Role of general surgeons in acute urinary obstruction.

BACKGROUND: An emergency JJ stent is occasionally required to manage a patient with obstructive uropathy. In regional centres where there is no emergency urology service available, general surgeons are required to perform ureteric stent insertions. The aim of our study is to assess the efficacy of general surgeons in ureteric stent insertion. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the ureteric stent registry data from 1 January 2010 to 31 July 2014. RESULTS: A total of 185 ureteric stents were inserted between 1 January 2010 and 31 July 2014. Of these, 132 were for emergency cases. General surgeons performed 65 of the emergency stents. There were no complications associated with ureteric stent insertion. CONCLUSION: Ureteric stent insertion can be safely performed by general surgeons if adequately trained. Surgical trainees intending to work at the regional centres should be trained in ureteric stent insertions to prevent unnecessary hospital transfers.

Adverse drug reaction: rosuvastatin as a cause for ischaemic colitis in a 64-year-old woman.

Rosuvastatin (Crestor, AstraZeneca) is a commonly used drug for managing hypercholesterolaemia. It is a very safe medication with mostly acceptable side effects. Rare but serious side effects are not well known. A 64-year-old woman presented with bloody diarrhoea after starting rosuvastatin for hypercholesterolaemia. Stool microscopy and culture ruled out infective causes. Abdominal CT scan revealed normal calibre celiac axis and superior mesenteric artery. Colonoscopic biopsy revealed ischaemic colitis as the final histological diagnosis. The patient is in complete remission after ceasing the medication. Rosuvastatin causing ischaemic colitis should be considered a rare but serious adverse drug reaction.