A rare case of abdominal cocoon associated with internal hernia in an adult.

A transmesenteric internal hernia (TIH) is a protrusion of a viscus through the mesenteric defect. It is secondary to previous gastrointestinal surgery in an adult. Early diagnosis and management are warranted to prevent the strangulation of the bowel in a TIH. Here, we are reporting a case of a 24-year-old gentleman with COVID-positive status who has presented with cough, abdominal cocoon, and features of subacute intestinal obstruction (SAIO) without any previous history of abdominal surgery. A nonoperative trial is given in the management of abdominal cocoon with SAIO. In contrast, delay in surgical intervention in TIH leads to bowel gangrene. Surprisingly even on contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen, TIH was not picked up. We have diagnosed this case intraoperatively with gangrene of the bowel. In an abdominal cocoon without any history suggestive of tuberculosis or previous surgery, or any other condition that leads to an intra-abdominal reaction, an internal hernia should be kept as a differential diagnosis. The delay in diagnosis and surgical intervention is associated with potentially disastrous complications.

Bilious Emesis and Failure to Pass Meconium in the Nursery: A Case Study.

We present a case of an infant born to a mother with COVID-19, who at 24 hours of life was treated with a glycerin suppository for failure to pass meconium and went on to develop bilious emesis and abdominal distention as feeding continued over the next several hours. After a barium enema identified the distal obstruction, the pediatric surgical team used rectal irrigation to remove a large meconium plug, which mimicked the appearance of the descending colon on plain film, in a case of small left colon syndrome. Although intestinal obstruction in the newborn is rare, it is imperative that it is promptly diagnosed and treated appropriately to avoid negative outcomes; which, even in perhaps the mildest form of functional distal obstruction, meconium plug syndrome, can lead to an impressive clinical illness with risk of intestinal perforation and subsequent meconium peritonitis if the obstruction is not relieved.

Colonic Trichobezoar Causing Acute Large Bowel Obstruction.

A trichobezoar is a solid mass of undigested hair that accumulates in the gastrointestinal tract that is typically associated with trichotillomania and trichophagia. Most documented cases are reported to be found in the stomach and small intestine. We report a case of a complete large bowel and small bowel obstruction secondary to a trichobezoar in an 81-year-old male with abdominal pain for one month. He presented to the emergency department with sudden onset nausea, vomiting, constipation, and severe abdominal pain, prompting him to come to the emergency department. CT demonstrated a mechanical obstruction with a transition point at the splenic flexure with pneumatosis. He was taken for urgent exploratory laparotomy, where a colotomy was made and the obstructive intraluminal mass in the transverse colon was identified and removed, and a transverse colostomy was matured. Subsequent pathology revealed the mass as hair and fecal material, confirming a diagnosis of colonic obstruction due to trichobezoar.

Small bowel obstruction caused by a fibrotic bow-string appendix: a consequence of non-operative management of acute appendicitis.

A 73-year-old woman presented with small bowel obstruction that failed to settle with conservative management. Over the previous 2 years she had presented twice with computed tomography scan-proven acute appendicitis with localised perforation of the appendix tip. In view of medical comorbidities, she was treated non-operatively with clinical and radiological resolution on each occasion, but on the third presentation laparoscopy was undertaken for non-resolving small bowel obstruction and the non-inflamed appendix itself was identified as a fibrous band causing compression of the distal ileum and complete small bowel obstruction. Following division and appendicectomy, the patient made an uneventful recovery. This case illustrates the potential consequence of repeated appendiceal inflammation and non-operative management and may be seen increasingly as this approach is widely adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How correct is the postponed cholecystectomy during the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic process? Gallstone ileus is not a myth anymore.

Posponer cirugías electivas durante el proceso pandémico de Covid-19 aumentó el riesgo de complicaciones graves de enfermedades benignas. El íleo biliar es una de las raras complicaciones de la colelitiasis (0,3-0,5%). Los episodios recurrentes de colecistitis aguda están involucrados en la fisiopatología. La demostración de la tríada de Rigler en tomografía computarizada es diagnóstica. Para reducir la morbilidad se recomienda la cirugía dos etapas: extirpar el cálculo por enterotomía en la primera operación, cirugía biliar en la segunda operación. El íleo biliar debe estar en el diagnóstico diferencial de las obstrucciones intestinales mecánicas, especialmente en pacientes con antecedentes de ataques de colecistitis durante el proceso pandémico de Covid-19 porque las cirugías electivas se detuvieron.Postponing elective surgeries during the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic process increased the risk of severe complications of benign diseases. Gallstone ileus is one of the rare complications of cholelithiasis (0.3-0.5%). Recurrent episodes of acute cholecystitis are involved in pathophysiology. Demonstration of Rigler's triad on computed tomography is diagnostic. To reduce morbidity stepped surgery is recommended: remove the stone by enterotomy at the first operation and biliary surgery at the second operation. Gallstone ileus should be in the differential diagnosis of mechanical intestinal obstructions, especially in patients with a history of cholecystitis attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic process because elective surgeries stopped.

Right paraduodenal hernia with extensive bowel gangrene treated with staged surgery: a Bogota bag followed by resection in a low-resource setting.

We report a case of right paraduodenal hernia with strangulation of almost the entire small bowel at presentation. Since resection of all bowel of doubtful viability would have resulted in too little residual length to sustain life, a Bogota bag was fashioned using transparent plastic material from an urine drainage bag and the patient monitored intensively for 18 hours. At re-laparotomy, clear demarcation lines had formed with adequate length of viable bowel (100 cm) and resection with anastomosis was done with a good outcome on follow-up, 9 months after surgery. Our description of a rare cause of strangulated intestinal obstruction and a novel method of maximising length of viable bowel is reported for its successful outcome in a low-resource setting.

Unusual case of cholecystocolonic fistula secondary to megabowel.

Cholecystocolonic fistula with associated idiopathic megabowel (megacolon and megarectum) is a rare presentation as acute large bowel obstruction. Frequently presenting with chronic constipation, acute bowel obstruction is rarely encountered in the presence of concomitant cholecystocolonic fistula. This presents diagnostic and management difficulties with no consensus on appropriate surgical approach. This case highlights the outcomes following emergency total colectomy and subtotal cholecystectomy as a single-stage procedure for a 68-year-old man presenting with cholecystocolonic fistula secondary to idiopathic megabowel as acute large bowel obstruction.

Malignant Bowel Obstruction in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Regardless of the anatomic site of malignant bowel obstruction leading to the need for palliative intervention, decisions must consider the natural history of the disease, the availability and success of nonsurgical treatments, the individual patient's symptom severity, goals, preferences, quality, and expectancy of life. Therapy for symptoms must remain flexible and individualized because the specific needs of the patient will change as disease progresses. Because strangulation is uncommon, malignant bowel obstruction is usually not a surgical emergency. There is usually time to proceed with deliberate and thoughtful decisions on how best to meet the needs and expectations of the individual patient and family. Providers must be well versed in both surgical and nonsurgical therapeutic options, the natural history of disease, and be active and compassionate providers to foster meaningful ongoing dialogue focused on excellent care even after cure is no longer possible. The palliative triangle not only allows patient, family, and surgeon to effectively utilize the full continuum of care that can be delivered, but also it supports end-of-life decisions when continuity in care matters most. Due to social distancing requirements, the dynamics of communication between patient, family, and surgeon have changed. Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime have become tools in our communication armamentarium.

Experience of Hospital Admission and Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Survey of IBD Patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the experience of surgery in IBD patients during the COVID pandemic. METHODS: A survey was distributed among patients undergoing IBD-related surgeries from January 2020 to March 2020 via an online platform. The response was submitted anonymously. RESULTS: A total of 78 patients responded to the survey. COVID-19 testing was conducted in 60 (76.9%) patients, and they were all tested negative. Emergent surgery was performed in 12 (15.4%) patients and postponed surgery in 18 (23.1%) patients. The surgical indications were mainly bowel obstruction (N = 21, 26.9%) and perianal abscess (N = 18, 23.1%). Postoperative complications were noted in 5.1% of cases, but no re-operation was required. Due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, 58 (74.4%) patients reported various levels of concern and anxiety for surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Common surgical indications were for bowel obstruction and perianal abscess. Surgery can be postponed, but disease progression should be monitored closely and surgically intervened as needed. Most patients expressed anxiety resulting from the pandemic. The overall experience was satisfactory.

The aggressive surgical treatment and outcome of a colon cancer patient with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients are at increased risk of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Currently, surgeries for cancer patients with COVID-19 are generally suggested to be properly delayed. CASE PRESENTATION: We presented a 69-year-old Chinese female colon cancer patient with COVID-19, the first case accepted the surgical treatment during the pandemic in China. The patient developed a fever on January 28, 2020. After treatments with Ceftriaxone and Abidol, her fever was not moderated yet. A repeat chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed significantly exacerbated infectious lesions with a positive result for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid. An abdomen CT scan indicated the tumor of ascending colon with local wrapped changes. She was diagnosed with 'Severe novel coronavirus pneumonia' and 'Incomplete bowel obstruction: Colon cancer?'. After actively anti-inflammatory and anti-viral therapies, a right colectomy with lymph node dissection was performed on March 11, followed by a pathological examination. The patient successfully recovered from COVID-19 pneumonia and incomplete bowel obstruction after surgery without any postoperative related complications and was discharged on the 9th day after operation. Significant degeneration, necrosis and slough of focal intestinal and colonic mucosal epithelial cells were observed under microscope. No surgeons, nurses or anesthetists in our team were infected with SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS: It is meaningful and imperative to share our experience of protecting health care personnels from SARS-CoV-2 infection and providing references for optimizing treatment of cancer patients, at least for the operative intervention with absolute necessity or surgical emergency, during the outbreak of COVID-19.

The Technique and Justification for Minimally Invasive Surgery in COVID-19 Pandemic: Laparoscopic Anterior Resection for Near Obstructed Rectal Carcinoma.

Introduction: The recent COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has made surgeons change and take on newer strategies and safe exercises. All elective cases have been put off, but oncology cases need to be done to prevent progression of the disease. There is concern about minimally invasive surgery due to aerosol formation. Here we discuss how we have dealt with this in our colorectal surgery department taking into account current evidence about the danger of viral transmission during laparoscopic surgery. Discussion: We report a case of 28 years old female patient with carcinoma rectum. The patient had near total intestinal obstruction. She was operated on utilizing laparoscopic anterior resection. The air seal (CONMED, Utica, NY) and high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter was utilized for safe gas evacuation. There is no evidence against laparoscopic surgery, which suggest viral transmission. One should take utmost precautions using N95 masks and personal protective equipment (PPE). Air filtration products like aerosol, HEPA filters will be of great aid in safe evacuation of gases. Conclusion: At present, there is no solid evidence to suggest viral transmission through surgical smoke. We believe due to effective smoke containment, less blood loss, and less postoperative stay, laparoscopy will be a non-inferior option than open surgical procedure. We advise taking all precautions for operating room staff to lessen the danger of transmission.