[Pyoderma gangrenosum--an interdisciplinary diagnostic problem]. / Piodermia zgorzelinowa--interdyscyplinarny problem diagnostyczny.

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare, chronic, progressive and noninfectious necrosis of skin with an unclear etiology. It usually coexists with the systemic disorders. Clinically it appears as a rapidly spreading ulceration in a various location. Pyoderma gangrenosum often starts as pustule, nodule or local inflammation which suggest the diagnosis of bacterial infection of skin such as furuncle or phlegmon so patients with early symptoms could be refered to surgical units. We presented the case of pyoderma gangrenosum which affected a 47-year-old woman. Due to the presumptive diagnosis of phlegmon of the patient's right arm she was initially admitted to surgical ward. Sometimes there are many difficulties with an early diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum because of its rarity, distinctness of clinical pictures, lack of characteristic histology and laboratory tests. We would like to emphasize that pyoderma gangrenosum should be always included to the differential diagnosis of a rapidly progressing ulceration of skin especially if there is no response to standard therapy.

[Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis]. / Przydatnosc techniki laparoskopowej w leczeniu ostrego zapalenia pecherzyka zólciowego.

UNLABELLED: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is considered the "gold standard" for the planned treatment of symptomatic cholecystolithiasis. Currently this method is used in 88% of cholecystectomy according to world database. There are evidences that laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis is a quite safe method which is not connected with many complications. AIM OF THE STUDY: Assessment of the post-operative complication risk and hospitalization time in cases of acute cholecystitis had undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy in comparison with classic cholecystectomy. Evaluation of non-specific inflammation process based on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients' serum analysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty patients (58 women and 22 men) aged 22-74 (mean 53.6) were included to the study. They were undergone cholecystectomy in the Department of Gastroenterological, Oncological and General Surgery because of acute cholecystitis. There were two groups of patients: 38 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (group I) and 42 patients who underwent "classic" cholecystectomy (group II). No statistical differences of clinical and demographic characteristics were found in the studied groups. There was also the third group of patients distinguished in the study - the control group of 42 patients who underwent "planned" laparoscopic cholecystectomy because of chronic cholecystolithiasis. The patients were qualified for the groups I and II in accordance with randomization rule. The CRP-level of the patients' serum was evaluated in the group I and II twice: before and in the 2nd day after cholecystectomy. RESULTS: The mean operating time was significantly shorter in the group I (laparoscopic cholecystectomy) compared with the group II ("open" cholecystectomy) 63.24 and 86.31 minutes respectively (p < 0.05) and 58 minutes in the control group. The mean period of hospital stay was also significantly shorter in the group I (4.12 day) compared with the group II (7.19), (p < 0.05), however there was no statistically significant difference between group I and the control group (3.1 day). The level of serum CRP measured before surgery was not significantly different in groups I and II although in the 2nd day after the operation statistically significant difference between studied groups was obtained: patients who were undergone laparoscopy (group I) had a lower level of serum CRP. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe method of treatment both acute cholecystitis and chronic cholecystolithiasis.

[Bile duct infections as a late complication after endoscopic sphincterotomy]. / Zakazenia dróg zólciowych jako pózne powiklanie sfinkterotomii endoskopowej.

UNLABELLED: Nowadays endoscopic sphincterotomy (SE) is considered to be a "gold standard" in the treatment of residual choledocholithiasis and biliary pancreatitis. Nevertheless patients after invasive procedures concerning bile ducts with destruction of Oddi's sphincter often have increased succeptibility to chronic infections of bile ducts. AIM: Assessment of the influence of SE on bacterial colonization, development of main bile duct chronic inflammation and recurrent choledocholithiasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included to the study 50 patients with main bile duct lithiasis, who underwent endoscopic cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Among them there were 32 women in age from 45 to 87 (mean 69.7 +/- 12.3) and 18 men in age from 39 to 84 (mean 59.8 +/- 11.56). The studied group was divided into 3 subgroups: In I (control) group were included 10 patients diagnosed with ERCP techniques because of jaundice of unknown origin. Those patients did't have ERCP or operative revision of bile ducts before, but all of them underwent cholecystectomy in the past. Each II and III group consisted of 20 patients, who underwent SE before 12-24 and 25-36 months earlier respectively. Sterile uodenoscope was inserted to the region of major duodenal papilla, and then a sterile brush was used to collect material to cytological smear (brushing) from main bile duct. In all groups 2 ml of bile were taken by a catheter to a syringe. On the basis of radiograms from ERCP findings, the width of main bile duct was assessed. In all patients blood cell count, aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, gammaglutamyltranspeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, bilirubin, C-reactive protein and procalcitonine levels were measured. RESULTS: In our study all 40 patients with previously performed endoscopic sphincterotomy (SE) had bacterial colonization in bile ducts, mostly with Gramm negative pathogens. The most virulent pathogens vere cultured from bile duct swabs from patients after two or more revisions of common bile duct, and after a longer time from sphincterotomy. Those patients had multibacterial bile duct infections (Escherichia coli + Pseudomonas aeruginosa; P. aeruginosa + Enterococcus faecalis; E. faecalis + Enterobacter cloacae + Candida albicans; P. aeruginosa + E. cloacae). E. coil and E. faecalis were most frequently cultured (20 and 16 cases respectively). It was observed that with length of time from endoscopic sphincterotomy, the width of main bile duct and also amount of cultured pathogens and their virulency grow. Elevated transaminases activity and serum procalcitonine levels were observed in studied groups. 9 patients after previous sphincterotomy had recurrent lithiasis. CONCLUSIONS: Sphincterotomy contributes to colonization of main bile duct with pathogenic bacteria. With length of time from endoscopic sphincterotomy, and amount of performed endoscopic sphincterotomies the amount of cultured pathogens, their virulency and drug resistance grow. Chronic infection of bile ducts after endoscopic sphincterotomy causes higher risk of recurrent lithiasis.