An Unusual Case of Biliary Stent Migration in Sacrum.

The common bile duct stenting has been a common endoscopic procedure practiced worldwide for the treatment of benign or malignant bile duct obstruction. Although the procedure has shown a very low morbidity, it is not free from complications. Stent migration has been a common late complication seen in 10% of cases presenting with various manifestations depending on the site of impaction. Here, we present a rare case of distal stent migration with impaction in the sacral foramina due to perforation through sigmoid diverticula with review of literature.

A Rare Case of Mesenteric Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Presenting as Acute Abdomen.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are rare tumours arising from mesenchyme of gastrointestinal tract and overexpress C-kit protein. Mainly seen in stomach and small bowel. Mesenteric GIST are rarely reported as they constitute less than 1% of total GIST. We here report such a rare case of GIST arising from mesentery of small bowel and presenting as acute abdomen. Good surgical clearance ensures good survival whereas incomplete resection results in a high incidence of recurrences with distant metastasis.

A rare instance of retrosternal goitre presenting with obstructive sleep apnoea in a middle-aged person.

INTRODUCTION: In endemic goitre areas, 20% of the population over 70 will have retrosternal goitre.(12) Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) occurs when there are repeated episodes of complete or partial blockage of the upper airway during sleep. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 55-year-old man was being treated for obstructive sleep apnoea, came with stridor worsening over the 2 and was advised CPAP ventilation. In our institution, he was diagnosed to have goitre with retrosternal extension with no hypo/hyperthyroidism. He was an obese (BMI - 30Kg/m(2)) male with a short, broad neck and clinically no obvious swelling in the neck. He had stridor, with positive Kocher's test as well as Pemberton's sign. His TFT's were normal and CT scan revealed widening of superior mediastinum. Patient was pre-medicated with low dose (0.1µg) fentanyl, and induced with inhalational anaesthesia (sevoflourane). Endotracheal intubation was done using 6 no. ET tube, without muscle relaxation, and the thyroid was removed through a conventional Kocher's incision. Thyroid was enlarged 25cm by 10cm in retrosternal position. Postoperatively, pt was reversed and shifted to ICU, was monitored for the next 24hours. He was extubated uneventfully the next morning. Patient had a good post-op recovery and was discharged on the 7th post-op day. DISCUSSION: Terms such as retrosternal, substernal, intrathoracic, or mediastinal have been used to describe a goitre that extends beyond the thoracic inlet. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding the exact definition of a retrosternal goitre (RSG).(1) The majority of patients present with shortness of breath or asthma like symptoms (68.8%), as was the case in the studied patient. Other modes of presentation include neck mass (75%), hoarseness of voice (37.5%), dysphagia (31.3%), stridor/wheezing (19%), or SVC obstruction. Upper airway obstruction due to thyroid gland has been reported up to 31%(2) and difficulty in intubation has been reported in 11%.(3) Central airway obstruction produces symptoms of dyspnoea, stridor, or obstructive pneumonia and is often misdiagnosed as asthma.(4) The CT scan was the most useful tool showing the nature and extent of the lesion in the reported case. In a recent publication, the CT scan was considered the gold-standard preoperative radiological investigation.(5) Surgery is the only effective treatment for retrosternal goitres. In most cases, suppressive therapy with thyroxine is ineffective in reducing the size of multinodular goitres;(7,8) radio-iodine therapy is both generally ineffective in large goitres(8) and may induce acute inflammation and swelling of the gland with the potential for airway obstruction. The operation of choice is usually a total thyroidectomy. Only around 2% of patients undergoing thyroidectomy for retrosternal goitre will require surgical access other than a standard collar incision (either manubriotomy, sternotomy or thoracotomy).(9) CONCLUSION: Despite all the advances in investigative modalities, retrosternal goitre still exists in 20% of patients over 70 years in endemic regions. It has to be recognised that it can be a cause of obstructive sleep apnoea. Early detection and prompt management goes a long way in decreasing the morbidity and mortality in patients with RSG.