DISSEMINATED PERITONEAL LEIOMYOMATOSIS - A RARE ENTITY, COMPLICATED BY LATE BLEEDING FROM THE ILEOCOLIC VEIN.

Leiomyomatosis peritonei or disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis (DPL) is an extremely rare condition affecting mainly women of childbearing age with estrogen hypersecretion. It is characterized by the presence of multiple histologically benign smooth muscle nodules on the peritoneal surface and subperitoneal tissue mimicking peritoneal carcinomatosis. There are no clear guidelines for the primary management and follow-up o these patients. Case report: We represent a 44-years-old woman admitted due to two retroperitoneal tumors diagnosed on routine ultrasound screening. There was a past history of hysterectomy for uterine leiomyoma. The blood assay was normal. MRI revealed two well-circumcised tumors with a size of 15 cm and 6 cm, respectively, with a characteristic of leiomyoma. The tumors were removed completely. Macroscopically, they appeared as well-circumscribed masses with grey to white color, a rubbery texture, and a whorled cut surface. On the first postoperative day, due to a sudden drop of hemoglobin from 127 g/L to 6.8 g/L and clinical signs of acute intra-abdominal bleeding, the patient was reoperated. The site of bleeding was from the ileocolic vein located at the lower pole of the tumor. It was successfully controlled by ligation. The patient had an uneventful recovery. After five years she is free of recurrence. DPL is a rare disease, sometimes mimicking peritoneal carcinomatosis. The preoperative diagnosis should be suspected in women of childbearing age with estrogen hypersecretion and concurrent uterine leiomyomas. The management depends on the patient's age, reproductive plans, multiplicity, and symptomatology of DPL. Single tumors are best treated by surgery with synchronous hysterectomy or myomectomy in case of uterine myomatosis. In the case of symptomatic multiple DPL and fulfilled reproductive plan, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy or treatment with Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs is indicated. In asymptomatic multiple DPL, the removal of all nodules is not mandatory because of the benign indolent course. The long-term prognosis of DPL is excellent.

Ileus caused by small bowel, ileocaecal and rectal endometriosis misdiagnosed as Crohn's disease and managed by synchronous ileocaecal and rectal resection.

The reported incidence of intestinal endometriosis varies between 22% and 37%, with bowel obstruction in only 2.3% of cases, but few series report acute obstruction. We report a rare case of acute bowel obstruction due to multiple bilateral deep intestinal endometriosis lesions localised in the ileum, ileocaecal valve and upper rectum, requiring synchronous resection in an emergency setting. A 42-year-old woman was referred to our clinic with a diagnosis of obstructing Crohn's disease based on abdominal computed tomography with oral contrast showing a thickened terminal ileum with stenosis, compression of the caecum and proximally dilated small bowel loops. Simultaneous ileocaecal resection and segmental resection of the upper rectum with handsewn end-to-end anastomosis between the sigmoid colon and rectum was performed. Owing to the advanced bowel obstruction and significant weight loss, a double barrelled ileoascendostomy was created. The patient had an uneventful recovery. Histological examination revealed transmural endometriosis with involvement of the pericolic fat in both specimens. Although intestinal endometriosis causing acute bowel obstruction is rare, it should be included among the differential diagnoses in young women with recurrent abdominal pain, intermittent diarrhoea and constipation without a family history for inflammatory bowel disease or cancer. Bleeding synchronous with menstruation is not typical for intestinal endometriosis. Right-sided intestinal endometriosis more frequently causes acute bowel obstruction, in most cases due to intussusception.

An analysis of missed cases with surgical emergencies admitted in non-surgical departments. Case series and а review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: The delayed diagnosis in emergency surgery can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality and often lead to litigations. The aim of the present work is to analyse the outcome in cases with non-trauma surgical emergencies wrongly admitted in non-surgical departments. METHODS: A retrospective trial in two independent University hospitals was conducted. The first group encompassed the patients worked-up in the Surgical unit of Emergency department (2014-2018). The second one included all cases visited Emergency department (2018). Only cases with acute abdomen and delayed diagnosis and operation were included. The analysis included the proportion of the delayed diagnosis, time between admission and operation, intraoperative diagnosis, complications and mortality rate. RESULTS: In the first group there were 30 194 visits in the surgical unit with 15 836 hospitalizations (52.4%). Twenty patients of the last (0.13%) were admitted in the Clinic of Infectious disease and subsequently operated. The mean delay between hospitalization and operation was 3 days (1-10). Seventeen patients (85%) were operated with mortality of 10%. In the second group, there were a total of 22 760 visits with 11 562 discharged cases. Of the last, 1.7% (n=192) were re-admitted in a surgical ward, 25 of which underwent urgent surgery (0.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The missed surgical cases represent only a small proportion of the patients in emergency department. The causes for wrong initial admissions in our series were misinterpretation of the symptoms, insufficient clinical examination and underuse of US and CT. The careful clinical assessment, point-of care US and CT may decrease the rate of the delayed diagnosis.

Endoluminal negative pressure therapy in colorectal anastomotic leaks.

AIM: The aim of the present work was to perform an up-to-date review of the literature on endoluminal negative pressure therapy for colorectal anastomotic leak. METHOD: An electronic search in PubMed and Google Scholar and a manual search without language restrictions were performed on 25 January 2019. Only original series reporting endoluminal negative pressure therapy in colorectal anastomotic leaks were included. The primary outcome was the success rate (complete closure of the abscess cavity). The secondary outcomes were the rates of complications and stoma closure. RESULTS: Nineteen series with a total of 295 cases were analysed. The median distance of the anastomosis from the anal verge and the size of the abscess were 5.65 cm (4.9-10) and 6.0 cm (5-8.1) respectively. In 84.5% (78%-91%) the stoma was created at the first intervention. Neoadjuvant therapy was performed in 48.6% (3%-60%). Median 7 sponges (2-34) were used with median negative pressure 150 mmHg (125-700) for a median of 31 days (14-127). The success rate was 85.4% (80%-91%) with ileostomy closure in 72.6%. Complications were observed in 19% (13%-25%): abscesses 11.5% and anastomotic stenosis 4.4%. Laparotomy was required in 15% of the complications. The stoma was the only significant predictor for the success of the therapy (0.007, SE 0.004, P = 0.040). CONCLUSIONS: The initial experience looks promising with an 85% success rate, which precludes risky re-resections with redo anastomosis or Hartmann's procedure. Despite the good initial results, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn because of the small sample size and the lack of high-quality comparative studies.

A rare case of life-threatening extra-peritoneal bleeding a.

INTRODUCTION: Although inguinal hernia repair is a routine procedure and frequently performed as one-day surgery, we should be particularly aware of the possible complications, which could be life-threatening if not recognized in due course. CASE REPORT: We report a case of life-threatening extra-peritoneal bleeding after open inguinal hernia repair requiring damage control surgery. DISCUSSION: Several vessels can be responsible for massive extraperitoneal bleeding - external iliac vessels, lower epigastric artery, crema steric vessels and corona mortis. Although damage control surgery was developed to treat the severe trauma, it can also be a life-saving maneuver in cases as the presented one. Hemodynamic instability with distended abdomen is a primary indication for laparotomy, but in some cases the contrast CT provides valuable information about the location and the size of hematoma and can guide the operative approach - midline laparotomy or revision of the wound as in our case. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of life-threatening retroperitoneal bleeding after open inguinal hernia repair. The present case is a good example for the application of damage control in pathology considered as one-day surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Although casuistic, the life-threatening bleeding after open hernia repair should be suspected. The prompt surgical response with damage control can be life-saving maneuver even in the routine hernia surgery. Detailed knowledge of the anatomy and carefull dissection are required to avoid this kind of complications.

Open abdomen and VAC® in severe diffuse peritonitis.

BACKGROUND: Currently, the open abdomen technique is the widely recognised method for treatment of life-threatening trauma, intra-abdominal sepsis, abdominal compartment syndrome and wound dehiscence. The techniques for temporary closure using negative pressure have gained increasing popularity. Although negative pressure wound therapy has been proved as an effective method in trauma, the results in diffuse peritonitis are contradictory. METHODS: Overall, 108 patients with diffuse peritonitis and open abdomen were prospectively enrolled from January 2006 to December 2013--69 treated with mesh-foil laparostomy without negative pressure and 49 with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC(®)) The primary endpoints were the rate of primary fascial closure and mortality. The secondary outcomes were the rate of complications--enteroatmospheric fistulas, intra-abdominal abscesses, wound infection and necrotising fasciitis, intensive care unit (ICU) and overall hospital stay. RESULTS: VAC was associated with higher overall (73% vs 53%) and late primary fascial closure rates (31% vs 7%), lower rates of necrotising fasciitis (2% vs 15%, p=0.012), intra-abdominal abscesses (10% vs 20%), enteroatmospheric fistulas (8% vs 19%), overall mortality (31% vs 53%, p<0.05), shorter ICU (6.1 vs 10.6 days, p=0.002) and hospital stay (15.1 vs 25.9 days, p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: The results clearly suggest the obvious advantage of VAC in comparison to the temporary abdominal closure without negative pressure in the cases with severe diffuse peritonitis. However, to a large extent, our results might be attributed to the combination of VAC with dynamic fascial closure.

Mesenteric cystic lymphangioma: unusual cause of intra-abdominal catastrophe in an adult.

Mesenteric cystic lymphangiomas (MCLs) are rare benign cystic tumours of unknown aetiology, most often seen in paediatric patients. The clinical presentation is diverse, ranging from an incidentally discovered abdominal cyst to symptoms of acute abdomen. A 20-year-old male presented with generalised abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting of several hours duration following heavy lifting. Emergency laparotomy revealed a 15 x 10 x 8-cm pedicled cystic mass of the mid-ileal mesentery, causing a volvulus. The cyst and a 20-cm gangrenous intestinal segment were resected with anastomosis. The postoperative course was uncomplicated. MCLs should be included in the differential diagnosis of cystic intra-abdominal lesions. Even when asymptomatic and discovered incidentally, they must be treated surgically because of the potential to grow, invade vital structures and develop life-threatening complications.

Gastrointestinal "crosses": an indication for surgery.

BACKGROUND: We present our experience with a unique type of foreign body that was specifically designed to arrest in its passage and cause perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. STUDY: Between 1994 and 1999, nine male prisoners from the same jail presented after ingestion of "crosses." A cross is constructed from the two halves of a standard paperclip that are tied together with a rubber band. The resulting construction is elastic: the two branches can be pulled to lie parallel, but they assume their original position once released. The cross is wrapped into paper with its branches parallel and ingested. After release from the wrapper, it "opens" and causes bowel perforations. RESULTS: All patients underwent emergency surgery for foreign body removal and treatment of peritonitis. A total of 19 crosses were removed from the patients. Six (32%) were found in the stomach; five, in the duodenum (28%); three, in the jejunum and ileum (16%); and one, in the pylorus and colon. There was no morbidity or mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Foreign bodies of this type never pass distally. The ultimate key to success in the management of patients who have ingested crosses is emergency surgical intervention.