Is there a faster and easier method for assessing the severity of acute mesenteric ischemia?

Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is a potentially fatal abdominal emergency. The estimation of the severity of AMI is of great importance since changes in disease severity may have different impacts on the treatment options. This study aims to define laboratory and radiological parameters that can successfully predict the severity of AMI. Data from 100 patients who were treated conservatively and underwent an operation with a diagnosis of AMI between the years 2010 and 2019 were reviewed. The patients were divided into 3 groups as those treated with a conservative approach (group 1), those with partial intestinal ischemia (group 2), and those with complete intestinal ischemia (group 3) according to the pathology results. Laboratory findings of the patients were recorded and matched with radiological findings. The white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil (NEUT) count, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and C-reactive protein/albumin ratios were the considered distinctive parameters for distinguishing the third group from the first group. However, the same result cannot be applied to the first and the second groups since only the WBC and NEUT counts showed distinctive performance. The measurement of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, WBC, NEUT, and albumin levels can be used to predict the severity of AMI. We believe that evaluating these laboratory parameters will greatly prevent possible morbidity and mortality in the patient. Also, we were able to observe that the parameters used in predicting AMI severity can be verified with rapid and low-cost radiological imaging techniques.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei: The struggle of a lifetime and the hope of a cure - a rare diagnosis with review of the literature.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei is a rare pathological condition characterized by mucinous tumor tissue implants on the peritoneal surface. Although the cause of Pseudomyxoma peritonei has been extensively studied, the prevailing agreement is that it stems from mucinous tumors that occur in the ovaries or appendix. The tumor tissue typically remains localized to the peritoneum and does not exhibit extraperitoneal spread. Patients with Pseudomyxoma peritonei may present with symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, loss of appetite, and shortness of breath. Computerized Tomography is commonly used for diagnostic purposes. The treatment of Pseudomyxoma peritonei typically involves surgical evacuation of the tumoral tissue, followed by cytoreduction and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy. While effective treatment options are available, some patients may require repeated surgeries over an extended period. This paper reports on a case study of a patient with a history of recurrent Pseudomyxoma peritonei, necessitating multiple surgical interventions over a decade. The paper concludes with a review of the relevant literature.

Accuracy of the ACS NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator for Predicting Postoperative Complications in Gastric Cancer Following Open Gastrectomy.

INTRODUCTION: The prediction of complications before gastric surgery is of utmost importance in shared decision making and proper counseling of the patient in order to minimize postoperative complications. Our aim was to evaluate the predictive validity of American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) risk calculator in gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy. METHODS: Preoperative assessment data of 432 patients were retrospectively reviewed and manually entered into the calculator. The accuracy of the calculator was evaluated using Pearson's chi-squared test, C-statistic, Brier score, and Hosmer-Lemeshow test. RESULTS: The lowest Brier scores were observed in urinary tract infection, renal failure, venous thromboembolism, pneumonia, and cardiac complications. Best results were obtained for predicting sepsis, discharge to rehabilitation facility, and death (low Brier scores, C-statistic >.7, and Hosmer-Lemeshow P > .05). CONCLUSION: The calculator had a strong performance in predicting sepsis, discharge to the rehabilitation facility, and death. However, it performed poor in predicting the most commonly observed events (any or serious complication and surgical site infection).

From open wound treatment to primary soft-tissue non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis; a challenging case report.

Primary soft-tissue extranodal lymphomas are rare clinical entities. By their natures, they can cause significant swelling around the affected extremities, and they can be easily misdiagnosed with other conditions like sarcomas. We share an unfortunate experience of a young male patient who was admitted to another clinic with complaints of a large mass in his right thigh, the patient has been diagnosed with anaplastic pleomorphic sarcoma, and he was scheduled for surgery. The patient refused the operation and was admitted to our emergency clinic with an open wound on his right thigh. Successful open wound management was achieved with antibiotic therapy, tissue debridement, larvae therapy, and Vacuum-assisted closure. Meanwhile, the pathologic re-examination revealed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. After an uneventful follow-up, the patient was referred to the hematology clinic. This case highlights the importance of considering alternative diagnoses before making surgical intervention decisions that may result in unpleasing consequences.

Investigating the correlation between severe acute pancreatitis and pancreatic necrosis with some serum parameters.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a disease related to significant morbidity and even mortality. Various factors are involved in the etiology, especially gallstones and excessive alcohol consumption. Although, the course of the disease in most of the cases is generally mild, in some cases, the disease can be severe and lead to pancreatic or peripancreatic necrosis. Radiologically, 'Balthazar computed tomography severity index' (CTSI) is used to assess the severity and presence of necrosis in pancreatitis. In this study, we classified the severity of AP in patients with Balthazar CTSI and investigated whether there is a correlation between some serum parameters and AP severity and which serum parameters can be used as a safe marker to predict the AP severity and the development of pancreatic necrosis (PN). METHODS: A total of 341 patients diagnosed with AP and hospitalized in our general surgery clinic between the years 2012 and 2018 were included in this study. Hematological and biochemical parameters of the patients were recorded. Abdominal CT's of the patients were evaluated according to the Balthazar CTSI. The correlation between these parameters and AP severity evaluated by Balthazar CTSI was investigated. RESULTS: PN was detected in 19.4% of 341 patients who participated in the study. Patients whose PN detected in their abdominal CT's by Balthazar CTSI; neutrophil counts, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), thrombocyte/lymphocyte ratio, plateletlymphocyte ratio, and neutrophil/monocyte ratio (NMR) were significantly higher and the serum albumin was significantly lower than patients with PN. CONCLUSION: Neutrophil count, serum albumin levels, NLR, LR, and NMR can be used as predictive markers to determine AP severity.

Benign Multicystic Peritoneal Mesothelioma Presents as a Tumor in an Elderly Man: An Uncommon Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Mesotheliomas are benign masses that can arise from any body parts that contain mesothelium, such as the abdominal, pelvic, pleural, and pericardial cavities. Benign multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma is a cystic tumor that arises from peritoneal mesothelial cells. It is a rare pathological entity, as only fewer than 200 cases have been reported. Benign multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma mainly occurs in women, and it is extremely rare in men. Its diagnosis and management are often challenging. CASE PRESENTATION: This report demonstrates a case of a 61-year-old man who presented to the outpatient clinic with persistent abdominal discomfort that progressed over the years. He had visited different clinics and was referred to a gastroenterologist because of a misdiagnosis. After an extensive clinical evaluation, we failed to provide a definitive diagnosis; thus, diagnostic laparotomy for possible intra-abdominal malignancy was performed. After successful surgical resection of the lesions, the pathology was found compatible with benign multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma. CONCLUSION: Given its high recurrence rates and potential malignant transformation, meticulous and detailed surgical excision of the cystic lesions is of utmost importance to avoid repeated surgeries. Long-term follow-up is recommended.

Primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the sigmoid colon.

INTRODUCTION: Extranodal lymphomas are commonly encountered in the gastrointestinal tract but lymphomas of colon and rectum are rare. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the most common type of colonic lymphoma and represents less than 0.5% of colorectal neoplasms. Chemotherapeutical agents are gateway to disease remission and sometimes cure in most patients but surgery may be necessary in emergent situations. CASE PRESENTATION: A 77-year-old male patient presented with abdominal discomfort, constipation, and obstructive defecation symptoms. Radiological imaging revealed a mass in the sigmoid colon extending towards the rectum. Colonoscopy was performed and biopsy of a nearly 10 cm ulcerovegetative lesion was obtained. Histological examination following biopsy revealed it to be a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the sigmoid colon. There was no indication for surgery and the patient was referred to medical oncology clinic for chemotherapy treatment. DISCUSSION: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a lymphoproliferative disorder with the diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) being the most common subtype. The DLBCL subtype is rarely observed in the colon and rectum. Chromosomal abnormalities are involved in the pathophysiology and gene rearrangements lead to adjustments in lymphocyte function and differentiation. CONCLUSION: In this case report, we present a rare presentation of a Non-Hodgkin lymphoma presenting in the sigmoid colon. The disease can present with nonspecific symptoms and various imaging modalities along with histopathological evaluation is necessary for the correct subtyping of lymphoma. Chemoradiotherapy is key for treatment, and surgery is usually reserved for cases of obstruction, perforation, or bleeding.