Gossypiboma revisited: A never ending issue.

INTRODUCTION: Leaving a surgical item inside the patient at the end of surgery, is one of the most dreadful complications. The item is frequently a surgical sponge and the resultant morbidity is usually severe. Additionally, the event poses considerable psychic strain to the operating team, notably the surgeon. PRESENTATION OF CASES: Here we describe the clinical course of three patients in whom a surgical sponge was missed, despite a seemingly correct count at the end of difficult caesarean sections. In two patients, who presented shortly after surgery, the pad was extracted with no bowel resection. In the third patient, who presented several years after surgery, colectomy was performed. DISCUSSION: Gossypiboma is under reported and the true incidence is largely unknown. Depending on the body reaction and the characters of the retained sponge, the patient may present within months to years after surgery. Risk factors for retained foreign objects include emergency surgery, an unplanned change in the surgical procedure, higher body mass index, multiple surgical teams, greater number of major procedures done at the same time and incorrect count recording. The surgical procedure needed to extract the retained sponge may be a simple one, as in the first case, or it may be more complex, as seen in the other two cases. Although holding the correct count at the end of surgery is the gold standard safeguard against this mishap, human errors continue to occur, as happened in our patients. For that reason, the correct count should be supplemented by employing one of the several new technologies currently available. CONCLUSION: Gossypiboma continues to occur, despite precautionary measures. As its consequences might cost the patient his life and the surgeon his professional reputation, extra preventive measures should be sought and implemented. New advances in technology should be incorporated in the theatre protocol as additional safeguard against human error. When encountered, a direct incision over the encapsulated swelling, in contrast to a formal laparotomy incision, might simplify the surgical procedure.

Parenchymal Guidewire Perforation during ERCP: An Unappreciated Injury.

ERCP is attended with certain complications, the majority of which are well known to the medical community. Other less-known complications also exist. Guidewire injury to the hepatic or pancreatic parenchyma represents one of the much less appreciated, albeit preventable, complications. In this report, we present the clinical course of three patients who sustained guidewire perforation of the pancreatic or hepatic parenchyma. In one patient, the clinical deterioration was confidently attributed to guidewire perforation of the pancreatic parenchyma. Conservative treatment was successful and unnecessary emergency surgery was thus avoided. In the other two, in whom the cause of the clinical deterioration was unclear, an emergency surgery was performed. Guidewire injury to the hepatic parenchyma was then confirmed which needed only intraperitoneal drainage, with successful outcome.

Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome: Clinical and Radiological Considerations.

Background. Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is a rare condition of duodenal obstruction, caused by the overlying SMA. Aim. To report on our experience with the management of SMA syndrome, drawing the attention to its existence. Material and Methods. We reviewed our records to identify cases diagnosed with SMA syndrome, in the period from October 1995 to January 2012. Results. Seven patients were identified, one male and six females. Their mean age was 17.1 years. Vomiting and abdominal pain were the presenting complaints in all patients and history of weight loss was present in six of them. In no patient was the diagnosis suspected initially on clinical grounds. Only after radiological investigations was the diagnosis declared. Radiology took the form of gastrografin/barium meal only in four patients and both gastrografin/barium meal and computerized tomography scan in the remaining three. Four patients responded to medical treatment and surgery was performed in the remaining three, with open duodenojejunostomy in two patients and laparoscopic dissection of the ligament of Treitz in the third. Long lasting improvement was sustained in all patients except one in the surgery group who, despite initial improvement, still has infrequent attacks of abdominal pain. Conclusion. Although the clinical manifestations of SMA syndrome are shared with many other disease entities, it has unique radiological as well as endoscopic features, which enables a confident diagnosis to be made. Once diagnosed, conservative treatment with nutritional support and positioning should be tried first. In case of unresponsiveness, surgery may give a lasting cure.

Hypopharyngeal fistula complicating difficult thyroidectomy for invasive papillary cancer.

Thyroidectomy is associated with certain known complications, including recurrent laryngeal or superior laryngeal nerve injury and hypocalcaemia due to hypoparathyroidism. Other much rarer complications include oesophageal injury with oesophageal fistula formation. In this report, we describe the clinical course of a patient with an invasive papillary thyroid carcinoma who underwent total thyroidectomy and developed hypopharyngeal fistula in the immediate postoperative period, a complication that has never been reported previously following thyroidectomy. Under conservative treatment, the fistula closed within two weeks and the patient was referred, in good condition, to the oncologist for completion of therapy.

Adrenal rests associated with ectopic testis in an adult: Clinical significance.

Ectopic adrenal tissue may be present along the path of the testis and discovered during groin surgery. The condition has been mainly reported in the pediatric population and very rarely in adults. Here, we report on the case of an adult male with undescended testis who received orchidectomy, and ectopic adrenal tissue was discovered in the removed specimen. The clinical significance of such a condition is discussed.

Direct puncture cholangiography for clarifying difficult anatomy.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a very frequently performed procedure. Its most dreadful complication is bile duct injury. Difficulty in appreciating the biliary anatomy plays an important role in its causation. Here we describe our technique in clarifying the difficult anatomy by directly injecting the radiologic contrast in the ambiguous area, and thus avoiding a potential injury.

Operative and non-operative management of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-associated duodenal injuries.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is indispensable in everyday surgical practice. Despite this, as an invasive procedure, it has its own mortality and morbidity, the most feared of which is periduodenal perforations. Our experience with ERCP related periduodenal perforations and its treatment strategies are presented. Additionally, a rarely encountered subtype is highlighted. METHODS: Patients who underwent ERCP and sustained a periduodenal perforation between August 2008 and October 2011 were reviewed. RESULTS: During the period from August 2008 to October 2011, 597 ERCP procedures were performed in our hospital. Ten of these patients (3 male, 7 female) had a perforation. The mean patient age was 56.6 years. During the procedure, injury was suspected in four patients; it passed unnoticed in the remaining six. The decision to operate or follow a conservative policy was based on a combination of clinical and radiological findings. Operative intervention was required in three patients, with one mortality, while conservative treatment was followed in the remaining seven. A laparotomy was performed early in two patients whereas it was performed after an initial period of conservative treatment in one. The presence of periduodenal fluid collection, contrast extravasation or free intraperitoneal air were decisive factors for performing laparotomy. CONCLUSIONS: ERCP-related periduodenal perforations include different categories. Certain types require operative repair while others should be treated conservatively. The choice of the management approach should be individualised, depending on the clinical picture and radiological findings. Although rare, these are potentially serious complications that may end fatally. Early recognition and appropriate intervention is the only way to avert a fatal outcome.

Traumatic diaphragmatic hernia: delayed presentation with tension viscerothorax--lessons to learn.

Diaphragmatic rupture is a serious complication of thoracoabdominal trauma. The condition may be missed initially. We describe the clinical course of a patient who sustained blunt abdominal trauma in a car accident. His diaphragmatic injury passed unnoticed, to present two years later with left tension viscerothorax, a rarely reported and hardly recognised entity. Nasogastric tube insertion aborted the emergency situation and the hernia was repaired successfully in a semielective setting.

Basidiobolomycosis of the colon masquerading as stenotic colon cancer.

Basidiobolus ranarum is a widespread saprophyte fungus with pathogenic potential. It affects mainly the subcutaneous tissues of the trunk and limbs. Relatively recently, occasional reports of gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis appeared in the literature. Due to the rarity of the condition and the nonspecific presenting features, the correct diagnosis is usually hard to reach. In this paper, we describe the clinical course of an otherwise healthy female, who presented with a colonic mass. She received subtotal colectomy followed by oral itraconazole, with successful outcome.

Spontaneous rupture of malarial spleen: report of two cases.

Malaria is endemic in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world, including Saudi Arabia. The infection has serious consequences in those residing in non endemic regions on travelling to endemic areas, due to lack of immunity to the parasite. In this report, we describe the clinical course of two patients who travelled to a malaria endemic area. Both contracted the infection and presented with splenic rupture. They received splenectomy in addition to the appropriate antimalarial medications, with successful outcome.

Spilled gallstones: the source of an enigma.

Spillage of gallstones may occur in the course of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The incidence of this mishap and its consequences are variable. Ignored by many surgeons, stone spillage may be the source of significant morbidity many years after surgery. In this report, we describe the clinical course of a patient who presented with upper abdominal pain and swelling. The past history was positive for laparoscopic cholecystectomy 15 years earlier. After excision, the swelling was found to be a pseudocyst formed around spilled gallstones during a previous cholecystectomy. Apart from postoperative wound infection, the patient recovered well and remains so. Here, we discuss the problem and provide suggestions for spillage prevention and stone retrieval once spillage occurs.

Sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease: sinotomy versus excisional surgery, a retrospective study.

Pilonidal disease is a disease of relatively young people, the exact aetiology of which is unknown. Treatment options vary from simple incision to complex flap procedures. Each method has its advocates and they all have a variable recurrence rate. The multiplicity of procedures testifies to the lack of an optimal treatment method. The objective of this study is to compare sinotomy, that is, simply laying the sinus open with the more popular radical surgery, where the sinus-bearing tissues are excised. Patients who were admitted to Aseer Central Hospital, Saudi Arabia with a pilonidal sinus or abscess, in the period from April 1999 to January 2005, were identified. The medical records were reviewed and data related to the patient characteristics, disease process and the procedures carried out were noted. Identified patients were contacted by phone to check recurrence of the disease and their abidance to instructions regarding regular hair removal from the area. Eighty-one patients were included in the study. The median age was 24.2 years (range 16-60 years). There were 9 women and 72 men. All procedures were carried out under general anaesthesia except sinotomy, which was carried out under general or local anaesthesia. The surgical procedure was incision and drainage of abscess in 16 cases (19.8%), excision with primary closure in 29 cases (35.8%), excision by the open method in 15 cases (18.5%), sinotomy in 14 cases (17.3%) and rhomboid flap construction in 8 cases (9.9%). The overall recurrence rate was 26.9%, and the mean hospital stay was 4.1 days. Sinotomy had a low recurrence rate (12.5%) and a short hospital stay (2.8 days). Sinotomy has the advantages of simplicity, the possibility of operating under local anaesthesia, with an acceptable recurrence rate. We recommend sinotomy for pilonidal sinus and abscess alike, both in primary and recurrent cases.

Choledochocele: the disputed origin.

Choledochocele is classified as a type III choledochal cyst according to Alonso-Lej classification. Although it is anatomically related to the common bile duct, it does not share the strong premalignant potential of the more common types of choledochal cysts. In addition, duodenal mucosa has been found lining many of these cysts. These findings pose certain disputes about their possible origin, necessitating revision of the current inclusion of choledochocele with choledochal cysts.