Lung herniation into the neck associated with congenital absence of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.

This is a case report and literature review involving congenital absence of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) and simultaneous herniation of the left lung into the neck. To date there have been eight cases of absence of the SCM muscle, but no records of lung herniation alone or in combination with SCM muscle absence. Included is the management course taken to correct this patient's defect, CAT scans of the neck, fluoroscopic imaging of the lung and neck, and photographic documentation of the defect.

A rare complication in elective repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm: multiple transmural colonic infarcts secondary to atheroemboli.

Numerous complications may occur during elective and emergency repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. The following report will document a rare complication in a patient with chronic renal failure. Multiple atheroemboli were found to produce transmural infarction of the left colon after elective repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The pathologic process and the proposed mechanism of injury are also discussed.