Appendicitis in pregnancy: a case report and a review of the current literature.

Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical problem in pregnancy. Antibiotic treatment does not always improve the outcome and emergency intervention is required. We present a case of appendicitis complicated by a plastron formation occurring during pregnancy and the outcome.

Cholecystitis during pregnancy. A case report and brief review of the literature.

Cholecystitis is an inflammation of the gallbladder caused by obstruction of the cystic duct. A gallstone usually causes the obstruction (calculus cholecystitis). However, in some cases the obstruction may be acalculous or caused by sludge. The clinical course of biliary sludge varies, from complete resolution to gallbladder obstruction. This obstruction can result in gallbladder distension and acute cholecystitis. When inflammation occurs it could either be aseptic or bacterial. Biliary disease during pregnancy is relatively rare and occurs mainly during the last trimester. Whether women who are pregnant or have multiple pregnancies are more likely to develop stones or whether they are simply more symptomatic with stones is unknown. We present a 33-year-old obese pregnant woman with fever, moderately elevated bile acids, and leukocytosis in the 28th week of pregnancy. Since need for surgery in these cases is controversial, the patient has been treated conservatively. In our case cholecystitis responded very well to treatment with amoxicillin, with no detrimental effects for mother and child. A healthy child was born at term. In the differential diagnosis of liver function abnormalities during pregnancy, cholelithiasis should be included.

Prevalence of urolithiasis in rural Thebes, Greece.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, urolithiasis is the third most common urological disease affecting both males and females. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to stone formation. The recurrence rate is approximately 50%, rising to 70% within 10 years and this condition represents a significant healthcare cost burden. An unusually frequent history of urolithiasis has been observed among patients from the rural area of Thebes, Viotia, Greece. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of urolithiasis in Thebes. METHODS: A representative sample of persons from the rural area of Thebes was questioned about the occurrence of urinary stones during their lifetime, and acute urolithiasis in 2005. A logistic regression model was used to contrast individuals with lithiasis to those without lithiasis. RESULTS: A total of 422 subjects participated in the study. We found a 15% prevalence of urolithiasis in the rural population of Thebes. The rate was slightly higher in men than in women in almost all age groups questioned, although this was not statistically significant. No case of urolithiasis was found in subjects under the age of 17 years. The prevalence of urolithiasis appeared to increase with age in both men and women. Those drinking bottled water were less likely to have lithiasis. CONCLUSION: The life time prevalence rate of urolithiasis observed in the rural area of Thebes was higher to that reported in other studies performed among males and females in the general population of Europe.