Spontaneous Free Peritoneal Perforation of an Infected Pancreatic Fluid Collection Managed with Laparoscopic Drainage and Necrosectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Free peritoneal perforation of pancreatic fluid collections is extremely rare and only few case reports exist in the literature. Many of these patients undergo emergency exploratory laparotomy due to sepsis and haemodynamic instability requiring sepsis control. The use of laparoscopic techniques in this circumstance is limited by the haemodynamic stability of the patient and the technical challenges. But effective laparoscopic management is associated with less morbidity to the patient. Case Presentation. A 28-year-old patient presented with worsening generalized abdominal pain with increased inflammatory markers. She required persistent inotropic support despite adequate fluid resuscitation. She had transient acute renal impairment and acute respiratory distress, which improved with noninvasive support. CECT (contrast-enhanced computed tomography) showed an infected pancreatic fluid collection with peritoneal free fluid. Aspiration of pelvic collection showed purulent fluid. Based on these clinical and imaging findings, she was diagnosed with a free peritoneal perforation of an infected pancreatic fluid collection. She underwent a laparoscopic drainage and necrosectomy of the infected pancreatic collection and peritoneal washout. She had a gradual recovery. All inotropes were omitted on the second day following surgery. She was sent to the ward from the ICU (intensive care unit) on the 4th postoperative day. CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic approach is a viable option in managing ruptured pancreatic fluid collections when patient and technical factors are supportive. It reduces surgical morbidity, thereby reducing the overall strain on physiological reserves. When opted for laparoscopic drainage, the procedure must be guided by imaging findings. Multidisciplinary participation is critical in the overall management.

Laparoscopic Bilateral Adrenalectomy in a Young Female Patient with Recurrent Cushing's Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Synchronous bilateral adrenalectomy is undertaken less often due to numerous perioperative challenges and rare circumstances of patients needing this procedure. Bilateral adrenalectomy is an important second-line option for patients with persistent or recurrent hypercortisolism following transsphenoidal surgery for Cushing's disease. Here, we present a challenging case of synchronous laparoscopic bilateral adrenalectomy for a young female patient with recurrent Cushing's disease and fertility wishes. Case Presentation. A 21-year-old recently married patient who was diagnosed with Cushing's disease with a pituitary microadenoma had undergone two attempts of transsphenoidal excision of the pituitary tumour. Follow-up evaluation showed an unresectable residual tumour with invasion of the intracavernous part of the left internal carotid artery. As the patient had the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis intact with strong fertility wishes, she was offered bilateral adrenalectomy instead of radiotherapy. She was prepared for the surgery with close perioperative support from the endocrinology and anaesthesia teams. Intravenous hydrocortisone infusion was started at the induction of anaesthesia. Transperitoneal approach was used with the patient positioned in left and right lateral positions for right and left glands, respectively. A meticulous surgical technique was used for the identification of adrenal veins to clip them before division followed by handling of the glands. The patient had minimal haemodynamic disturbances during surgery. Intraoperative blood loss was less than 100 ml, and operative time was 220 minutes. She had a gradual recovery following postoperative respiratory distress due to basal atelectasis and consolidation. Cortisol levels were less than 20 nmol/L postoperatively, suggesting successful surgical intervention. Two months after surgery, she continued on maintenance therapy of oral hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone and was encouraged to go ahead with pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Although bilateral adrenalectomy is considered a high-risk procedure, these risks can be mitigated and performed safely while maintaining close multidisciplinary perioperative support.

Laparoscopic Resection of Pancreatic Tail Solid Pseudopapillary Tumour in a Young Male.

Background. Solid Pseudopapillary Tumours of the pancreas are a rare entity and more commonly seen in women than in men. These tumours have typically reached large sizes when clinically detected. Case Description. A 21-year-old male was found to have a left hypochondrial mass on physical examination following a trivial soft tissue injury. Contrast-enhanced computed topography (CT) of the abdomen showed a 10.3 × 7.6 × 10.3 cm size arising from the body and the tail of the pancreas. He underwent laparoscopic resection of distal pancreatic tumour en bloc with spleen. Large tumour was noted originating from the body and tail of the pancreas with dilated veins surrounding the tumour. Histology revealed a clear cell variant of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm with steatotic pattern. Resection margin was free of tumour. Discussion. Several studies have shown significant short term advantages using laparoscopic approach compared to open surgery, in terms of lower blood loss, resumption of oral intake, and hospital stay. This case and few other case reports published in world literature have shown that laparoscopic approach is safe and oncologically adequate.