Abdul-Wahed N. Meshikhes

Adult Intussusception Caused by a Lipoma in the Small Bowel: Report of a Case

Adult intussusception represents only about 5% of all intussusceptions and is usually caused by a malignant small bowel lesion acting as the apex of intussusception. We report an unusual case in a male patient of adult intussusception caused by a lipomatous lesion located in the terminal ileum, very close to the ileocecal valve, acting as the lead point. After repeated admissions to several hospitals for investigation of nonspecific abdominal symptoms, the possibility of intussusception was finally raised by a computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen. The patient underwent a limited right hemicolectomy, which achieved long-lasting cure of his symptoms. This case highlights the difficulties of diagnosing adult intussusception promptly, and the fact that it can also be caused by a benign lesion.

Leiomyosarcoma of the infra-renal inferior vena cava

Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava (IVC) is a rare slow-growing retroperitoneal tumor. Two percent of leiomyosarcomas are vascular in origin, and tumors of the IVC account for the majority of the cases. The diagnosis is frequently delayed, because affected patients remain asymptomatic for a long period. It has an extremely poor prognosis, with 5-year actuarial malignancy-free survival rates of 30% to 50% after a wide surgical resection. The authors present the case of a patient with IVC leiomyosarcoma who underwent en bloc resection of the tumor along with the involved segment of the infrarenal IVC without caval reconstruction. Complete surgical resection offers the only potential of long-term survival, but survival of unresected patients is generally measured in months. Palliative resections may temporarily improve symptoms but do not offer long-term survival.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic colorectal surgery: initial experience of a single surgeon.

Background/Aim: As totally laparoscopic colorectal surgery is considered challenging and technically demanding with a long steep learning curve, we adopted hand-assisted laparoscopic colorectal surgery as a bridge to totally laparoscopic assisted colorectal surgery. This prospective study aims to highlight the initial experience of a single surgeon with this technique. Materials and Methods: A prospective analysis of the first 25 cases of hand-assisted laparoscopic colorectal resections which were performed by a single surgeon over a 15-month period. There were 15 males and 10 females with a mean age of 55.5 (range 20-82) years. Results: The indication in majority of cases was cancer (76%). The procedures consisted of 18 (72%) various colectomies and 7 (28%) anterior resections. The operative time ranged between 110-400 (mean 180) min. There was one conversion (4%) and the mean operative blood loss was 80 (range 60-165) ml. The number of lymph nodes retrieved in the cancer cases was 5-31 (mean 15) nodes. The mean length of hospital stay was five (range 3-10) days. The total number of short-term complications was six (24%) and there was one death due to anastomatic leak and multiorgan failure. Long-term complications after a maximum follow up of 30 months were two incisional hernias at the hand port site, but none of the patients developed adhesive small bowel obstruction or late anastomotic stricture. Currently all our colorectal procedures are conducted laparoscopically. Conclusion: Hand-assisted laparoscopic colorectal procedures are easy to learn as a good bridge to master totally laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

The safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in sickle cell disease: An update.

As surgery in sickle cell patients is associated with high morbidity, this study aims to establish the safety of minimally invasive surgery in this high-risk group. Over a four-year period, 71 sickle cell patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for cholelithiasis. Five patients had asymptomatic gallstones. Preoperative gastroscopy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiography were performed in 7 and 14 patients, respectively. Forty-two patients were given simple blood transfusions, while 13 received partial exchange transfusions. The mean operative time was 80 minutes and the conversion rate was 5.6%. There were 10 (14%) postoperative complications, the majority of which were respiratory and wound-related. One patient (1.4%) died as a result of postoperative vaso-occlusive crisis. The median hospital stay was 2.5 days. We believe that laparoscopic cholecystectomy is safe in patients with sickle cell hemoglobinopathy who are particularly at risk of developing pigmented gallstones. Therefore, the use of minimally invasive surgery is encouraged in any sickle cell patient undergoing operative intervention.

Blood transfusion in patients with sickle cell disease requiring laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with sickle cell disease was found to be safe without preoperative blood transfusion.

Duodenal and ampullary obstruction by a Peutz-Jeghers polyp.

We report a case of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome presenting with obstruction of the second part of the duodenum and the ampulla of Vater by a large intra-luminal polyp leading to duodenal obstruction and obstructive jaundice. CT scan of the abdomen showed a large polypoidal lesion, a caecal polyp and jejuno-jejunal intussusception. At surgery, two intussusceptions were reduced and leading polyps were excised via two enterotomies; the caecal polyp was excised via caecotomy. The duodenal polyp was excised by limited duodenectomy after frozen section has shown no evidence of malignancy. Histopathological study of all the excised polyps including that of the duodenum showed hamartomatous polyps with no malignant changes. Apart from acute bleeding, this case highlights many of the surgical gastrointestinal complications of Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. It also highlights the unusual combined duodenal and common bile duct obstruction by a large Peutz-Jeghers polyp. The controversial association of this syndrome with cancer and management options is also discussed.

SCHISTOSOMAL APPENDICITIS IN THE EASTERN PROVINCE OF SAUDI ARABIA: A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY

BACKGROUND In cases of schistosomiasis, the appendix is commonly infested. It is not known if this is a predisposing factor for appendicitis, or a mere coincidental histological finding. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 56 patients (51 males and 5 females) underwent appendectomy for schistosomal appendicitis over a 10-year period at Dammam Central Hospital. The histological slides of 41 of the patients (73.2%) were retrospectively studied. RESULTS The highest incidence of schistosomal appendicitis was recorded in the 21-40-year age group. Ova were seen in the submucosal layers of all the excised appendices. The most common tissue responses were submucosal fibrosis (92.7%) and eosinophilia (87.8%), followed by the presence of suppurative inflammation (80.5%). Granulomatous reaction was evident in only 13 cases (31.7%). A striking feature was atrophy of submucosal lymphoid follicles in 70.7% of the cases. Hyperplasia of lymphoid follicles and serosal granulomas were rare (2.4%). Similar tissue responses were histologically seen in four normal appendices examined. CONCLUSION Appendiceal infestation may predispose to appendicitis in the majority of affected cases, but in others, it may well be a mere coincidental histological finding. However, preoperative knowledge bears no clinical significance and does not alter management.

Fibromatosis of the male breast.

A 37-year-old man presented with progressive painless swelling of the right breast. He denied any history of trauma to the right breast. Clinical examination revealed a soft, nontender, freely mobile, solid retroareolar lesion (8 cm × 9 cm) with no axillary lymphadenopathy. Laboratory investigations, including serum testosterone and estradiol (E2), were normal. Ultrasonography and mammography showed a large, ill-defined, heterogeneous retroareolar soft tissue mass with fine calcification, raising the possibility of malignancy. Fine-needle aspiration of the swelling was inadequate, but core biopsy showed fibroconnective tissue and collagenous stroma with no mammary glands or ducts and no evidence of malignancy. He underwent right subcutaneous mastectomy (Fig. 1). The histology revealed a well-circumscribed nonencapsulated (8 cm × 7 cm) tumor comprised of long fascicles of spindle-shaped cells separated through abundant wellvascularized collagen (Fig. 2). The spindle cell nuclei displayed minimal hyperchromasia or pleomorphism and occasional regular mitoses. Scattered mast cells and a few small foci of lymphocyte infiltrate were present. The morphology is compatible with benign spindle cell tumor. Differential diagnoses were solitary fibrous tumor, fibromatosis, fibrocollagenoma, or myofibroblastoma. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of primary fibromatosis of the breast. He remained well with no recurrence at 1-year follow-up.

Evidence-based surgery: The obstacles and solutions.

Surgeons are often accused of lagging behind their medical colleagues in embracing evidence based medicine and utilizing new research tools to conducting high quality randomized controlled trials. Although there has been a noticeable improvement in the quantity and quality of high quality studies in surgical journals, the widespread practice of evidence based surgery is still poor. Unlike evidence based medicine, the practice of evidence based surgery is hampered by inherent problems and obstacles. This article reviews these difficulties and the limitations of randomized controlled trials in surgical practice. It also outlines some solutions that may help remedy this ongoing problem.

A rare approach to entero-atmospheric fistula

Patient: Female, 60 Final Diagnosis: Recurrent incisional hernia Symptoms: — Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Limited ileo-cecal resection Specialty: Surgery Objective: Diagnostic/therapeutic accidents Background: Iatrogenic entero-atmospheric fistula is devastating and its management is extremely difficult because it is often associated with fluid and electrolyte disturbances, nutritional problems, and life-threatening sepsis. Case Report: A 60-year-old woman underwent laparoscopic repair of a recurrent incisional hernia that was complicated by iatrogenic cecal injury necessitating a limited ileocecal resection and onlay prosthetic mesh repair of the hernia. Postoperatively, sloughing of the overlying skin led to mesh exposure. An attempted rotational flap coverage was complicated by small bowel injury, which was recognized and repaired. However, an entero-atmospheric fistula developed after the removal of contaminated mesh. The fistula was initially treated by vacuum-assisted closure dressing and later was converted to a ‘stoma’. Six months later, the small bowel segment bearing the fistula was excised and bowel continuity was restored. Conclusions: In selected cases, the conversion of entero-atmospheric fistula to a ‘stoma’ allows the patient to be discharged home early and maintain good nutritional status while awaiting the definitive surgical intervention.