Intestinal Helminths Infections as Infrequent Cause of Emergency Abdominal Surgery: A Retrospective Study in a University Hospital over 20 Years.

INTRODUCTION: All organs of any organism can be affected by helminths. They can be seen in a broad spectrum, from simple infestations to extensive, life-threatening involvement. Symptomatology is usually of chronic latent course. However, sometimes the presentation is acute and requires urgent surgical intervention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational prospective recruitment study of patients undergoing emergency surgery for helminth infection from January 2000 to December 2019 at a university hospital. Sociodemographic and analytical variables, variables related to the clinical process, and the diagnostic test were analysed. Variables related to the surgical procedure and postoperative complications were also analysed. RESULTS: A total of 36 patients required emergency surgery for their helminth infection, which represented 0.26% of emergency abdominal surgeries. The mean age was 34.91 ± 21.5 years, with a predominance of men (69.4%). Most patients presented with pain in the right iliac fossa (69.4%), followed by symptoms compatible with intestinal obstruction (19.4%). The most frequent surgical interventions were appendectomy (38.9%) followed bowel resection (33.3%) and ileocecal resection (11.1%). Enterobious vermicularis and Anisakis simplex both together accounted for 75% of the sample. Statistically significant differences were identified in age (p < 0.001), diagnostic test performed (p = 0.032), intraoperative clinical diagnosis (p = 0.005) and surgical treatment received (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The frequency of emergency surgeries for intestinal helminth parasitism is decreasing. However, the majority of these are E. vermicularis and Anisakis simplex, which have distinctly different clinical presentations. Identification and recognition by physicians continue to be necessary for further postoperative management and possible complications.

Spontaneous liver rupture secondary to distal right hepatic artery microaneurysms in a patient admitted due to Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia

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Spontaneous liver rupture secondary to distal right hepatic artery microaneurysms in a patient admitted due to Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia.

Spontaneous liver rupture is an uncommon and life-threatening condition often associated with high mortality rate. The most common causes are preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome during pregnancy, liver tumours and overdosing of anticoagulant therapy, however, hepatic rupture in the absence of underlying pathology is an extremely rare occurrence. Treatment can include observation, embolization, hepatic artery ligation, hepatic lobectomy, hematoma evacuation and packing, and even liver transplantation has been described.

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: an uncommon cause of intestinal obstruction.

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome, also Wilkie's syndrome, is an uncommon cause of upper intestinal obstruction. It includes compression of the third duodenal portion by the aorta and the overlying superior mesenteric artery when the angle formed by these two structures becomes smaller. It may result from significant weight loss or abdominal trauma, or may have a congenital origin. Treatment for most cases is conservative.

Síndrome de la arteria mesentérica superior: una causa infrecuente de obstrucción intestinal / Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: an uncommon cause of intestinal obstruction

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