Meckel's Diverticulitis. A rare cause of small bowel obstruction.

Meckel's Diverticulum is a sac-like protrusion of the intestinal wall. It is located at 40-60 cm from the caecum. In the majority of cases, Meckel's Diverticulum is clinically silent, while complications are found in 4% of the population. Complicated diverticulitis is associated with the formation of abscess, fistula, bowel obstruction or frank perforation. We present a case of a 63-year-old woman with a distended abdomen, pain in the lower right abdominal quadrant, fever 37°C and where emergency exploratory laparotomy revealed that obstruction was caused by a bowel loop trapped by a mesenterium-diverticular band.

Intra-Abdominal Hemorrhage following Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Report of Two Cases.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) represents an emergency procedure, consisting of chest compressions and artificial ventilation. Two rare cases of intra-abdominal bleeding following cardiac compressions are reported. The first case was a 29-year-old female with massive pulmonary embolism (PE). Following CPR due to cardiac arrest, she showed signs of intra-abdominal bleeding. A liver laceration was found and sutured. The patient passed away, due to massive PE. The second patient was a 62-year-old female, suffering from cardiac arrest due to drowning at sea. CPR was performed in situ. At presentation to the emergency department she showed signs of intra-abdominal bleeding. The origin of the hemorrhage was found to be vessels of the lesser curvature of the stomach, which were ligated. Regarding the first patient PE has already been described as a cause for liver lacerations in CPR due to stasis and liver enlargement. The second case is the first report of gastric vessel injury without gastric rupture/laceration and pneumoperitoneum. Complications of CPR should not represent a drawback to performing cardiac compressions. Parenchymatic injuries have been related to inappropriate technique of chest compressions during basic life support. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for the providers to refresh their knowledge of performing CPR.

Leiomyoma of the Round Ligament of the Uterus Mimicking Inguinal Hernia.

Masses of the round ligament of the uterus are uncommon. Leiomyomas are the most common of them, followed by mesothelial cysts and in some cases endometriosis. The exact incidence is not known, but most cases are frequently encountered during the fertility age. Leiomyomas are benign tumors, which can present as hernias, lymph nodes, or other inguinal masses. Surgical excision is the appropriate treatment. We are presenting a case of a 47-year-old female patient who was admitted to the hospital with a left inguinal mass. Our patient underwent surgery, and a leiomyoma of the round ligament was found.

A rare cause for Hartmann's procedure due to biliary stent migration: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Biliary stent migration (proximal or distal) occurs in 6% of all cases. The majority of these migrating stents are passing through the intestine, without causing any complications. Usually when a stent migration occurs, endoscopic retrieval is the proper treatment option, except in case of complications when surgical removal is the only treatment option. This report presents a case of a biliary stent which migrated and caused a sigmoid colon perforation. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 75 years old female patient presented to the emergency department with diffuse abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Clinical examination showed distended abdomen and signs of peritoneal irritation. CT scan of the abdomen revealed free gas and fluid in the left iliac fossa, as well as a foreign body penetrating the sigmoid colon. Emergency laparotomy was performed. A plastic stent was found perforating the sigmoid colon through a diverticulum. The rest of the sigmoid colon was intact presenting only uncomplicated diverticula. Hartmann's operation was performed, involving the diseased segment, together with part of the descending colon due to profound diverticulosis. Patient's post-surgical course was uneventful and was discharged on postoperative day 10. DISCUSSION: Migration of a biliary stent can cause life-threatening complications such as perforation of the intestine and peritonitis. The migration of the stent from the biliary tree may be mostly asymptomatic except in cases of intestinal perforation that immediate surgery is the proper treatment option. On the other hand, even in cases of benign lesions of the bile duct, the stent should be removed immediately after dislocation in order to reduce the risk of secondary complications such as obstruction, infection or perforation. CONCLUSION: In cases of non-complicated stent migration endoscopic retrieval is the indicated treatment. In patients who suffer serious complications due to stent dislocation, emergency surgery may be the proper treatment option.

Incarcerated Amyand hernia with simultaneous rupture of an adenocarcinoma in an inguinal hernia sac: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: An Amyand's hernia is a rare occurrence of an inguinal hernia, with an estimated prevalence of 1%. The major complications of an Amyand's hernia include necrotizing fasciitis of the anterior abdominal wall and secondary intestinal perforation. Though the incidence of this type of hernia is low, the appendix may easily become initially incarcerated, possibly leading to strangulation and perforation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 92-year-old female patient presented to our emergency department with clinical signs of an incarcerated right inguinal hernia, accompanied by fever. A clinical examination revealed localized abdominal pain, reflecting to the right side of her groin. Laboratory tests showed leukocytosis (13,200/µL), while an abdominal X-ray showed colon distension with evidence of intestinal obstruction. Ultrasonography was performed and confirmed the presence of an inflamed tubular structure inside her right inguinal canal. Our patient underwent emergency surgery. We started with a right inguinal incision, which revealed an incarcerated right inguinal hernia, containing her ruptured appendix and showing macroscopic evidence of malignancy. A specimen biopsy was immediately performed and the results showed a ruptured cecal adenocarcinoma. The incision was slightly extended upwards, and a right hemicolectomy performed. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of an Amyand's hernia occurs primarily as an incidental finding during surgery and the optimal therapeutic approach must be considered individually for each case. Owing to the rarity of Amyand's hernia and the wide variance of its clinical characteristics, every case provides useful information toward the treatment of this type of hernia.

A case of pneumoperitoneum and retropneumoperitoneum without bowel perforation due to extensive intestinal necrosis as a complication to chemotherapy: CT evaluation.

Acute intestinal ischemia continues to be a challenging diagnostic problem with high mortality. We describe a rare case of acute intestinal necrosis, due to vasculitis, related with chemotherapy. A patient was examined in our emergency department, presenting with abdominal pain. Three months before he had undergone an operation for lung carcinoma (lobectomy) and received chemotherapy. CT of the abdomen demonstrated free air in 10 different locations: hepatic part of the portal vein, branches of mesenteric veins, femoral and iliac veins, the bowel wall, peritoneal cavity and retroperitoneal space, abdominal muscles, inguinal canals, meso-sigmoid space, and in the para-rectal space. Moreover, pathological findings revealed that the free air in the peritoneum and retropneumoperitoneum occurred without intestinal perforation, but with transudation through the necrotic bowel wall. This is a rare complication of chemotherapy. This case refers to the unusual CT findings which appeared in this patient. The key to a better outcome is early diagnosis of this condition and the CT examination of the abdomen plays an important role.