticos más frecuentes al derrame pleural, neumonía, neumotórax, neumatocele y absceso pulmonar. Presentamos el caso de una paciente del sexo femenino de 3 años que acudió a urgencias por dolor abdominal, náuseas, vómito, intolerancia a la vía oral y dificultad respiratoria. La radiografía de tórax evidenció migración de la cámara gástrica hacia el tórax, dessplazamiento de la silueta cardiaca y las estructuras del mediastino hacia la derecha con la punta de la sonda nasogástrica ubicada en el hemitórax izquierdo. Se concluyó el diagnóstico de hernia diafragmática de presentación tardía. La paciente recibió tratamiento quirúrgico, el cual fue exitoso. Este trabajo destaca la importancia de sospechar el diagnóstico de hernia diafragmática congénita de presentación tardía cuando se abordan pacientes pediátricos con dificultad respiratoria sin otra causa aparente, dolor abdominal, náuseas y vómito.

Abstract A congenital diaphragmatic hernia occurs when the diaphragm has a structural defect that allows the migration of abdominal organs into the chest cavity. It is called late presentation when its diagnosis does after 30 days of life. More than 60% of patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia are misdiagnosed. The most common misdiagnoses are pleural effusion, pneumonia, pneumothorax, pneuma tocele, and lung abscess. We present a case of a 3-year-old female who attended the emergency room due to abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, intolerance to the oral route, and respiratory distress. The chest X-ray showed migration of the gastric chamber towards the thorax, displacement of the cardiac silhouette and the mediastinal structures to the right, and the tip of the nasogastric tube located in the left hemithorax. The doctors concluded a late presentation diaphragmatic hernia. The patient received surgical treatment, which was successful. This paper highlights the importance of suspecting the diagnosis of late-onset congenital diaphragmatic hernia when treating pediatric patients with respiratory distress without another apparent cause, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Paediatric ovarian torsion: a case report and review of literature

Ovarian torsion is a surgical emergency, can result in ovarian loss, intra-abdominal infection and even death. Paediatric ovarian torsion is a rare condition, requires high clinical suspicion and prompt diagnosis. Diagnosis is a challenge since signs and symptoms are similar to those of other causes of acute abdominal pain such as appendicitis, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, renal colic or other conditions of acute abdominal and pelvic pain. Here, authors describe a case of a 4-year-old girl with a presentation of acute abdominal pain, treated empirically elsewhere. After investigations, a provisional diagnosis of ovarian torsion was made and patient was taken up for surgery. Intraoperatively, ovary was found to be necrosed. Detorsion was tried but ovary was unsalvageable. Right sided salpingectomy with oophorectomy was performed. Conservative surgery by laparoscopic detorsion can be tried in cases of ischemia but if necrosis has already set in, then salpingo-oophorectomy has to be performed.

Repeat ultrasonography and MRCP after the pain had subsided in patients who presented with acute abdomen caused by a single common bile duct stone / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective To analyze the clinical value of repeat ultrasonography and MRCP in patients who presented with acute abdomen caused by a single common bile duct stone after the pain had subsided.Methods The clinical data of 46 patients who were diagnosed to have a single common bile duct stone and presented with acute abdomen admitted to the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Minimally Invasive Surgery in Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital were retrospectively studied.The patients were treated with anti-infection,antispasmodic and choleretic drugs with other conservative symptomatic and supportive therapy.Ultrasound and MRCP examinations were carried out before and after conservative treatment of the acute abdominal pain.Results 26 (56.5％) patients with a single stone in the common bile duct passed the stone spontaneously.Of these patients,11 patients were discharged home and were treated conservatively,15 patients underwent LC,and 20 (43.5％) patients still had choledocholithiasis.Of these 20 patients,12 underwent ERCP + EST,followed by LC;while the remaining 8 patients had a history of cholecystectomy,6 and 2 patients underwent ERCP + EST and LCBDE,respectively.Conclusion A single common bile duct stone in patients who presented with acute abdomen may pass the stone spontaneously as shown in this study using ultrasound and MRCP examinations.

Síndrome abdominal agudo por trombosis venosa mesentérica y portal. Informe de un caso y revisión del tema / Acute abdominal pain due to portal and mesenteric venous thrombosis. Case report and topic review

Resumen Introducción: La isquemia mesenterica se clasifica, según su etiología, en: embolismo arterial, trombosis arterial patologías no oclusivas y trombosis venosa mesenterica (TVM), que es la causa de laparotomía exploradora en 1 de cada 1000 pacientes con síndrome abdominal agudo. Es más común entre la quinta y la sexta décadas de la vida. Caso clínico: Masculino de 31 años de edad, afroamericano, sin antecedentes médicos. Con dolor abdominal generalizado de 72 horas de evolución. Con signos positivos de irritación peritoneal. La tomografia con defecto de llenado en vena mesenterica superior, vena esplénica y vena porta. Se realizó laparotomía de urgencia que requirió resección intestinal por necrosis de yeyuno. Se realizaron estudios hematológicos, oncológicos y autoinmunes sin hallazgos positivos. Discusión: Latrombosis venosa por lo regulares secundaria a síndromes de hipercoagulabilidad o neoplasias. La presentación clínica es inespecífica. En cuanto a los estudios de imagen que se pueden solicitar: ultrasonido, tomografia o resonancia magnética y angiografia percutánea con catéter. Las principales opciones terapéuticas para la isquemia mesenterica aguda son: el tratamiento endovascular, la revascularización quirúrgica, la anticoagulación y laparotomía exploradora en caso de complicaciones viscerales. Conclusión: Aunque es una patología poco frecuente, el médico debe estar familiarizado con su fisiopatologia, diagnóstico y las principales alternativas terapéuticas que hay para ella.

Abstract Background: Four common causes of mesenteric ischemia identified: arterial embolism, arterial thrombosis, non-occlusive pathologies and mesenteric venous thrombosis (MVT). MVT is an uncommon cause of acute abdominal pain and accounts for 1 in 1000 emergency surgical laparotomies for acute abdomen. Case Presentation: A 31 year old male, previously healthy, with 72 hour history of generalized abdominal pain on examination with signs of peritonitis. He underwent a computed tomographic (CT) scan of the abdomen and pelvis, which demonstrated thrombosis of the portal, splenic and superior mesenteric veins. A laparotomy was performed, we found jejunal necrosis and a bowel resection was required. Hematologic, oncologic and autoimmune studies were performed and all of them were negative. Discussion: Venous thrombosis is almost always secondary to other pathologies. The principle ones are: hypercoagulability and occult neoplasia. The clinical presentation is non-specific. To make a diagnosis one can use: a Doppler ultrasound, a CT angiography, a magnetic resonance and a catheter angiography. The available treatments for acute mesenteric ischemia are: endovascular procedures, bypass surgery, anticoagulation and a laparotomy to treat visceral complications. Conclusion: Even if this is an uncommon pathology, physicians need to be aware of pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of acute mesenteric ischemia.

First report of Dientamoeba fragilis infection explaining acute non-specific abdominal pain.

Dientamoeba fragilis is now considered a potentially emerging gastrointestinal pathogen in both developing and developed countries. We first report an autochthonous case of D. fragilis infection in Greece. A 49‑year‑old female with acute non‑specific abdominal pain required emergency surgical admission for active observation and repeated assessment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of acute unexplained abdominal pain finally attributed to D. fragilis infection using microscopic and molecular methods.

Actinomicosis Abdomino - Pélvica / Abdomino - Pelvic Actinomycosis

OBJETIVO: Informar caso de actinomicosis peri-ovárica, que se interviene de urgencia como abdomen agudo quirúrgico. CASO CLÍNICO: Reporte de caso clínico de adolescente de 16 años de edad con dolor abdominal intenso, datos de irritación peritoneal, además de la presencia de masa abdominal palpable en fosa iliaca izquierda, sometida a laparotomía exploratoria. RESULTADO DE ESTUDIO HISTOPATOLÓGICO: Actinomicosis peri ovárica. CONCLUSIONES: La actinomicosis abdomino ­ pélvica constituye una entidad de difícil diagnóstico, con una presentación clínica no habitual en las enfermedades pélvicas, sino que se presenta en forma de masas abcesificadas abdomino pélvicas pseudo tumorales, causando afectación grave del área intestinal más próxima, con resultado habitual de resección y exéresis.

OBJETIVE: To report the case ofperi - ovarian actinomycosis, which involved emergency and surgical acute abdomen. CASE: Report clinical case of 16-year -old with severe abdominal pain, peritoneal irritation, besides the presence of palpable abdominal mass in the left iliac fossa, subjected to exploratory laparotomy with resection of the same. RESULT: Histopathological report concludes peri ovarian actinomycosis. CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal actinomycosis - is an entity pelvic disease is difficult to diagnose , with an unusual clinical presentation in pelvic inflammatory disease, but in the form of abdominal and pelvic masses abcesificadas pseudotumoral, causing severe intestinal involvement nearest area with usual result of resection and excision.

Spontaneous uterine perforation in post menopausal patient A case report.

A 64 years postmenopausal woman approached emergency department due to acute abdominal pain and vomiting. Gynecological history of mild postmenopausal bleeding and increased vaginal discharge was noted since 10 days. Per abdomen was very tender distended, muscle rigidity. Emergency Explorative laparotomy was performed under the diagnosis of perforation of gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The uterus was found to have posterior wall perforation of 2x1 cm dimension and purulent material exuding from the uterine cavity was identified. Thus was diagnosed as perforated uterus due to pyometra. A total abdominal hysterectomy with bilatateral salpingo- oophorectomy was done uneventful. Patient recovered completely without any complication and was discharged. Perforation of uterus due to pyometra can cause the peritonitis in postmenopausal females with signs of acute abdomen as an unusual but serious conditioin.

Isolated fallopian tube torsion in prepubertal females – A report of 2 cases

Isolated fallopian tube torsion is an uncommon diagnosis. It is particularly rare in the paediatric and post-menopausal age groups. It lacks pathognomonic symptoms, signs and imaging findings, yet each of these diagnostic steps plays a crucial role in early diagnosis. We describe two cases of isolated fallopian tube torsion in prepubertal females.

Clinical analysis of testicular torsion with the primary symptom of abdominal pain in adolescents and boys / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective To evaluate the characteristics of the testicular torsion patients with the first symptom of acute abdominal pain.Methods From October 1998 to May 2014, 8 adolescent or boys with testicular torsion presenting acute abdominal pain instead of scrotal pain as their primary symptom were retrospectively reviewed.The average age was 12 (3-16) years.An acute abdominal pain presented firstly in all cases, which accompanied by nausea and vomiting in 4 cases, groin pain in 2 cases, fever in 1 case. In genital examination, the scrotum skin was red and swollen, while the testis was in transverse position and tenderness.The testicular and homolateral abdominal pain got worse when we pulled the involved testis. Doppler ultrasound examination revealed that the blood supply of the involved testis decreased or disappeared.Results In the 8 cases, 5 cases were not examined their testicles or scrotum during the first evaluation, which were found the testicular necrosis during the following exploratory surgery, and orchidectomy was performed. In the other 3 cases, external genital were examined during the first evaluation, and the scrotal and testicular abnormalities were detected.Doppler ultrasonography showed abnormality in testicular blood supply.Testicular torsion was proved during the emergent operation, and the 3 testes were salvaged.The mean duration time from symptom onset to operation was 4 h in the salvaged group, while the average time was 28 h in the orchiectomy group.The mean follow-up time was 18 ( 10-36) months.In the 3 cases whose testis was saved, 1 affected testis was atrophied, and the blood supply of the other two was good.No severe complications occurred in the other 5 cases.Conclusions Testicular torsion should be considered in adolescents and boys with acute lower abdominal pain.The routine external genital examination should be performed when a boy or adolescent complains of abdominal pain.

Dolor abdominal agudo / Acute abdominal pain

Acute abdominal pain is one of the most frequent causes of medical consultation in emergency urgent care centers. ER doctors must be capable of recognizing those cases requiring medical treatment and those requiring emergency surgery. Clinical history and physical examination are still the basis for diagnosis, and will guide decisions regarding lab tests and more safe and specific imaging. There are diagnosis such as abdominal pain of unknown origin, gastritis and constipation proven to be associated to error, therefore a stricter follow-up is recommended for these cases. Appendicitis still poses a challenge for diagnosis and if there is clinical suspicion, particularly in young patients and/or women in reproductive age, the recommended approach is ultrasound followed by CT scan (pelvis and abdomen), in case the former is not conclusive. There are special conditions for pregnant and elderly patients regarding imaging tests. During pregnancy, ultrasound and MRI are preferred, whereas CT scan is preferred in case of the elderly, except when biliary disease is suspected, in this case ultrasound is the preferred approach.

El dolor abdominal agudo es una de las causas más frecuentes de consulta a los servicios de urgencia. Los médicos de urgencia deben tener presente su amplio diagnóstico diferencial, y ser capaces de distinguir aquellos casos que requieren un manejo médico o quirúrgico de urgencia. La historia clínica y examen físico siguen siendo las armas fundamentales para el diagnóstico, que guiarán el estudio de laboratorio y la selección de imágenes más segura y de mejor sensibilidad y especificidad. Existen diagnósticos como el dolor abdominal no precisado, gastritis y constipación, que han demostrado estar asociados a error, por lo que se sugiere un seguimiento más estricto en estos casos. La apendicitis sigue siendo un desafío diagnóstico y frente a sospecha clínica, especialmente en jóvenes y/o mujeres en edad fértil, el enfrentamiento diagnóstico con imágenes recomendado es el ultrasonido, seguido de la tomografía computarizada (TC) de abdomen y pelvis, si el primero es no concluyente o negativo. La embarazada y el adulto mayor tienen condiciones especiales, y en cuanto a imágenes, se prefiere el ultrasonido y la resonancia magnética en la primera y la TC precoz en el adulto mayor, excepto cuando hay sospecha de patología biliar donde siempre es de elección el ultrasonido.

Systemic Classification for a New Diagnostic Approach to Acute Abdominal Pain in Children / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

PURPOSE: With previous methods based on only age and location, there are many difficulties in identifying the etiology of acute abdominal pain in children. We sought to develop a new systematic classification of acute abdominal pain and to give some helps to physicians encountering difficulties in diagnoses. METHODS: From March 2005 to May 2010, clinical data were collected retrospectively from 442 children hospitalized due to acute abdominal pain with no apparent underlying disease. According to the final diagnoses, diseases that caused acute abdominal pain were classified into nine groups. RESULTS: The nine groups were group I "catastrophic surgical abdomen" (7 patients, 1.6%), group II "acute appendicitis and mesenteric lymphadenitis" (56 patients, 12.7%), group III "intestinal obstruction" (57 patients, 12.9%), group IV "viral and bacterial acute gastroenteritis" (90 patients, 20.4%), group V "peptic ulcer and gastroduodenitis" (66 patients, 14.9%), group VI "hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease" (14 patients, 3.2%), group VII "febrile viral illness and extraintestinal infection" (69 patients, 15.6%), group VIII "functional gastrointestinal disorder (acute manifestation)" (20 patients, 4.5%), and group IX "unclassified acute abdominal pain" (63 patients, 14.3%). Four patients were enrolled in two disease groups each. CONCLUSION: Patients were distributed unevenly across the nine groups of acute abdominal pain. In particular, the "unclassified abdominal pain" only group was not uncommon. Considering a systemic classification for acute abdominal pain may be helpful in the diagnostic approach in children.

Administration of tylenol cold tablets in 58 adults with upper respiratory tract infection accompanied by acute abdominal pain / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective To discuss the problem of upper respiratory tract infection presenting various clinical manifestations in adults thereby likely making misdiagnosis and to put forth the patients with the symptom of acute abdominal pain as examples in order to caution emergency physicians to avoid misdiagnosis and mistreatment.Methods Data of 58 adult patients with upper respiratory tract infection were collected from January 2010 to December 2011.The chief complain of these patients was acute abdominal pain.After analysis of data including clinical history,symptoms and signs,laboratory findings and medication,patients were divided into two groups post hoc:correctly diagnosed group (group A) and misdiagnosed group (group B).In group A,anti-chill medicine such as tylenol cold tablets (a compositus of paracetamol,pseudoephedrine hydrochloride,dextromethorphan and chlorpheniramine) was given to patients,while in group B,anisodamine (muscarine cholinergic blocker) and antibiotics were given instead of anti-chill medicine.The anti-chill medicine such as tylenol cold tablets would be given to patients of group B when abdominal pain was not released 8-48 hours after treatment.The course of treatment and outcome of patients in the two groups were observed.Results Of 28 patients in group A,27 had abdominal pain relieved or disappeared 2-3 hours after treatment and only 1 patient had abdominal pain lasted 12 hours after treatment.Of 30 patients in the group B,only 2 patients presenting the symptom of acute gastroenteritis got totally relived 2-3 hours after treatment,while the rest of 28 patients did not get rid of abdominal pain,or only had brief period of painlessness after anisodamine injection.Alternatively,8-48 hours later as Tylenol Cold Tablets was given to patients of group B,the abdominal pain was relieved or disappeared after 2-3 hours without recurrence in 2-48 hours.Conclusions Upper respiratory tract infection manifests diversely in adults,and acute abdominal pain could be a main clinical manifestation.Anti-chill medicine,such as tylenol cold tablets,has a noticeably therapeutic effect for acute abdominal pain caused by upper respiratory tract infection in adults,while anisodamine injection makes poor efficacy.

Neoplasia mucinosa papilar intraductal del páncreas: Presentación de caso y revisión de la literatura / A pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm: A case report and literature review

La neoplasia mucinosa papilar intraductal (NMPI) es un tumor pancreático raro que cada día se diagnostica más debido al aumento de los estudios de imágenes para la evaluación del páncreas; los pacientes con este tipo de tumores pueden presentarse a los servicios de urgencias con dolor abdominal agudo que en múltiples ocasiones se cronifica y se acompaña de episodios repetitivos de pancreatitis. En el presente artículo describimos un caso de un paciente NMPI como causa de pancreatitis aguda, quien consulta a urgencias por dolor abdominal severo.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) are rare pancreatic tumors that are diagnosed more and more frequently as imaging for evaluation of the pancreas becomes more widespread. Patients with these tumors may arrive at an emergency room with acute abdominal pain that often becomes chronic, accompanied by repeated episodes of pancreatitis. In this paper we describe the case a patient with IPMN which was a cause of acute pancreatitis. This patient came to the emergency room for severe abdominal pain.

Misdiagnosis analysis for 74 cases of acute abdominal pain as the first symptom of non-digestive diseases / 中国基层医药

Objective To explore the abdominal pain as initial symptom of non-digestive diseases,the causes of misdiagnosis. Methods 74 patients with clear diagnosis non-digestive diseases which initial symptom was acute abdominal pain were analyzed. Results The most common causes of misdiagnosis were blood system diseases,circulatory diseases,metabolic diseases,endocrine system diseases,respiratory diseases,nervous system disease,accounting for 35.1% ,25.7% ,10. 8% ,8. 1% ,6. 8% ,6. 8%.The rest,such as the urinary system diseases,toxic diseases were not rare. Conclusion Non-digestive diseases which initial symptom was acute abdominal pain could be caused by the body's various systems,and the causes were complex,the diseases conditions were critical and changed rapidly,so it was difficult to diagnose and had to be Paid attention on.

Diverticulitis de Meckel: presentación de 10 casos / Meckel's diverticulitis: report of 10 cases

Introducción: La diverticulitis de Meckel es una patología poco frecuente, pero que debe considerarse ante un cuadro de abdomen agudo. Casos clínicos: 10 pacientes con diverticulitis de Meckel diagnosticados en el Hospital “Ramón y Cajal”, Madrid, España, entre 1985 y 2007. Se trató de ocho varones y dos mujeres, con edad media de 27.5 años; nueve se manifestaron con dolor en fosa iliaca derecha, sospechándose apendicitis aguda; uno se diagnosticó como obstrucción intestinal. Se realizó apendicectomía + diverticulectomía en los pacientes con diagnóstico preoperatorio de apendicitis, y diverticulectomía con liberación de bridas en quien se sospechó obstrucción. Conclusiones: La diverticulitis de Meckel es una patología poco frecuente. Cuando el apéndice es de características normales, se debe explorar toda la cavidad abdominal para excluir otros procesos inflamatorios, entre ellos la diverticulitis de Meckel.

BACKGROUND: Meckel's diverticulitis is an infrequent disease that must be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain. CLINICAL CASES: We present 10 cases of Meckel's diverticulitis diagnosed at Hospital Ramón y Cajal (Madrid) between 1985 and 2007. There were eight males and two females with a mean age of 27.5 years. Nine cases presented as a pain in the right lower quadrant suspicious of acute appendicitis, and one case presented as bowel obstruction. Appendectomy + diverticulectomy were performed in those cases with preoperative diagnosis of appendicitis, and diverticulectomy and adhesion release in the patient diagnosed with bowel obstruction. CONCLUSIONS: Meckel's diverticulitis is a rare pathology. Intraoperatively, when the appendix is macroscopically normal, the abdominal compartment must be explored in order to exclude other inflammatory processes such as Meckel's diverticulitis.

Quiste paraovárico complicado: causa rara de dolor abdominal / Complicated paraovarian cyst: rare cause of abdominal pain

: We report the ultrasonographic and laparoscopic findings in a case of twisted parovarian cyst related with a Morgagni hydatid, without involving of the tube and ovary. The 11 years old patient consulted for an acute abdominal pain that made suspect the clinical existence of acute appendicitis. The identification of normal appendix and ovaries, and the finding of a complex cyst structure close to the ovary, led to the laparoscopic surgery, that identified a twisted hydatid at the right side and a non twisted cystic structure at the left side. We discuss this pathology as an eventual and rare cause of acute abdominal pain in females.

Se presentan los hallazgos ultrasonográficos y laparoscópicos en un caso de quiste paraovárico torcido correspondiente a una hidátide de Morgagni sin compromiso de la trompa ni del ovario. La paciente de 11 años consultó, al servicio de urgencia por un dolor abdominal agudo que hizo plantear clínicamente la existencia de una apendicitis aguda. La identificación de un apéndice y ovarios normales, junto al hallazgo de una estructura quística compleja próxima al ovario llevaron a la cirugía laparoscópica que identificó la hidátide torcida a derecha y una estructura quística similar no torcida a izquierda. Se discute esta patología como una eventual y rara causa de dolor abdominal agudo en el sexo femenino.

Early recognition of high risk factors of acute abdominal pain in children / 소아과

Non-traumatic acute abdominal pain in children presents a diagnostic dilemma. Numerous disorders can cause abdominal pain. Although many etiologies are benign, some require a rapid diagnosis and treatment in order to minimize morbidity. This review concentrates on the clinical office evaluation of acute abdominal pain in infants and children and details the clinical guideline for the diagnostic approach to imaging and the salient clinical features of some of the conditions. The clinical outcomes of children presenting with acute abdominal pain and the risk factors of the high risk underlying diseases would be provided for the diagnostic algorithm.

A Case of Primary Epiploic Appendagitis

Primary epiploic appendagitis (PEA) is an uncommon cause of acute abdominal pain that occurs either from appendageal torsion or spontaneous thrombosis of an appendageal vein. It is a benign condition that may present with peritoneal findings. Thus, it is rarely considered in the differential diagnosis of intra-abdominal disease. Until recently, an accurate diagnosis could not be made preoperatively. With the aid of contemporary imaging modalities, however, the diagnosis of PEA need no longer hinge on the pathologic specimen, but may be established by the emergency physician. Common findings include left lower quadrant pain and guarding. Nonmigratory symptoms should also prompt the clinician to consider a CT scan in patients with similar signs and symptoms. Knowledge of this uncommonly diagnosed entity and its usual benign course may allow the emergency physician to order the appropriate studies to help avoid unnecessary surgical treatment. The anatomy, the clinical presentation, the radiologic evaluation, and the emergency management of epiploic appendagitis are reviewed with the literature.

Características clínicas y evolución de pacientes con SIDA y dolor abdominal agudo / Clinical characteristics and follow-up of patients with AIDS and acute abdominal pain

Los síntomas abdominales son frecuentes en el SIDA y el dolor abdominal es un reto diagnóstico que puede requerir cirugía electiva o urgente aunque la información acerca de esta última es pobre. En este estudio analizamos los hallazgos clínicos y evolución de pacientes con SIDA y dolor abdominal agudo. En un periodo de dos años, recolectamos variables demográficas y de laboratorio, síntomas clínicos, diagnóstico inicial, hallazgos quirúrgicos, diagnóstico postquirúrgico, hallazgos histopatológicos y complicaciones postoperatorias de pacientes con SIDA y dolor abdominal agudo. De 232 pacientes hospitalizados, 34 tuvieron dolor abdominal agudo: 32 hombres y 2 mujeres (mediana de edad = 32 años; intervalos 26 a 58). Veintidós pacientes requirieron manejo quirúrgico. Ocho pacientes presentaron complicaciones postquirúrgicas; cinco requirieron seis segundas intervenciones. Ocurrieron tres muertes en los 30 días luego de la cirugía inicial. La supervivencia para los pacientes tratados médicamente fue 4 meses (1 a 17), contra 6.5 meses (1 a 20) del grupo quirúrgico. El médico debe estar alerta acerca de las posibilidades diagnósticas del enfermo con SIDA y dolor abdominal agudo. Demorar la cirugía puede ser letal. La cirugía tiene un papel importante en el tratamiento integral del paciente con SIDA.

Abdominal symptoms frequently affect patients with AIDS. Acute abdominal pain is a diagnostic challenge that may require elective or urgent surgical treatment, although information about the latter is scarce. In this study we analyzed the clinical findings and follow up of acute abdominal pain complicating patients with AIDS. In a two-year period, we collected several variables from patients with AIDS and acute abdominal pain: demographic, laboratory, clinical symptoms, initial diagnosis, surgical findings, post surgical and histopathological diagnosis and post surgical complications. From 232 hospitalized patients, 34 had acute abdominal pain: 32 male and 2 women (median age = 32 years; range 26 to 58 years). Twenty-two patients required surgical treatment. Eight patients had a post surgical complication; in five of them, six surgical re interventions were performed. Three deaths occurred in the 30 day period after surgery. Survival for patients conservatively treated was 4 months (1 to 17 months), vs. 6.5 months (1 to 20 months) in the surgically treated group. Physicians should be aware about the several diagnostic possibilities of acute abdominal pain complicating patients with AIDS. Delay of surgery in these patients may be lethal. Surgery has an important role in the integral treatment of patients with AIDS.

Application of Laparoscopy to Acute Abdominal Pain / 中国微创外科杂志

Objective To explore the efficacy of laparoscopy in acute abdominal pain. Methods From March 2002 to March 2007,306 patients with acute abdominal pain were explored and treated by laparoscopy in our hospital. The patients were diagnosed with acute appendicitis in 105 cases,unidentified abdominal pain in 34,acute cholecystitis complicated with cholecystolithiasis in 64,gastrointestinal tract perforation in 51,common bile duct stones complicated with acute cholangitis in 5,intestinal obstruction in 33,and severe acute pancreatitis in 5; 9 patients were confirmed as having trauma. Results All the 306 patients were unequivocally diagnosed during the operation. Laparoscopy was successfully completed in 275 cases,including 123 cases of appendectomy,57 cases of cholecystectomy,48 cases of gastrointestinal tract perforation neoplasty,13 cases of enterodialysis,4 cases of intestinal replacement combined with indirect hernia repair,4 cases of radical resection of the sigmoid colon with precolon anastomosis,1 case of small-incision segmental resection of the small bowel,3 cases of common bile duct resection and calculus removal,2 cases of neoplasty for right-lobe hepatorrhexis,3 cases of haemostasis for splenic rupture,5 cases of debridement and clysis and drainage for severe acute pancreatitis ,and 12 cases of laparoscopic abdominal exploration (2 cases of mesentery contusion and laceration,1 case of abdominal wall punctured wound with contusion of the greater omentum,8 case of primary peritonitis,and 1 case of abdomen-type allergic purpura). The remaining 31 patients were converted to open surgery because of difficulties in laparoscopy. The patients were followed up for 1 to 18 months,during which no one showed intra-or post-operative complications.Conclusions Emergency laparoscopic exploration can not only clarify a diagnosis for acute abdominal pain with unknown causes,but also treat the cases simultaneously. Moreover,it is of great help in guiding abdominal resection and making a suitable operative incision,even if the patients can not be treated by laparoscopy alone.