[Meckel's diverticulitis, an uncommon cause of acute abdomen]. / Diverticulitis de Meckel, una causa poco frecuente de abdomen agudo.

Meckel's diverticulum corresponds to the aberrant involution of the omphalo-mesenteric canal or vitelline duct, which is located at the level of the antimesenteric border of the terminal ileum. It is the most common structural anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract, it is almost always asymptomatic and its diagnosis is usually incidental, however the complication with diverticulitis is an unusual condition. We describe the case of a 65-year-oldman, who was admitted from another institution with a diagnosis of acute abdomen. On physical examination, he presented signs of peritoneal irritation with evidence of leukocytosis and neutrophilia in the admission blood count. Computerized tomography of the abdomen with intra venous contrast was performed, which was interpreted as complicated Meckel's diverticulitis, being corroborated during the surgical act and confirmed by pathological anatomy. Meckel's diverticulitis is a rare entity, however it is important to recognize it within the differential diagnoses of acute abdomen, which will allow prompt intervention and a favorable outcome.

El divertículo de Meckel (DM) corresponde a la involución aberrante del canal onfalo-mesentérico o conducto vitelino, el cual se ubica a nivel del borde antimesentérico del íleon terminal. Es la anomalía estructural más común del tracto gastrointestinal, casi siempre es asintomático y su diagnóstico por lo general es incidental, sin embargo, la complicación con diverticulitis es una condición poco usual. Describimos el caso de un hombre de 65 años, que ingresó referido de otra institución con diagnóstico de abdomen agudo, al examen físico presentó signos de irritación peritoneal con evidencia de leucocitosis y neutrofilia en hemograma de ingreso. Se realizó tomografía computarizada de abdomen con contraste endovenoso, la cual se interpretó como diverticulitis de Meckel complicada, siendo corroborado durante el acto quirúrgico y confirmado mediante anatomía patológica. La diverticulitis de Meckel es una entidad rara, sin embargo, es importante reconocerla dentro de los diagnósticos diferenciales de abdomen agudo, lo cual permitirá una pronta intervención y un favorable desenlace.

Diverticulitis de Meckel, una causa poco frecuente de abdomen agudo / Meckel's diverticulitis, an uncommon cause of acute abdomen

Resumen El divertículo de Meckel (DM) corresponde a la involución aberrante del canal onfalo-mesentérico o conducto vitelino, el cual se ubica a nivel del borde antimesentérico del íleon terminal. Es la anomalía estructural más común del tracto gastrointestinal, casi siempre es asintomático y su diagnóstico por lo general es incidental, sin embargo, la complica ción con diverticulitis es una condición poco usual. Describimos el caso de un hombre de 65 años, que ingresó referido de otra institución con diagnóstico de abdomen agudo, al examen físico presentó signos de irritación peritoneal con evidencia de leucocitosis y neutrofilia en hemograma de ingreso. Se realizó tomografía computarizada de abdomen con contraste endovenoso, la cual se interpretó como diverticulitis de Meckel complicada, siendo corroborado durante el acto quirúrgico y confirmado mediante anatomía patológica. La diverticulitis de Meckel es una entidad rara, sin embargo, es importante reconocerla dentro de los diagnósticos diferenciales de abdomen agudo, lo cual permitirá una pronta intervención y un favorable desenlace.

Abstract Meckel's diverticulum corresponds to the aberrant invo lution of the omphalo-mesenteric canal or vitelline duct, which is located at the level of the antimesenteric border of the terminal ileum. It is the most common structural anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract, it is almost always asymptomatic and its diagnosis is usually incidental, how ever the complication with diverticulitis is an unusual con dition. We describe the case of a 65-year-oldman, who was admitted from another institution with a diagnosis of acute abdomen. On physical examination, he presented signs of peritoneal irritation with evidence of leukocytosis and neutrophilia in the admission blood count. Computerized tomography of the abdomen with intra venous contrast was performed, which was interpreted as complicated Meckel's diverticulitis, being corroborated during the surgical act and confirmed by pathological anatomy. Meckel's diverticulitis is a rare entity, however it is important to recognize it within the differential diagnoses of acute abdomen, which will allow prompt intervention and a favorable outcome.

Involvement of the excretory/secretory and surface-associated antigens of Dirofilaria immitis adult worms in the angiogenic response in an in-vitro endothelial cell model.

Angiogenesis is a process by which new vessels are formed from pre-existing ones when the physiological conditions of the vascular endothelium are altered. Heartworm disease, caused by Dirofilaria immitis, causes changes in the vascular endothelium of the pulmonary arteries due to obstruction, friction, and hypoxia. The aim of this study was to analyze whether the excretory/secretory and surface-associated antigens of adult worms interact and modulates the angiogenic mechanism, viable cell number and cell migration, as well as the formation of pseudo-capillaries. Cultures of human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated with excretory/secretory antigens (DiES), surface-associated antigens (Cut) from D. immitis adult worms, VEFG-A (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A), as well as DiES+VEFG-A and Cut+VEFG-A were used. The production of VEFG-A and other proangiogenic [soluble VEFGR-2 (sVEFGR-2), membrane Endoglin (mEndoglin)] and antiangiogenic [VEFGR-1/soluble Flt (sFlt), soluble Endoglin (sEndoglin)] molecules was assessed using commercial ELISA kits. Cell viability was analyzed by live cell count and cytotoxicity assays by a commercial kit. In addition, viable cell number by MTT-based assay, cell migration by wound-healing assay carrying out scratched wounds, and the capacity of pseudo-capillary formation to analyze cell connections and cell groups in Matrigel cell cultures, were evaluated. In all cases, non­stimulated cultures were used as controls. DiES+VEFG-A and Cut+VEFG-A significantly increased the production of VEFG-A and sVEFGR-2, and only Cut+VEFG-A significantly increased the production of VEFGR-1/sFlt compared to other groups and non-stimulated cultures. Moreover, only DiES+VEFG-A produced a significant increase in viable cell number and significant decrease cell migration, as well as in the organization and number of cell connections. Excretory/secretory and surface-associated antigens of adult D. immitis activated the angiogenic mechanism by mainly stimulating the synthesis of proangiogenic factors, and only excretory/secretory antigens increased viable cell number, activated cell migration and the formation of pseudo-capillaries. These processes could lead to vascular endothelial remodeling of the infected host and favor the long-term survival of the parasite.