Zoubeir Ben Safta

Acute pancreatitis due to pancreatic hydatid cyst: a case report and review of the literature

Hydatid disease is a major health problem worldwide. Primary hydatid disease of the pancreas is very rare and acute pancreatitis secondary to hydatid cyst has rarely been reported. We report the case of a 38-year-old man who presented acute pancreatitis. A diagnosis of hydatid cyst of the pancreas, measuring 10 cm, was established by abdominal computed tomography before surgery. The treatment consisted of a distal pancreatectomy. The postoperative period was uneventful. Additionally, a review of the literature regarding case reports of acute pancreatitis due to pancreatic hydatid cyst is presented.

Left-sided gallbladder: An incidental finding on laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Transposition of the gallbladder to the left side without situs inversus viscerum is rare. These gallbladders are situated under the left lobe of the liver between Segment III and IV or on Segment III to the left of the falciform ligament. This is a report of a 50-year-old woman who was admitted to our department with a history of pain in her right upper abdomen. The physical examination showed tenderness in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen without a Murphys sign. Abdominal ultrasonography showed gall bladder stones without dilatation of the bile ducts. The patient underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy using the French position and four ports positioned as usual. We discovered a left-sided gallbladder located on the left of the round ligament. The gallbladder was excised as usual. Intraoperative cholangiogram showed neither dilatation of the bile ducts nor associated congenital anomalies of the biliary tree. The patient was discharged on the first postoperative day. Because routine preoperative examinations may not detect the anomaly, the latter may take surgeons by surprise during laparoscopy. Awareness of the unpredictable confluence of the cystic duct into the common bile duct and selective use of intraoperative cholangiography both contributed to the safe laparoscopic management of this unusual problem.

Pseudoaneurysm of the Splenic Artery Presenting with Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Gastrointestinal bleeding from a pancreatic pseudocyst is a rare condition that is diagnostically and therapeutically challenging. A 78-year-old woman with a history of acute pancreatitis due to gallstones was hospitalized for abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleeding. Gastroscopy revealed blood extruding from the papilla of Vater. A computed tomography scan revealed hemorrhage into a pancreatic pseudocyst. The patient was successfully treated by coil embolization.

Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas: A rare tumor with a particular clinical and paraclinical presentation

Acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) of the pancreas is a rare tumor with an extremely low incidence rate. While the number of reported patients with ACC is relatively small, a long-term survival rate has been noted in patients with neuroendocrine differentiation. A 39-year-old woman visited our emergency department for upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Endoscopy indicated extrinsic compression of the posterior body of the stomach, together with a large, 10-cm, central ulcer covered with necrotic tissue. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) indicated a lesion that involved the whole of the pancreas, with a fistula in the stomach, which was suspected of being a degenerative intraductal papillary mucinous tumor of the pancreas. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pancreas was performed, and the results further strengthened our suspicions by demonstrating the presence of cystic lesions and tumor buds. A total duodenopancreatectomy, including total splenectomy and gastrectomy, was performed, along with two independent Roux-en-Y anastomoses (one esojejunal and one hepaticojejunal). The tumor also had a wide opening in the stomach. The patients postoperative course was marked by partial thrombosis of the portal vein, which was treated medically. Histopathological examination provided evidence of pancreatic ACC. The diagnosis of ACC should be considered in the presence of cutaneous lesions, which were absent in the case of our patient, and colonoscopy is also highly desirable because of the various forms associated with familial adenomatous polyposis. The prognosis, which includes a 5-year survival rate of 45%, in the population with an R0 resection is better than that for ductular adenocarcinoma, thus prompting the more aggressive management of this type of tumor.

Retroperitoneal Abscess: A Rare Localization of Tubercular Infection

Incidence of tuberculosis infection has considerably increased during the past 20 years due to the HIV pandemic and continues to be one of the most prevalent and deadly infections worldwide. Extrapulmonary tuberculosis lacks specific clinical manifestation and can mimic many diseases. It can invade neighbouring tissue and form a big cyst with manifesting clinical symptoms. We describe a rare case of 31-year-old immunocompetent man affected by a retroperitoneal abscess secondary to tubercular infection. Exploratory laparotomy and histopathological examinations of tissue were required for achieving diagnosis of tuberculosis. No pulmonary or spinal involvement was identified. The patient was successfully treated with standard four-drug antitubercular therapy.

Peritoneal amyloidosis: unusual localization of gastrointestinal amyloidosis

Amyloidosis is a rare disease that results from the extracellular deposition of amorphous fibrillar protein. It is usually observed in a systemic form. Gastrointestinal involvement is frequent but peritoneal localization is unusual. A 43-year-old male was investigated for nephritic colic. Morphologic explorations revealed small intestine agglomerans in the periumbilical region, infiltration of peritoneal fat and multiple coelio-mesenteric lymph nodes. There were no clinical or biological abnormalities and endoscopic examinations were normal. The patient then underwent an exploratory laparoscopy. Macroscopically false membranes were seen throughout the peritoneum and small bowel without ascites. Anatomopathologic examination diagnosed peritoneal amyloidosis. After several investigations a diagnosis of a primary peritoneal amyloidosis was confirmed. The patient was treated with melphalan and prednisone with a favorable outcome. Our case illustrates a particular presentation of peritoneal amyloidosis. Despite improved imaging methods, peritoneal biopsy remains essential for diagnosis.

Mature teratoma of the pancreas diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration

A 41-year-old female patient, presented with recurrent epigastric pain of 2 years duration. Physical examination revealed a 15-cm epigastric mass that was mobile and tender on palpation. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a 20-cm hypoechoic mass, containing multiple hyperechoic structures. The exact origin of the mass could not be clearly defined. CT scan of the abdomen revealed a well-circumscribed voluminous cystic mass measuring approximately 25 cm in size, with heterogeneous content. After the administration of contrast material, no enhancement of the mass

Giant transverse colon diverticulum

La Presse Medicale - In Press.Proof corrected by the author Available online since mercredi 31 janvier 2018

Acute Cholecystitis in Two Patients Carrying a Situs Inversus: ADiagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge

The situs inversus is a rare anatomical condition which is characterized by the transposition of organs towards the opposite side. The left position of the gall-bladder makes the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis difficult because of an unusual symptomatology. It is also associated with a difficulty of laparoscopic dissection of the stone-block triangle especially for the right-handed surgeons. We report the cases of 2 patients whose different explorations confirmed the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis and total situs inversus and benefited from a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy, in these two cases, is an original intervention because of the mirrored vision of the intraperitoneal organs and can even be difficult leading to iatrogenic complications. However, the laparoscopic approach remains the gold standard even in the presence of this mirrored anatomy.

Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Carcinoma of the Pancreas Associated With Pancreas Divisum: A Very Rare Entity

Pancreas divisum (PD) is a common congenital anomaly of the pancreas, which results from an abnormal fusion between the ventral and dorsal pancreatic ducts during fetal development. Association with Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is extremely rare. The treatment of this entity will depend both on the malignant potential of IPMN and on the symptoms related to pancreas divisum. We report a rare case of Intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma of the pancreas associated with pancreas divisum, one of the most difficult situations which the surgeon can be confronted to in his practice.