Management of appendiceal abscess. a 10-year experience in central Saudi Arabia

To study the outcome of patients with appendiceal abscess [AA] following immediate operative and non-operative management in terms of complications and hospital stay. Medical records of all adult patients treated for AA between July 2002 and June 2011 in the Department of Surgery, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were reviewed. We identified 2 main groups of patients with the diagnosis of AA. The first group of patients were managed by CT-guided percutaneous drainage and parenteral antibiotics [non-operative management [NOM group]]. The second group were patients who underwent surgical intervention [operative management [OM]]. The outcome was determined in terms of complications, recurrence rate, and hospital stay. Eighty AA patients were managed during the study period. Forty-two patients [52.5%] received NOM, while 38 patients [47.5%] underwent immediate OM. The complication rate was significantly higher in the OM group compared with the NOM group [44.7% versus 11.9%; p=0.0012]. Successful NOM was achieved in 92.8% of patients. The overall mean hospital stay of the NOM group was 8.54 +/- 2.25, and the OM group was 10.86 +/- 4.32 days [p=0.003]. Non-operative management is associated with significantly lower complication rate and shorter hospital stay than OM

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma, telangiectatic variant arising from the small bowel mesentery

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma [EOS] is a highly aggressive and rare malignant soft tissue tumor, characterized by the production of neoplastic osseous tissue without attachment to the bone or periosteum. It rarely involves the visceral organs. Only 3 cases of mesenteric EOS have been reported in English literature. Here, we describe a male patient of 40 years, who was diagnosed to have EOS arising from small bowel mesentery This patient presented with lower gastrointestinal [GI] bleeding. Upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy were normal. Computed tomography scan demonstrated a well defined multi-loculated mixed density mass lesion measuring about 13x7x7 cm in lower abdomen adjacent to small bowel loops with liver metastasis. Palliative en bloc resection of tumor with adjacent small bowel was performed. The histopathology revealed a telangiectatic type osteosarcoma of mesentery. Diagnosis of EOS, its management and the outcome in context of the current literature are discussed

Extremity vascular trauma. A 7-year experience in Lahore, Pakistan

To determine the outcome of various techniques of vascular repair in terms of repair related complications and limb salavagibility. From January 1999 to December 2005, this retrospective study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. The patients, who underwent various surgical interventions for extremity vascular trauma, were included in this study. Those, who underwent primary amputation due to non-salvageable injuries or who presented with late complications of vascular injuries were excluded. Ninety-three patients underwent different surgical procedures for extremity vascular trauma. Majority of the patients were young, mean, 29.4 years male 91.3%. Penetrating trauma was the most common mode of injury 77.4%. The median time interval between injury and repair was 4.5 hours. Superficial femoral artery was the most frequently injured artery 26.8%. Graft repair was carried out in 41 patients 46.6%, while 34.1% of the patients had end-to-end anastomosis. Wound infection was the most common complication 18.2%. Seven patients 7.5% had secondary amputations and 3 3.2% died from other injuries. Vascular reconstruction was successful in 89.3% of the patients. Early revascularization by employing simple repair or interposition autogenous vein graft repair results in successful limb salvage with acceptable complication rate

Operative management of liver trauma: a 10-year experience ib Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

To analyze our experience and the outcome of operative management of liver trauma, and to suggest ways to improve the management of such patients. This retrospective study was conducted on patients admitted with liver trauma to King Saud Medical Complex, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between January 1997 and December 2006. Only patients who underwent operative management were included in this study. Sixty-four out of 138 patients with liver injury were treated surgically. Most of the patients were young [mean 29.4 years], and male [84%]. Fifty-six patients sustained blunt trauma. Eight patients had grade I, 17 had grade II, 21 had grade III, 12 had grade IV, and 6 patients had grade V liver injuries. Hepatorrhaphy [n=28] was the most common surgical technique used followed by peri-hepatic packing [n=12], simple hemostatic measures [n=9], and non-anatomical hepatic resections [n=8]. Laparotomy was non-therapeutic in 7 patients [11%]. Liver injury related morbidity was 19%, and mortality was 11%. Hepatorrhaphy was the most common surgical modality employed to control bleeding. Peri-hepatic packing was used in unstable patients. In 25% of patients, bleeding had either stopped from the injured liver or needed only simple hemostatic measures