Retrograde venous bullet embolism into renal vein.

SUMMARY: The unpredictable nature and behaviour of bullet emboli can pose unique diagnostic and management challenges, related to the absence of exit wounds or variable trajectories. However, embolisation into the vascular system is an extremely unusual occurrence, with fewer than 200 such cases described since 1900. Given the relative paucity of such literature reports, it is not surprising that guidelines for the optimal management of some of these emboli are neither clear cut, nor universally accepted. We report the second case of retrograde venous bullet embolism to the right renal vein following a gunshot injury to the right chest and the surgical solution.

Surgery for high-output small bowel enterocutaneous fistula: a 30-year experience.

The outcome of surgery undertaken to repair high-output small bowel enterocutaneous fistula (SBECF) using the same technique was evaluated. Of a total of 282 patients with a high-output SBECF (daily fistula output > 500 ml), 183 patients were managed conservatively; in this group, a spontaneous closure rate of 81.4% (n = 149) and a mortality rate of 18.6% (n = 34) was noted. Ninety-nine patients (35.1%) underwent definitive surgical treatment. In all patients, after resection of the fistula, the entire small bowel was stented. Six patients (6%) died in the postoperative period. No complications developed as a result of intestinal stenting. Including the patients treated successfully for postoperative persistence of fistula, surgical repair was successful in 93 patients (93.9%). No patients returned with refistulization or small bowel obstruction within 6 months of surgery. We believe that routine intraluminal stenting should be an integral component of the surgical technique for the repair of SBECF.

Lymphoepithelial lesions of the parotid gland in the HIV era--a South African experience.

OBJECTIVE: Historically, lymphoepithelial lesions (LELs) have been a peripheral indication for surgery on the parotid gland, accounting for less than 1% of all parotidectomies undertaken. In the HIV era the profile of parotidectomy has changed, with LEL becoming a common indication for parotidectomy, prompting a review of our current experience. DESIGN: A retrospective study was undertaken between January 1998 and December 2005. Setting. Surgical services at King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban. SUBJECTS: All patients presenting with parotidomegaly. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-two patients with parotidomegaly were evaluated; 53 (32.7%) had LEL lesions. A total of 151 parotidectomies (including 42 parotidectomies undertaken for LEL lesions) were performed in 147 patients. Radiotherapy was offered to 11 patients with LEL lesions. Complications following parotidectomy for LEL included facial nerve palsy (N=3), seroma formation (N=5) and facial artery false aneurysm (N=1). Three patients required re-parotidectomy for recurrent LEL parotidomegaly. In the patients who underwent radiotherapy, there was a satisfactory outcome; 2 patients who received 4 Gy radiation per sitting developed mild skin discolouration of the treated area. CONCLUSION: Although surgical management of LEL parotidomegaly may provide a satisfactory result, this approach is technically challenging and is associated with complications and recurrences. For these reasons, the non-operative approach employing radiotherapy should be considered.

Duplicate gallbladder: an unusual case report.

Duplication of the gallbladder, a rare congenital anomaly, is important in clinical practice as it may cause some clinical, surgical and diagnostic problems. In this report we present a case of duplicated gallbladder diagnosed serendipitously in a 63-year-old male patient who had previously undergone successful laparoscopic cholecystectomy (confirmed histologically) approximately a year before for gallstones. The patient was re-admitted with obstructive jaundice. An abdominal computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance cholangiogram both revealed the presence of a gallbladder, which was thereafter removed at surgery undertaken to palliate the jaundice.

The surgical anatomy of the parotid fascia.

UNLABELLED: Currently, there are no reports in the literature of the parotid fascia suggesting that this structure is crucial to the identification of the facial nerve trunk (FNT). Traditional surgical and anatomical descriptions of this fascia report it as a collection of connective tissue large enough to be described by the unaided eye. This study was performed to investigate the composition and limit of the fascia surrounding the parotid gland. An appreciation of these on safe and effective parotid surgery was also considered. HISTO-ANATOMICAL STUDY: Microsurgical step-by-step dissection was performed on 18 adult cadavers (n=36) to define the composition, arrangement, and attachment of the parotid fascia. Samples were subjected to the Masson Trichrome Technique (1990). CLINICAL STUDY: A total of 18 patients presented for parotidectomy. Eight patients had a pleomorphic adenoma and ten had lympho-epithelial disease of the parotid gland. Boundaries of parotid fascia were posteriorly-mastoid process, anteriorly--ramus of mandible, superiorly--cartilage of external acoustic meatus, and inferiorly-imaginary line joining tip of mastoid process to ramus of mandible. These landmarks formed a quadrangular space. HISTO-ANATOMICAL STUDY (N=36): Parotid fascia formed a fibrous meshwork over the gland. In the upper two-thirds, fascia was thick and strong; in the lower one-third, fascia was thin. Soft tissue arrangement (from superficial to deep): dermis, subcutaneous fat, superficial cervical fascia, deep cervical fascia. CLINICAL STUDY (N=18): The technique described was applied consistently in all patients. Mean time for localization of FNT was 11 min (range 7-18 min). In two patients (both with an underlying inflammatory disorder of the parotid gland), a transient facial nerve palsy developed postoperatively. In both patients, this settled within 7 weeks of operation. The true surgical potential of the parotid fascia during parotidectomy has been reported.