Bowel Ischemia Secondary to Campylobacter Enterocolitis: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Campylobacter is the most common cause of diarrheal illness worldwide and is generally self-limiting. We present two cases of Campylobacter enterocolitis complicated by bowel ischemia in a 79-year-old male and a 53-year-old male, both presenting with abdominal pain and diarrhea and elevated lactate and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. CT demonstrated common findings of pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) and portal venous gas. Exploratory laparotomy performed on the former demonstrated extensive small bowel infarction that was noncompatible with life and he was palliated postoperatively. The latter improved clinically after resection of the ischemic section of the small bowel with primary stapled anastomosis and closure. Clinicians need to be aware of the potentially fatal complications of Campylobacter-associated enterocolitis and should maintain a high clinical index of suspicion so that early surgical intervention can be considered in this patient population.

Haemorrhagic mesenteric abscess in infective endocarditis: a unique cause of spontaneous haemoperitoneum.

Spontaneous haemoperitoneum (SH) is a rare but life-threatening condition with several well-recognized causes. SH often occurs in anticoagulated patients and requires urgent treatment to prevent mortality. SH is rarely associated with infective endocarditis (IE). To date, there are no reported cases of a haemorrhagic mesenteric abscess causing haemoperitoneum. We present the case of a warfarinized 30-year-old intravenous drug user with IE 2 weeks post-revision of a metallic valve who reported abdominal pain and subsequently suffered haemodynamic collapse. Abdominal computed tomography and damage-control laparotomy revealed haemoperitoneum secondary to an actively bleeding mesenteric nodule which was resected. Histopathology confirmed a haemorrhagic mesenteric abscess representing a rare sequela of IE and a novel cause of SH. Given that the incidence of IE appears to be increasing in people who inject drugs in Australia, the general surgeon should be aware of this clinical entity and the need for urgent intervention to prevent catastrophic sequelae.

Duplicated gallbladder with double cystic duct: hidden in plain sight.

Duplicated gallbladder with double cystic duct is a rare anomaly, with 62 cases reported including this case. We present a 76-year-old man who underwent interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy after previous conservative management of acute cholecystitis. Retrograde dissection of gallbladder was performed due to difficult access. Gallbladder was opened at Hartman's pouch which revealed two bile-flowing structures. Cholangiogram was only successful via one of the ducts with no evidence of leak. Subtotal cholecystectomy was performed after consultation with a Hepatobiliary surgeon. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) were reviewed which revealed duplicated gallbladder. CT cholangiogram was performed post-operatively, confirming two separate cystic ducts. Our case emphasizes that anatomical anomalies can still be unappreciated despite having high-resolution CT and MRCP preoperatively, which poses increased risk of biliary tree injury. Routine intraoperative cholangiogram will help avoid bile duct injuries. Literature advises that both gallbladders should be removed to avoid relapse of gallbladder disease.

Jejunal Diverticulitis: A Single-Center Experience and Proposed Management Algorithm.

Background: Jejunal diverticulitis is rare and usually an incidental diagnosis found on imaging. Its symptoms are non-specific. Hence, the diagnosis often is delayed, and a high mortality rate has been reported. The aim of this study was to review our experience in the management of jejunal diverticulitis and to propose a management algorithm. Methods: A retrospective review of all cases of jejunal diverticulitis seen from November 2015 to November 2018 was performed. Data collected included demographics, history of diverticulitis, risk factors, clinical presentation, biochemistry and imaging results, and management outcome. Results: Eight patients were identified during the study period, five females and three males with a median age of 71 years (range 61-85 years). One patient was on steroid treatment, and one patient had a history of jejunal diverticulitis. Abdominal pain was present in all patients, but other symptoms were variable. Two patients were initially believed to have constipation and were discharged home. All patients underwent a computed tomography (CT) scan for the diagnosis, showing that three had uncomplicated jejunal diverticulitis and five had localized perforation. Five patients were managed conservatively initially; two failed this treatment because of small bowel obstruction and persistent abdominal pain with rising inflammatory markers. Three underwent emergency laparotomy (two because of sepsis; one was thought to have a foreign body). There were no deaths. A proposed management algorithm is discussed. Conclusions: A CT scan is the mainstay for the accurate diagnosis of jejunal diverticulitis. The proposed algorithm can aid in selection of patients suitable for conservative management.

An interesting case of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the colon with synchronous metastatic adenocarcinoma.

KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE: We present a case of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the colon with synchronous metastatic adenocarcinoma. This case highlights the poor prognosis of these late presenting cancers. Furthermore, the unusual dual pathology raises questions about its potential etiology.

Spontaneous rupture of the non-gravid uterus.

A 71-year-old woman presents with acute onset abdominal pain with sepsis. Initial workup with an abdominal CT scanning revealed intraperitoneal air with an enlarged uterus and thickened small bowel loops. Haemodynamic instability with sepsis prompted urgent laparotomy. At laparotomy, spontaneous perforation of the uterus was identified. The cause was due to infarction of the myometrium. This occurred on a background of not having any previous instrumentation of the uterus.

Post-traumatic intrahepatic splenosis mimicking a neuroendocrine tumour.

A 52-year-old man presented with abdominal pain with a background of splenectomy 25 years previously. Initial investigations lead to suspicion of a neuroendocrine tumour. Positron emission tomography octreotide scanning and chromogranin were raised. He subsequently underwent a lateral segmentectomy. The histopathology was consistent with splenosis. 1. Splenosis must be considered as differential in any patient with abdominal symptoms post-traumatic splenectomy. 2. Positron emission tomography (PET) octreotide scanning can detect splenosis giving false positives for a neuroendocrine tumour. This is the first case to describe such an association.

The ileocaecal knot.

Variations in intestinal knot syndromes have been described in the past, including ileoileal knots, ileosigmoid knots and appendico-ileal knots. We report a new type of intestinal knot syndrome, an ileocaecal knot, which, to our knowledge, has not been reported before in the world literature. Features on CT that may raise suspicion of an ileal knot syndrome are described.

Revision of failed vertical banded gastroplasty to non-resectional Scopinaro biliopancreatic diversion: early experience.

BACKGROUND: The most commonly performed revision operation following failed vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) is Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, although revision to biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) with duodenal switch is now another common option. We describe the surgical technique for revision of a failed VBG to a non-resectional Scopinaro BPD in a series of patients, as well as the outcome in terms of complications and mean % excess weight loss (%EWL). METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on all patients who underwent revision to BPD at Mercy Bariatrics, Western Australia, between June 2001 and April 2005. This yielded 20 patients who had revision to BPD, 9 of whom had VBG as their initial operation. The mean %EWL was measured at regular intervals postoperatively (3, 6, 12, and 24 months). RESULTS: Mean %EWL at 12 and 24 months was 69.5 and 76.7, respectively. These results are comparable to %EWL after a primary BPD. Nutritional manifestations were found to be the most common of the minor complications. CONCLUSION: Our technique for revision of a failed restrictive operation to a non-resectional Scopinaro BPD is described. The preliminary results in terms of %EWL and complications are comparable to other revisional malabsorptive operations. Prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to further evaluate effects of revision to a non-resectional Scopinaro BPD and to ensure that the results (in terms of %EWL) are reproducible.