[Epiploic appendagitis: a rare cause of acute abdomen]. / Appendagite épiploïque: cause rare d'abdomen aigu.

Epiploic appendagitis is a rare cause of acute abdomen. It can mimic other inflammatory processes such as diverticulitis or appendicitis. Diagnosis is based on CT scan. Medical management is the approach of choice in the absence of complications.

The Effect of Lymph Nodes' Histologic Response on Survival Outcomes in Moroccan Patients with Rectal Cancer.

Prognosis for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to elucidate possible association between therapeutic effect on lymph nodes (LNs) and patient prognosis. Overall, 149 patients with rectal cancer received preoperative radiotherapy in concomitance with chemotherapy or exclusive radiotherapy before rectal excision. Microscopic examination of formalin-fixed lymph nodes was assessed for therapeutic effect. The establishment of groups combined reaction tissue types of fibrosis, colloid, and necrosis after neoadjuvant treatment was assigned. The average age was 56.38 years, ranged between 22 and 88 years, 53% were female, and 47% were men, with a sex ratio of 1 : 12. In the present study, we noticed that after a median follow-up time of 40.67 months (0-83; SD: 21.1), overall survival was statistically significant depending on age groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significant differences in the rate of patients with an age under 65 years (70.64%) versus those with an age over 85 years (36.5%) (p < 0.001). Also, the OS was statistically significant depending on therapeutic effect groups composed of 0TE (No Therapeutic effect), C+ (presence of only colloidal effect), F+ (presence of only fibrosis tissue), and ME+ (mixture of 2 or 3 types of therapeutic effect) group. Indeed, we observed a significantly higher OS rate in the ME + group (86%) compared with the OS rate of LNs group with no therapeutic effect (57%) (p=0.028). Additionally, there was a significant association between the presence of fibrosis on LNs and an extended delay of more than 8 weeks to neoadjuvant treatment completion and surgery. Our study indicates that the best patient prognosis could be predicted based on tumor presenting a best pathologic effect on lymph nodes, and that delaying surgery for more than 8 weeks to neoadjuvant treatment completion improves therapeutic response on LNs.

[Acute intestinal intussusception revealing intestinal T-cell lymphoma in adults]. / Invagination intestinale aiguë révélant un lymphome T digestif chez l'adulte: à propos d'un cas.

Acute intestinal intussusception occurs primarily in infants and young children. It uncommonly occurs in adults. It can have various causes. In the vast majority of cases, it is secondary to a benign or malignant tumor. Intestinal T-cell lymphoma revealed by intestinal intussusception is very rare. We report the case of a 43-year old patient admitted with intestinal occlusion to the Emergency Department at the University Hospital Hassan II, Fes, Morocco. Abdominal CT scan showed acute intestinal intussusception associated with incarcerated bowel loop with bowel wall thickening. Treatment was based on open carcinological resection. Anatomopathological and immunohistochemical examination of the surgical specimen showed large T-cell anaplastic lymphoma. After surgery, chemotherapy was indicated to improve prognosis and to avoid a potential relapse. Intestinal intussusception rarely occurs in adults. It most often leads to the detection of an organic cause such as a tumor. This study and literature review aim to highlight the clinical and diagnostic features as well as the therapeutic approaches for this rare disease.

Transverse colon volvulus presenting as bowel obstruction: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Transverse colon volvulus is an uncommon cause of bowel obstruction. The total number of cases reported in the literature is 100. It constitutes a surgical emergency since it can lead to bowel infarction, peritonitis, and death if not diagnosed at once. It seemed appropriate to report this case that was treated at the Department of Visceral Surgery A, University Hospital Center Hassan II of Fez in Morocco. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a rare case of transverse colon volvulus in a 42-year-old Arabic man, with no particular history, who presented to our emergency department with a 5-day history of constipation, progressive abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. His last bowel movement had been 3 days ago. Abdominal radiography showed a large bowel obstruction with a "U-shaped" loop in the left upper abdomen. Abdominal computed tomography was not performed because of impaired renal function. He was operated on urgently after conditioning and the diagnosis of a transverse colon volvulus was done intraoperatively. Rotated in a 360° clockwise direction on its mesentery, the bowel was intact without signs of ischemia. An extended right hemicolectomy was carried out with end-to-side ileocolic anastomosis. Through this case, we will try to discuss its physiopathology, etiologies, diagnosis, and management in emergencies. CONCLUSION: This case is unusual because no etiological factor has been found. Its diagnosis can be difficult and management effectiveness remains controversial. It is important to highlight this case and those of the literature, as many surgeons may have never seen a case of transverse colon volvulus. Volvulus of the transverse colon may therefore not be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent intermittent abdominal pain or acute intestinal obstruction. Prompt recognition with emergency intervention constitutes the key to a successful outcome.

[Internal hernia through the falciform ligament: a rare cause of intestinal obstruction]. / Hernie interne du ligament falciforme: une cause rare d'occlusion intestinale.

Internal hernias are a rare cause of acute intestinal obstruction. Hernias through the falciform ligament is uncommon. Diagnosis is often made intraoperatively. Abdominal CT scan, performed in an emergency situation, can enable preoperative diagnosis and guide the therapeutic approach. In this respect, we here report a case whose data were collected in the Department of Visceral Surgery at the University Hospital Hassan II in Fez. The study involved a 48-year old patient, with no particular previous history, admitted to the Emergency Department with occlusion evolving over 4 days. Abdominal x-ray without treatment objectified multiple hydroaeric levels in small bowel some of which projected towards the hepatic region as well as the presence of a flat intestinal loop in continuity with distended intestinal segment. Abdominal CT scan was not performed due to altered renal function. The patient then underwent emergency surgery after stabilization of his condition and the diagnosis of internal hernias through the falciform ligament was made intraoperatively. In adults, internal hernia through the falciform ligament is a rare cause of acute intestinal obstruction in our daily practice. The diagnosis is most often made intraoperatively. It is necessary to suspect it in young patients with no history of abdominal surgery or intraperitoneal infectious process and with hydroaeric levels in the right upper quadrant.

[Voluminous colorectal foreign bodies inserted voluntarily: about a case]. / Volumineux corps étranger colorectal introduit volontairement: à propos d'un cas.

Insertion of foreign bodies is a curiosity and a taboo in our country. It is characterized by the severity of possible complications and the different therapeutic opportunities. We report the case of a patient with rectal incarceration of a vouminous object introduced voluntarily. He underwent manual extraction. Extraction, when possible, allow to avoid surgery that is necessary in the case of failure or complications.

[Gastroduodenal trichobezoar: about a case]. / Trichobézoard gastroduodénal: à propos d'un cas.

Gastroduodenal trichobezoar ulcer is rare. Its diagnosis is easy in the presence of an evocative context. We report the case of a 21-year old patient followed up for schizophrenia, admitted with acute abdominal pain, vomiting and epigastric mass. Abdominal CT scan suggested the diagnosis of bezoar on the basis of heterogeneous, non-enhanced lesions occupying the entire stomach and appearing to be separated from the gastric wall. Surgical removal of trichobezoar by gastrotomy was performed without complications. The patient was referred to the Department of Psychiatry.

[High grade insulinoma detected in a patient with a 5-year history of severe hypoglycemias]. / Insulinome de haut grade découvert après 5 ans d'hypoglycémies graves.

Functional endocrine tumors of the pancreas are rare. Among them insulinomas are the most common types. The majority of the patients with insulinoma are between 30 and 60 years of age and 59% of them are women. Most insulinomas are sporadic tumors while 10% of them develop in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN). Diagnosis is based on clinical examination and laboratory tests. Preoperative imaging assessment (echo-endoscopy, CT, MRI) is essential for tumor localization in more than 80% of cases. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice. We here report the case of a 50-year old patient with high grade insulinoma developed on the anterior surface of the pancreas tail.

[Colonic gallstone ileus: a rare cause of colonic obstruction]. / Iléus biliaire colique: une cause rare d'occlusion colique.

Bile ileus with migration of the gallstone into the colon through cholecystocolonic fistula is rare. The diagnosis is difficult and often late. We here report the case of a 89-year old patient with a history of sigmoid diverticular disease presenting with colonic obstruction associated with bile ileus caused by migration of a large gallstone through cholecystocolonic fistula. Abdominal CT scan allowed the diagnosis. The patient underwent surgical extraction of the gallstone with sigmoidotomy followed by sigmoidostomy with subsequent recovery of the digestive continuity. The cholecystocolonic fistula wasn't identified.

[Volvulus of the cecum: a rare cause of intestinal occlusion: about two cases]. / Volvulus du cæcum: une cause rare d'occlusion intestinale: à propos de deux cas.

The cecum is the second part of the colon that is most commonly affected by the volvulus after sigmoid colon and before left corner and the transverse colon. This condition occurs in patients with abnormally mobile cecum. Volvulus is characterized by torsion or tilt. Clinically, it appears as bowel obstruction due to acute strangulation. Abdominal x-ray without treatment and abdominal CT scan are the radiological procedures of choice in the diagnosis of volvulus of the cecum. Treatment is based on emergency surgical excision of the cecum and of the terminal ileum. We report two cases of patients with volvulus of the cecum admitted to the emergency department with acute intestinal obstruction. In both patients, the diagnosis was confirmed by abdomino-pelvic CT scan and the treatment was based on ileocolic resection with immediate restoration of the intestinal continuity. The postoperative course was uneventful.

Pedunculated lipoma causing colo-colonic intussusception: a rare case report.

BACKGROUND: Intussusception is a relatively common cause of intestinal obstruction in children but a rare clinical entity in adults, representing fewer than 1% of intestinal obstructions in this patient population. Colonic lipomas are uncommon nonepithelial neoplasms that are typically sessile, asymptomatic and incidentally found during endoscopy, surgery, or autopsy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year old man visited our emergency department with severe abdominal pain, multiple episodes of vomiting, abdominal distension. Abdominal ultrasound sonography and computed tomography showed a sausage-shaped mass presenting as a target sign, suggestive of intussusception. Surgery revealed a hard elongated mass in the right colon wihch telescoped in the transverse colon and caused colo-colonic intussusception. Rhigt hémicolectomy was performed and pathology documented a mature submucosal lipoma of the colon. We describe the difficulties in diagnosis and management of this rare cause of bowel obstruction and review the literature on adult intussusceptions. CONCLUSION: A large submucosal lipoma is a very rare cause of colon intussusception that presents as intestinal obstruction in patients without malignancy. CT and magnetic resonance imaging remain the methods of choice for studying abdominal lipomas, particularly those rising into the layers of the colonic wall. Surgical resection remains the treatment of choice and produces an excellent prognosis.

Benign cystic mesothelioma of the peritoneum: a case report and literature review.

Benign cystic mesothelioma of the peritoneum (BCM) is an uncommon lesion with some 130 cases reported since the first case described by Smith and Mennenmeyer in 1979. It is a rare intra abdominal tumor occurring predominantly in women of reproductive age. Due to the rarity of this tumor, similarity of patient presentation, and comparable features on imaging, the diagnosis of this pathology is difficult, and is based on histological findings. This tumor is known for local recurrence. It's agreed that surgery is the only effective treatment, but there are no evidence-based treatment strategies for BCM.

Traumatic appendicitis: a case report and literature review.

Appendicitis and trauma may exist together, which causes an interesting debate whether trauma has led to appendicitis. We report a case of appendicitis after an abdominal trauma. Our patient developed acute appendicitis following a stab wound in the right iliac fossa. Surgical exploration confirmed the traumatic origin of appendicitis, appendectomy was performed and our patient made an excellent recovery. In non operative management of abdominal trauma, physical examinations and radiological explorations should be repeated in order to diagnose traumatic appendicitis.

Acute intraperitoneal rupture of hydatid cysts: a surgical experience with 14 cases.

INTRODUCTION: Hydatidosis is endemic in the Mediterranean region including morrocco, the Middle and Far East, Australia, New Zealand, and South America-all areas where animal husbandry is common. Rupture into the abdominal cavity is a rare but serious complication of hydatid disease. The cysts may be ruptured after a trauma, or spontaneously as a result of increased intracystic pressure. Rupture of the hydatid cyst requires emergency surgical intervention. METHODS: Fourteen patients received surgical treatment for intraperitoneal rupture of the cysts over a period of 5 years. Age, gender, time to surgery from the onset of the symptoms, laboratory findings, diagnostic procedures, surgical treatment modalities, in-hospital stay, morbidity, mortality and recurrence were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Eight of the patients were men and six were women. All of the patients had signs of peritoneal irritation. One patient (7,14%) had a history of blunt abdominal trauma. Ultrasonography scans revealed intra-abdominal fluid in all cases, intraperitoneal multiple cysts in 11 cases and heterogeneous cavity or cystic structures in the liver in 12 cases. Computed tomography showed multiple cystic lesions in the liver and peritoneum with intra-abdominal free fluid. The ruptured cysts were located in the right lobe of the liver in seven patients, in the left lobe in six patients and in both lobes in one patients. Procedures to fill the cystic cavities were applied after removal of the intraperitoneal fluid. Partial pericystectomy and drainage was the most frequent surgical procedure. No patients died in the early postoperative period. A total of seven morbidities developed in six patients (35.3%). Median hospital stay was 08 days and median follow-up was 12 months. Intra-abdominal recurrence occurred in one case (7.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Rupture of hydatid cysts into the peritoneal cavity, although rare, presents a challenge for surgeons. This pathology should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen in endemic areas. The operative procedures, either radical or conservative, should be based on the patient's condition, the regional characteristics, and the surgeon's experience. The morbidity and mortality rates of surgical interventions for ruptured hydatid cysts are higher than the rates for elective uncomplicated cases.