Postpartum splenic rupture: a possible iatrogenic event, but finalized with successful conservation of the spleen.

The authors present the case of a postpartum splenic rupture induced probably by iatrogenic injury (recent vaginal delivery with a prolonged expulsion with uterine fundus compression) including the left hypochondria region costal grid. The case was solved with splenic preservation and achieving hemostasis only by local plugging and Gelaspon. The case raised also other problems regarding the etiology of splenic rupture, in establishing a causal relationship between a intrapartum splenic injury, and the three episodes of inferior genital tract hemorrhaging, in establishing the cause of the infectious syndrome from the 24h postpartum day, (parietal infection or splenic abscess requiring splenectomy).

Intestinal Microbiome, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - What are the Connections?

IBD (inflammatory bowel diseases) represent chronic idiopathic inflammatory diseases, prone to relapse in the digestive tract; it is estimated that they result from the interaction of the intestinal microbiome with the intestinal immune system. The inflammatory microbiome exerts multiple beneficial roles. Perhaps the central element to developing IBD is dysbiosis; there is still an incompletely established association between intestinal microbiome changes in patients with IBD and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth). Influencing the intestinal microbiome may play an adjuvant therapeutic role in the treatment of IBD. We present a synthesis of the connections between the entities mentioned above.

Different profile of peripheral antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation in active and non-active inflammatory bowel disease patients.

BACKGROUND: The role of oxidative stress in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has been extended lately from a simple consequence of inflammation to a potential etiological factor, but the data are still controversial. Active disease has been characterized before by an enhanced production of reactive oxygen species and the increased peroxidation of lipids, but patients in remission were generally not considered different from healthy people in terms of oxidative stress. AIMS: We evaluated the antioxidant defense capacity and lipid peroxidation status in the serum of patients with active and non-active disease compared with healthy matched control subjects. METHODS: The study included 20 patients with confirmed IBD in clinical and biological remission, 21 patients with active disease, and 18 controls. We determined the serum levels of two antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and a lipid peroxidation marker, malondialdehyde (MDA). RESULTS: Active disease patients had an increased activity of both SOD and GPX, as well as significant high values of MDA versus controls. Furthermore, patients being in remission had significantly lower values of antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GPX) and increased lipid peroxidation measured by MDA serum levels, as compared with healthy control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed the presence of high oxidative stress in active IBD. More importantly, we have demonstrated a lower antioxidant capacity of patients in remission versus control group. This may represent a risk factor for the disease and can be an additional argument for the direct implication of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of IBD.

[Budd-Chiari syndrome--case presentation]. / Sindrom Budd-Chiari--prezentare de caz.

The Budd-Chiari syndrome represents the obstruction of hepatic veins usually due to a hepatocarcinoma. We present the case of a 68 year old patient, in medical evidence for ten years with a Child A ethanolic liver cirrhosis, who was admitted in emergency for hematemesis and melena. Clinical examination and the laboratory findings at the admittance revealed signs of decompensated cirrhosis and severe anemia. Ultrasound examination showed a cirrhotic liver with portal hypertension signs and a multinodular mass in the right lobe of the liver with portal, biliary and right hepatic vein invasions extended to inferior caval vein. In upper digestive endoscopy stage IV esophageal varices were evidenced with signs of recent bleeding (sclerotherapy was performed) along with gastric varices and portal gastropathy. The particularity of the case consists in the invasive complications of the hepatocarcinoma regarding hepatic and inferior caval veins wich defines the Budd-Chiari syndrome (posthepatic portal hypertension added to the intrahepatic and prehepatic ones), the invasions of the biliary tract and portal vein being more frequent.

[Retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic sphincteropapillotomy (ES) in the diagnosis and treatment of common bile duct (CBD) lithiasis]. / Colangiopancreatografia retrograda (ERCP) si sfincteropapilotomia endoscopica (ES) in diagnosticul si tratamentul litiazei caii biliare principale (CBP).

The common bile duct (CBD) stones often gives real difficulties of diagnosis and treatment. The ultrasound (US) does not offer in a significant percentage of cases certain diagnostic data, and the unconventional imaging techniques such as computer tomography (CT) are yet less accessible. ERCP appeared in the last period as an optional method for the diagnosis of common bile duct stones, and, moreover, permitted the development of the nonsurgical treatment possibilities. ES and the extraction of stones revealed in this frame as preferable, especially in the high surgical risk cases. This study presents the results of ERCP performed in 547 and the therapeutic value of ES in 284 cases with CBD stones (conclusions of the ERCP and ES used in the clinical practice, in our clinic, in the last three years). In 81.69% cases ES managed the dezobstruction of the CBD, with a frequency of complications of 4.33% and a related mortality rate of 0.78%.