Visceral Pseudoaneurysm Embolisation Using 'Ping-Pong' Technique: Importance of Dual Arterial Catheterisation to Prevent Rupture.

Supracolic peri-pancreatic visceral pseudoaneurysms combine the challenges of difficult location for open surgical repair with unpredictable risk of fatal exsanguination. Endovascular embolisation is a well-established method of safely decompressing these lesions using a variety of thrombogenic agents. A single catheter technique is commonly employed to achieve this outcome. However, there is also a risk of iatrogenic rupture during these procedures as a result of occlusion of one vessel allowing pressure to rise through any other vessel(s). Thus a thorough understanding of the flow dynamics prior to and during occlusion is essential for safe decompression. We report the adaptation of dual arterial catheter technique in treating these lesions in an 80-year old man with a large, leaking peripancreatic visceral pseudo-aneurysm. Our technique of alternating between intervention and observation of effect allows greater control of the potentially unpredictable haemodynamic situation.

Spontaneous, isolated caecal necrosis: report of a case, review of the literature, and updated classification.

Isolated necrosis of the caecum is a rare cause of abdominal pain. In the absence of occlusive vascular disease it has a number of well documented associations, the commonest of which is patients' receiving haemodialysis for endstage renal failure. It has also been associated with shock states, cardiac failure, ischaemic heart disease, diabetes and drugs such as cocaine, thiopentone and cytotoxic agents. However, there are few reported cases in the literature without the aforementioned associations and the majority of cases, regardless of aetiology, were treated with either hemicolectomy or wedge resection and ileocolic anastamosis. This report describes a case of isolated caecal necrosis, mimicking acute appendicitis, successfully treated by local excision of the necrotic segment. It also provides a systematic review of the literature and proposes an updated classification of associations in isolated caecal necrosis.

Verrucous carcinoma--an embarrassing problem?

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) types 6 and 11 are usually associated with benign genital condylomata, but here we describe an extreme case of verrucous carcinoma associated with HPV 6 in a patient too embarrassed to seek early medical advice.

Rapid flow carbon dioxide laparoscopy disperses cancer cells into the peritoneal cavity but not the port sites in a new rat model.

BACKGROUND: The role of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the pathogenesis of tumor recurrence after laparoscopy remains controversial. Using a new rat model, we studied the effect of different CO2 flow rates on the dispersal of free cancer cells. METHODS: A novel model of desufflation without trocar was developed, and 55 Fischer rats were randomized into three flow groups: group A (rapid, 0.67 l/min; n = 20), group B (slow, 0.44 l/min; n = 20), and group C (gasless, n = 15). We vented CO2 via a portless surgical valve that filtered cells. After the abdominal wall had been suspended to create space, half of the animals in each group (nonrecovery) received 7.5 x 10(6) immunolabeled rat colon cancer cells (RCC2) intraperitoneally, whereas the other half (recovery) received 7.5 x l0(6) viable RCC2 before insufflation or gasless laparoscopy. Nonrecovery animals were killed after 20 l of insufflation. Parietal peritoneal and port-site specimens were examined for RCC2 by fluorescence microscopy (FM) and flow cytometry (FC). The recovery animals were killed at 4 weeks for evidence of wound recurrence. RESULTS: Nine of 10 nonrecovery animals in A had RCC2 on FM or FC, as compared with 2 animals in each of the nonrecovery groups B and C (p = 0.018, Fisher's exact test). Two of the nine animals in group A also had RCC2 in their portless valves. Two recovery (A) animals developed wound recurrence as compared with none in the other groups (p = 0.315). CONCLUSION: In this model, rapid CO2 flow dispersed free cancer cells into the peritoneal cavity, but not into the port sites, thus supporting a role for CO2 in the intraperitoneal dispersal of free cancer cells, but not in wound recurrence.