Case report of mesenteric solitary fibrous tumour and review of the literature: 'once in a blue moon'.

Solitary fibrous tumour (SFT) is a rare mesenchymal tumour, usually originating from the serous surfaces, typically of the pleura and pericardium. However, it can also have localizations in soft tissues and visceral organs. We report the case of a 79-year-old woman affected by mesenteric SFT, localized in the sigmoid colon. We performed open excision of the abovementioned mass en-bloc with the sigmoid colon and left adnexal tissues. Pathological examination of surgical specimen revealed a diagnosis of SFT CD34+, high-risk of metastases. Mesenteric SFTs are even rarer forms of SFT and may be asymptomatic or cause intestinal occlusion. There is no consensus on the management of this tumour. Radical surgical excision is the only curative treatment, while adjuvant therapies are indicated in case of advanced disease. Due to the high metastatic risk of malignant forms, a long follow-up is mandatory in these cases.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in adult with asymptomatic partial agenesis of the right diaphragm: Case report and the literature.

INTRODUCTION: The importance of unilateral diaphragmatic agenesis (DA) in adults for performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy has not been well described in literature. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 60-year-old female patient entered our ward in March 2019 for laparoscopic cholecystectomy after 6 months history of epigastric pain and multiple episodes of biliary colic treated conservatively. She never complained of pulmonary symptoms. Preoperative chest Computed tomography (CT) was negative for diaphragmatic or pulmonary pathologies. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 60 min with intraoperative detection of a thoracoabdominal communication with partial right hemidiaphragm agenesis. A chest CT and x-ray were performed in the postoperative period with progressive reduction of an asymptomatic small pneumothorax. The patient was discharged at home without complications on the fifth postoperative day. Thoracopulmonary surgery examination was performed without indications for diaphragmatic repair. DISCUSSION: DA is a rare condition and usually occurs in early neonatal period. The congenital form occurs in 1 out of 2200-12500 live births and is traditionally divided into anterior (Morgagni's: 10%) and posterolateral (Bochdalek's: 90%) hernias. Chest and abdomen CT with coronal and sagittal reconstructions is the most effective and useful imaging technique for the diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia. In literature there are former two case reports of asymptomatic DA in cholelithiasis in which laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed effectively. CONCLUSION: In adults with partial DA, laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed successfully. A conservative management only with gallstones dissolution therapy can be used if laparoscopy cannot be done. Further studies with a higher level of evidence are needed.

Association of right breast cancer and ileal gastrointestinal stromal tumor in a patient with type I neurofibromatosis: Case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: The Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) is an autosomal dominant syndrome that affects 1/3000-1/4000 individuals. Patients with this condition are predisposed to different tumors, like neurofibromas, optic nerve gliomas, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and breast cancers. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 78-year-old female patient affected by NF1 in May 2018 during follow-up for a carcinoma of the right breast had persistent anemia requiring regular blood transfusions. She presented with NF 1 with disseminated cutaneous neurofibromas, asthma, hypothyroidism, arterial hypertension and uterine prolapse. She had performed gastroscopy and colonoscopy both negative for neoplastic lesions. She was subjected to chest and abdomen CT which revealed the presence of an ileal lesion of 6.5 × 4 cm suspected of GIST. The patient underwent laparoscopic ileal resection in 120 min and was discharged on the sixth postoperative day. DISCUSSION: NF1 is caused by biallelic loss of a tumor suppressor gene. Most GISTs are localized in the stomach and small intestine. Surgery is the first line of treatment for localized disease. The main goal of surgery is complete excision with negative margins. The association between breast cancer and intestinal GIST in NF1 is reported only from two previous studies. CONCLUSION: It is a rare case of association of breast cancer and ileal GIST in NF1. Laparoscopic resection of intestinal GIST has shown in some studies to have oncological outcomes comparable to laparotomy. Furthermore, laparoscopy is associated with better perioperative outcomes and shorter hospital stays. Further studies with a higher level of evidence are needed.

Laparoscopic excision of a voluminous mesenteric cyst: Case report of a rare entity and review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis and treatment of mesenteric cysts (MC) is a challenge due to rarity, lack of specific symptoms and variability in location and size. Mesenteric cysts are rare surgical entities that occur approximately in 1: 200,000-1: 350,000 hospitalizations. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 47-year-old female patient presented in August 2018 with occasional abdominal pains and an abdominal swelling palpable in the lower right quadrant. A CT scan with contrast enhancement confirmed a 11 cm mass with liquid content in the right iliac fossa, clearly separate from other intra-abdominal structures. The mass was completely excised laparoscopically. The patient was discharged on the third postoperative day. She was symptom-free at 30-day follow-up. Histology demonstrated a solitary non-pancreatic cyst of the mesentery with negative cytology for neoplastic cells. DISCUSSION: The origin of mesenteric cysts (MC) is uncertain. Imaging (by ultrasonography, CT, and MRI) can be diagnostic. Therapy for these cysts should be performed if they are symptomatic or cause complications. The treatment of choice is complete surgical excision. The advent of laparoscopy has allowed the excision of these cysts without laparotomy in the expert hands of surgeons with good experience in advanced laparoscopy. Laparoscopy is not a standard for the presence in the literature of only case reports. CONCLUSION: MC are commonly asymptomatic and discovered incidentally. If symptomatic, surgical excision is considered the cornerstone intervention and laparoscopic resection is feasible, causing less pain, a shorter postoperative stay, and quicker recovery of the patient than open operation. Further studies with a higher level of evidence are needed.

Laparoscopic Repair of Ventral and other hernias of the abdominal wall with Composite meshes (Ventralight ST with Echo PS System and Physiomesh): Our case series of 101 patients and the literature.

INTRODUCTION: A meta-analysis of studies has shown that the incidence of ventral hernias varies from 4 to 10%. During the last twenty years, the use of laparoscopic repair of ventral and other hernias of the abdominal wall has rapidly increased. PRESENTATION OF CASES: From January 2011 to March 2020 101 patients underwent laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR). The diameter of the hernial defect intraoperatively was in average 6.22 ± 5.17 cm (SD) (range 2-30 cm). The difference with the defect diameter measured in CT is small (average 0.77 ± 2.21 cm). The mean operative time was 96.20 min. We used Physiomesh and Secure strap in 37 cases and Ventralight ST plus Sorbafix in 58 cases. The conversion rate was 6.93%. The mean hospital stay was 6.03 days. The 30-day mortality was 0%. The overall morbidity was 11.88%. DISCUSSION: LVHR indications are debated. The IEHS guidelines and the EAES/EHS Consensus conference of 2015 discussed the main indications, contraindications, and features of laparoscopic techniques. Laparoscopic approach seemed to have some benefits: absence of intraparietal dissection, of postoperative immobilization, lower risk of bronchopulmonary complications and lesser abdominal pain. We compared our case series with other similar studies, and we revealed our short-term outcomes are in line with literature. CONCLUSION: Our case series revealed that the LVHR with Ventralight ST/Sorbafix is a safe and effective technique with low postoperative morbidity and low reoperation rate. Careful patient selection is one of the main methods of choice. Studies with higher level of evidence are needed.

Surgeon's clinical valuation and accuracy of ultrasound in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis: A comparison with intraoperative evaluation. Five years experience.

INTRODUCTION: Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of acute abdomen in adolescents, with an overall incidence of 7%. Two such tools are used to diagnose acute appendicitis: ultrasound and Computer Tomography imaging. End point of this study was to verify the accuracy of ultrasound imaging in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis with respect to intraoperative observations and the respective clinical and laboratory findings in young and in the elderly. METHODS: We considered all the appendectomies for acute appendicitis performed between 1 January 2010 and 1 January 2015. We evaluated clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, ultrasound findings, intraoperative signs, and anatomical and pathological findings. In the study we compared the ultrasound and intraoperative findings and then compared these with the respective clinical and laboratory data. RESULTS: In a comparison of diagnostic accuracy, the difference between clinical and ultrasound examinations was not significant. The differences between the diagnostic accuracy of clinical and laboratory findings and between ultrasound and laboratory investigations were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: We defined white blood cells and C protein levels as non-diagnostic of the type of acute inflammation but rather as indicators of the severity of the inflammatory process. We also agree with the authors who proposed the incorporation of ultrasonography into routine practice in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, but only and exclusively to support other diagnostic procedures and preferably within emergency departments. A thorough clinical examination of patients with suspected acute appendicitis is still the best diagnostic procedure available to us.