Sportsman hernia; the review of current diagnosis and treatment modalities.

Groin pain is an important clinical entity that may affect a sportsman's active sports life. Sportsman's hernia is a chronic low abdominal and groin pain syndrome. Open and laparoscopic surgical treatment may be chosen in case of conservative treatment failure. Studies on sportsman's hernia, which is a challenging situation in both diagnosis and treatment, are ongoing in many centers. We reviewed the treatment results of 37 patients diagnosed and treated as sportsman's hernia at our hospital between 2011-2014, in light of current literature.

Hyperbaric oxygen and N-acetylcysteine treatment in L-arginine-induced acute pancreatitis in rats.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate the combined effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on acute necrotizing pancreatitis in rats. METHODS: Experiments were performed in 50 male Wistar rats, which were divided into five groups (N = 10 for each group). The first group received normal saline (0.9% NaCl) intraperitoneal and served as the control group. In the second group, acute pancreatitis was induced by 3.2-g/kg body weight L-arginine intraperitoneal twice at an interval of 1 hr, which has been shown previously to produce severe necrotizing acute pancreatitis. In the third group, NAC treatment (1000 mg/kg) was given after 1 hr of the induction of acute pancreatitis twice 24 hr apart. In the fourth group, animals received HBO, 6 hr after the induction of pancreatitis twice 12 hr apart. In the fifth group, animals received together NAC as in Group 3 and HBO treatment as in Group 4. Groups 1, 2, and 3 were left under normal atmospheric pressures. Twelve hours after last treatment, the animals were killed by exsanguinations. Blood samples were studied for amylase, calcium, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), pancreatic histology, pancreatic tissue malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione levels. RESULTS: Acute pancreatitis is reduced by the treatment of NAC, HBO, NAC + HBO. HBO + NAC groups performed statistically the best in preventing L-arginine-induced acute necrotising pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS: NAC especially combined with HBO, decreases oxidative stress parameters, serum amylase, calcium, and LDH levels, as well as histopathologic score.

Amelogenin (an extracellular matrix protein) application on ischemic colon anastomosis in rats.

BACKGROUND: Ischemia is a troublesome problem that can cause intestinal emergencies and complicate the treatment. Identification of a chemical agent with beneficial effects on the healing process in risky colon anastomosis with the aim of reducing leakage rates is a popular topic in the era of surgical research. Data is lacking about the role of amelogenin, an extracellular matrix protein, during the healing process of gastrointestinal anastomosis. In this study, the effects of amelogenin treatment on ischemic colon anastomosis were evaluated. METHODS: Adult male Wistar Albino rats weighing 200-250 g were divided into three weight-matched groups as normal colon anastomosis group (n=8), ischemic colon anastomosis group (n=8), and amelogenin-treated ischemic colon anastomosis group (n=8). Sufficient equal volume of amelogenin to cover the anastomosis area entirely was applied topically. All animals were sacrificed on postoperative day four. Bursting pressure levels were measured. Peri-anastomotic colon tissue hydroxyproline levels were also assessed. RESULTS: Bursting pressure level of the ischemic colon anastomosis group was significantly lower than the normal colon anastomosis and the amelogenin-treated ischemic colon anastomosis groups, respectively (p=0.006, p=0.008). CONCLUSION: Amelogenin treatment supports the physical strength of ischemic colon anastomosis.

ß-Catenin-independent noncanonical Wnt pathway might be induced in gastric cancers.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Abnormal Wnt signaling is often observed in human cancers. Wnt5a is a representative Wnt ligand that can activate both ß-catenin-dependent canonical and ß-catenin-independent noncanonical Wnt pathways. However, the role of Wnt5a in carcinogenesis is controversial. This study was designed to understand whether Wnt5a in the Wnt pathway and its key downstream molecules such as MMP-7 and ß-catenin are involved in gastric cancers. METHODS: We analyzed the expressions of Wnt5a, MMP-7 and ß-catenin genes in 40 primary gastric normal and tumor biopsies by RT-PCR and the subcellular localization of ß-catenin by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Our results showed a specific combination of genes expressed significantly in the gastric tumor tissues: 65% of the tumor samples containing non-nuclear ß-catenin were Wnt5a-positive, 42.5% were MMP-7-positive, and 35% of the samples involved both. Interestingly, normal samples did not show any relevant coexpression of Wnt5a and MMP-7 in the ß-catenin-containing samples. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the noncanonical Wnt pathway might be critically important in gastric carcinogenesis.

An atypical etiology of suprasphincteric fistula: a forgotten surgical material.

While the majority of fistulas in ano result from infection of the anal crypts, complex, recurrent, and/or nonhealing fistulas should always raise the suspicion of a chronic underlying condition. In this paper, we present a 30-year-old male patient with a diagnosis of a complex suprasphincteric fistula caused by a surgical thread left behind after an orthopedic hip operation performed sixteen years ago. Partial fistulectomy, extraction of the foreign material, and debridement procedures were performed. Few cases of such complex fistulas in ano due to foreign materials have been described in the literature. After careful history-taking, meticulous physical examination under general anesthesia should be done in order to deal with this rare type of fistula.

Ectopic parathyroid adenoma localized with MIBI scintigraphy and excised with guide of macroaggregated human serum albumin injection.

Primary hyperparathyroidism is caused by an excessive amount of parathyroid hormone secreted by one or more enlarged parathyroid glands. Most commonly primary hyperparathyroidism is caused by a parathyroid adenoma. Ectopic parathyroid adenomas are rare, but they can complicate the surgical treatment and have an increased morbidity and poorer success rate. Thus, preoperative imaging is particularly valuable in this group of patients with hyperparathyroidism. Preoperative imaging has opened up a new era of minimally invasive parathyroid surgery procedures. The radioguided occult lesion localization technique has become the preferred approach to preoperative localization of nonpalpable breast lesions in several breast units. In this report, we investigated the usefulness of the radio-guided occult lesion localization technique in the identification of ectopic parathyroid adenomas. We describe the case of a 66-year-old woman who was diagnosed to be hypercalcemic. Tc-99m methoxy-isobutyl-isonitrile scintigraphy identified an ectopic parathyroid adenoma. The patient's cervical region was scanned with the probe to localize an area of maximal radiotracer uptake and the hot area was identified by a gamma probe. Careful dissection was then carried out and an enlarged ectopic parathyroid gland was removed. In conclusion, the preoperative imaging of an ectopic parathyroid adenoma and the excision of this tissue with radioguided occult lesion localization technique can open up a new era of minimally invasive parathyroid surgery.

The effect of halofuginone, a specific inhibitor of collagen type 1 synthesis, in the prevention of pancreatic fibrosis in an experimental model of severe hyperstimulation and obstruction pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this paper is to assess the effects of halofuginone, a specific inhibitor of synthesis of collagen Type 1, on fibrogenetic process in an experimental model of early pancreatic fibrosis. METHODS: Thirty rats were divided into three equal groups: group 1, sham laparotomy; group 2, severe hyperstimulation and obstruction pancreatitis (SHOP) with no treatment; group 3, SHOP with halofuginone treatment group. SHOP model was induced by complete pancreatic duct obstruction and daily cerulein hyperstimulation (50 microg/kg, intraperitoneally). Halofuginone was administered daily from the operative day (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). All of the animals were sacrificed, and blood and pancreatic tissue samples were obtained for biochemical and histopathological examination on the 5th postoperative day. RESULTS: No mortality was observed in any group. Serum amylase, lipase, hyaluronic acid, and nitric oxide levels were significantly higher in groups 2 and 3 compared with group 1 (P < 0.05), but were significantly lower in group 3 compared with group 2 (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed regarding serum malondialdehyde and glutathione levels between groups 1 and 3. Tissue hydroxyproline levels were found to be significantly higher in groups 2 and 3 compared with group 1 (P < 0.001), but were significantly lower in group 3 compared with group 2 (P < 0.001). Although tissue hydroxyproline levels were significantly higher in the halofuginone treatment group compared with the control group, histopathological evaluation did not reveal a significant difference between these groups regarding collagen deposition. When group 3 was compared with group 2, halofuginone significantly reduced inflammation and acinar atrophy in the pancreas as well (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Halofuginone was found to be effective in reducing SHOP-related inflammation, acinar atrophy, and fibrosis in the pancreas.

Laparoscopic splenic total cystectomy in a patient with elevated CA 19-9.

True nonparasitic splenic cysts are rare. Reports of approximately 30 cases of benign true splenic cysts producing elevated CA 19-9 serum levels have been published. The traditional treatment of splenic epidermoid cysts is splenectomy. However, with all the advances in laparoscopic surgery, conservative laparoscopic approaches are accepted as the most preferred techniques for this benign disease. Laparoscopic cystectomy with its minimal invasiveness and low morbidity is the ideal technique for properly selected patients. So far, only one case report of laparoscopic cystectomy for splenic epidermoid cyst with elevated CA 19-9 levels has been published. This is the second known report of this procedure being performed to remove a splenic epidermoid cyst in a patient with elevated CA 19-9 levels.

Intestinal obstruction due to rectal endometriosis.

We report a case of a premenopausal woman with severe constipation causing intermittent obstruction. Colonoscopy revealed a tight rectal stricture; however, mucosal biopsies were normal. Exploratory surgery revealed an intense fibrotic reaction involving the rectum and uterus, necessitating a simultaneous low anterior resection and hysterectomy. Pathology established a diagnosis of endometriosis. Preoperative diagnosis of rectal endometriosis can be difficult to establish. Endometrial deposits do not invade the mucosa; therefore, colonoscopy with biopsies are frequently non-diagnostic. Surgery may be the only definitive way to obtain a certain diagnosis. In cases involving rectal strictures of unknown etiology in premenopausal women, rectal endometriosis must be included in the differential diagnosis.

Laparoscopic transgastric resection of a gastric lipoma presenting as acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

A 71-year-old man was admitted to the emergency unit with upper gastrointestinal bleeding, due to a gastric lipoma, which was controlled with conservative measures. Endoscopy and computed tomography revealed a 4-cm submucosal mass located in the posterior wall of gastric antrum. The patient underwent an elective laparoscopic transgastric resection of the lipoma and discharged on postoperative day 6. Gastric lipomas are uncommon tumors that can be incidentally found. They produce symptoms similar to peptic ulcer disease and can lead to obstruction. Gastric lipomas, which may lead to life-threatening complications such as bleeding, can be safely and reliably treated by laparoscopic transgastric resection.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (inflammatory pseudotumor) of the breast.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the lung has often been reported but extrapulmonary cases are rare. Here we describe a case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the breast in a 60-year-old woman. This is only the eleventh case reported in the English language literature. The patient was free of disease 85 months after surgery.

The effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatment on oxidant and antioxidants levels during liver regeneration in rats.

The effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy on oxidant/antioxidant metabolism are controversial and its effects on hepatic regeneration are not known. In this study, we investigated a possible beneficial effect of HBO therapy on oxidant and antioxidants levels during liver regeneration. To conduct this study, seventy percent hepatectomy was performed on forty-eight Spraggue-Dawley rats and the rats were divided into two equal groups: HBO-treated group and untreated group (non-HBO group). We determined the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), an oxidative stress marker, and the levels of antioxidant enzymes/reagents, including glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in the remnant liver samples. We also measured mitotic index (MI) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) levels to assess the degree of liver regeneration. HBO treatment significantly decreased MDA levels, whereas it increased SOD activity, GSH and Zn levels. In contrast, Cu levels were lower in the HBO-treated livers than the levels in the untreated remnant livers. The effect of HBO treatment may be mediated by the suppression of certain enzymes that are responsible for lipid peroxidation. In addition, HBO treatment may induce the production of antioxidant enzymes/reagents by remnant liver tissues. The HBO-treated rats maintained their body weights but the untreated rats lost body weights. HBO treatment also increased MI and PCNA levels, indicating HBO treatment enhances liver regeneration. These results indicate that HBO treatment has beneficial effects on liver regeneration by decreasing MDA and by increasing antioxidant activities. We therefore suggest that HBO therapy may be useful after liver resection.

The effects of the immunomodulators on the colonic anastomosis in an experimental model of intraperitoneal sepsis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The present study examined the effects of G-CSF and Levamisole used as immunomodulators on the colonic anastomosis healing in the presence of an intraabdominal infection. METHODOLOGY: 40 male Spraque-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to 4 groups each consisting of 10 animals. Standard colonic anastomosis, peritonitis and colonic anastomosis, peritonitis and colonic anastomosis and G-CSF, peritonitis and colonic anastomosis and Levamisole were applied to groups I, II, III and IV, respectively. The cecum of the rats in groups II, III and IV was ligated and perforated to create an intraabdominal sepsis model. G-CSF 50 microg/kg/day were given subcutaneously to group III and Levamisole 5 mg/kg/day were given perorally to group IV in the postoperative period until sacrifice. The rats were sacrificed on the fourth postoperative day. Bursting pressure and hydroxyproline level measurements of the anastomosis were evaluated. RESULTS: Bursting pressures of all groups were lower than the control group (p<0.001). The mean bursting pressure of group III was significantly higher than group II (p<0.05). The mean level of hydroxyproline in group III was significantly higher than group II (p<0.05) however; overall, it was lower in all groups than the control (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that intraabdominal sepsis adversely affects healing of colonic anastomosis, and healing of the anastomosis becomes better and the mortality rate decreases by the use of G-CSF.

The effect of the pneumoperitoneum on the peritoneal defense mechanisms in diabetic rats.

To investigate the effects of pneumoperitoneum on the peritoneal defense mechanism induced by streptozocin infusion during laparoscopic surgery in diabetic rats and to show the importance of regulation of diabetes for peritoneal defense mechanisms. One hundred twenty-six Sprague-Dawley male rats were allocated into six groups each consisting of 21 rats: group 1, nondiabetic sham laparotomy (control); group 2, nondiabetic pneumoperitoneum (control); group 3, uncontrolled diabetes plus sham laparotomy; group 4, controlled diabetes plus sham laparotomy; group 5, uncontrolled diabetes plus pneumoperitoneum; and group 6, controlled diabetes plus pneumoperitoneum. Diabetes was constituted by intraperitoneal infusion of one dose of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin, and diabetes was regulated (in groups 4 and 6) by subcutaneous injection of 10 IU/kg insulin in the morning and evening after the blood glucose measurements since the fourth day. Peritoneal fluid samples were taken at the zero, second, and sixth hours after sham laparotomy for groups 1, 3, and 4 and after pneumoperitoneum for groups 2, 5, and 6 on the seventh day. Total peritoneal cell count, antibacterial activity of the peritoneal fluid, and types of phagocytic cells in the peritoneal fluid were assessed. Peritoneal cell count was found to be lower in uncontrolled diabetes due to high blood glucose levels (>200 mg/dL), which led to slow migration of phagocytic cells into the peritoneum. Pneumoperitoneum had augmented the effect on phagocytic cell migration to the peritoneum compared with the sham laparotomy in controlled diabetic rats. Uncontrolled and controlled diabetes have adverse effects on peritoneal defense mechanism killing functions by interfering with the antimicrobial activity of peritoneal fluid.

Enteroclysis-guided laparoscopic adhesiolysis in recurrent adhesive small bowel obstructions.

The aim of this study was to point out the efficiency of enteroclysis assay in localization of intraabdominal adhesions that impede small bowel transit in patients with recurrent adhesive small bowel obstruction who underwent laparoscopic partial adhesiolysis. Between January 1998 and June 2001, 15 selected patients with recurrent adhesive small bowel obstructions were treated successfully by medical means and evaluated with enteroclysis to define the pathologic adhesive site that impeded bowel transit. If the results of enteroclysis were indicative, they underwent laparoscopic partial adhesiolysis. The mean duration of the laparoscopic procedure was 99 minutes. In one patient conversion to laparotomy occurred because of excessive adhesions, and in another patient a small bowel injury occurred and enterorrhaphy was performed laparoscopically. Mean postoperative hospital stay was 4 days. During a mean follow-up of 17.2 months (range, 6-39), there was no delayed morbidity or recurrence. Identification of the small bowel site of recurrent obstruction with enteroclysis permits limited laparoscopic adhesiolysis. This approach may be a rational alternative to not only open procedures but also complete laparoscopic adhesiolysis without enteroclysis.

Cololaryngostomy procedure in caustic esophageal burns.

The study presented herein was undertaken to report an original case of cololaryngostomy operation in caustic esophageal burns. Cololaryngostomy application to a chronic caustic esophageal burn case is reported with a detailed literature review of the topic. For the first time in the world, the larynx was used for the integrity of the gastrointestinal system by applying a cololaryngostomy procedure as it was found to be the only intact and reliable tissue in the operation. The patient started to gain weight in a 3-month period. Oral nutrition and speech were also achieved. Caustic injury to the upper aerodigestive system with scarring of the pharynx, hypopharynx and esophagus is an important reconstructive problem. In reconstruction, the aim should be the supplementation of both oral nutrition and speech.