Laparoscopic Bullet Removal in a Penetrating Abdominal Gunshot.

Penetrating abdominal trauma has been traditionally treated by exploratory laparotomy. Nowadays laparoscopy has become an accepted practice in hemodynamically stable patient without signs of peritonitis. We report a case of a lower anterior abdominal gunshot patient treated laparoscopically. A 32-year-old male presented to the Emergency Department with complaint of gunshot penetrating injury at left lower anterior abdominal wall. The patient had no symptoms or obvious bleeding and was vitally stable. On examination we identified 1 cm diameter entry wound at the left lower abdominal wall. The imaging studies showed the bullet in the peritoneal cavity but no injured intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal viscera. We decided to remove the bullet laparoscopically. Twenty-four hours after the intervention the patient was discharged. The decision for managing gunshot patients should be based on clinical and diagnostic findings. Anterior abdominal injuries in a stable patient without other health problems can be managed laparoscopically.

Rectal ischemia mimicked tumor mass.

Ischemic proctitis is a rare disease which is usually encountered in elderly with comorbidities. We present a case of an 80-year old man with severe coronary disease who presented with severe hematochezia and hypotension. Endoscopy revealed a rectal mass 3-4 cm above the dental line and rectosigmoid mucosal inflammation compatible with ischemic colitis. The rectal insult was so intense that it resembled a neoplasmatic lesion. We discuss the causes, the prognostic factors, and the clinical and therapeutic challenges of this rare, albeit life-threatening entity, and we review the relative literature. A percentage of 10%-20% of patients with ischemic colitis usually have a distal potentially obstructing lesion or disorder such as cancer, diverticulitis or fecal impaction. Ischemic colitis, when mucosal and submucosal edema is severe and hemorrhagic nodules are large enough, can mimic a neoplasmatic lesion. The best treatment approach is a conservative management initially with a close clinical followup and after stabilization a repetition of rectal endoscopy with new biopsies. Early recognition of this clinical entity is of paramount importance to implement appropriate therapy (conservative or surgical) and avoid potentially fatal treatment of presumed inflammatory or infectious bowel diseases.

An unusual case of a strangulated right inguinal hernia containing the sigmoid colon.

The strangulated inguinal hernia is one of the most common emergencies in surgery. Although the diagnosis is usually made by physical examination, the content of the hernia sac and the extent of the following operation may vary. We present an extremely rare case of a strangulated right inguinal hernia containing the sigmoid colon and review the relevant literature.

Preincisional and intraperitoneal ropivacaine plus normal saline infusion for postoperative pain relief after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized double-blind controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: A clinical trial was designed to assess the use of preincisional and intraperitoneal ropivacaine, combined or not with normal saline, to reduce pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). METHODS: For this trial, 120 patients were randomly assigned to six groups. For all the patients, preincisional local infiltration of ropivacaine around the trocar wounds was performed. Group A had infusion of ropivacaine at the beginning of the LC. Group B had infusion of ropivacaine at the beginning of the LC plus normal saline infusion at the end. Group C had normal saline infusion and ropivacaine at the end of the LC. Group D had infusion of ropivacaine at the beginning of the LC plus normal saline infusion at the end and a subhepatic closed drain. Group E had ropivacaine at the end of the LC. Group F (control group) had neither ropivacaine nor normal saline infusion. Shoulder tip and abdominal pain were registered at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h postoperatively using a visual analog score (VAS). RESULTS: Significantly lower pain scores were observed in group B than in group A at 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 h or in groups C, D, E, and F at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h. Group A also had significantly lower pain scores than groups C, D, E, and F at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h. Requests for analgesics also were significantly less in group B than in group A at 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 h or in groups C, D, and E at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h. Demand for additional analgesia was less in group B than in groups A, C, D, E, and F at 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 h and in group A than in groups C, D, E, and F at 2, 4, 6, and 12 h. CONCLUSION: Preincisional local infiltration plus intraperitoneal infusion of ropivacaine at the beginning of LC combined with normal saline infusion at the end of the procedure is a safe and valid method for reducing pain after LC.