Hiatal Hernia of Stomach and Lesser Omentum in a Cadaver: Is It a Type III or IV?

Hiatal hernias, protrusions of abdominal viscera through the esophageal hiatus, are classified into four types. Types I and II involve ascent of the stomach without affecting the gastroesophageal junction. Types III and IV involve the gastroesophageal junction. Type IV specifically may have stomach as well as other abdominal organ involvement, such as pancreas or omentum. Among these types, type IV is the most complex and rare form, accounting for only 0.1% of all cases of hiatal hernias. This report presents a case of a type IV hiatal hernia involving the lesser omentum and a significant portion of the stomach in an 86-year-old male cadaver with a history of mediastinal surgery. To our knowledge, this presentation in a cadaver has not previously been reported in the literature.  This case highlights classification inconsistencies in the literature, particularly regarding type IV hiatal hernias. It is unclear given the current classification system, whether this presentation would be considered a type III or type IV hiatal hernia as it fits both criteria and there are several interpretations of the criteria of a type IV hiatal hernia. Inconsistencies in the classification system may impede standardization of care. This report highlights the need for a more precise classification system that better accounts for anatomical changes and clinical presentation.

Management of a Failed Distal Tibial Allograft Procedure for Anterior Shoulder Instability in a Patient With Epilepsy: A Case Report.

Shoulder instability episodes are observed in high-energy injuries, such as seizures. In this case report, we highlight the management of a failed distal tibial allograft procedure for recurrent shoulder instability in a patient with a bony Bankart lesion and epilepsy. The patient was treated with an iliac crest autograft and a proximal humerus osteochondral allograft procedure. To our knowledge, the use of an iliac crest autograft for glenoid bone loss and a proximal humerus osteochondral allograft after several failed shoulder instability procedures in a patient with epilepsy has not been reported.

Acquired Diverticulosis of the Entire Colon in a Cadaver.

Diverticulosis involving the entire colon is rare in Western society. During a routine dissection of a 74-year-old Caucasian female cadaver, who died from vascular disease complications, diverticula were observed in the ascending, transverse, and descending colon. A total of 413 diverticula were manually counted. The majority of diverticula arose from the right and transverse colon, which is atypical of the disease in Western society. Histological examination of sections from sample diverticula reveals morphology consistent with pseudodiverticula, suggestive of acquired disease. Pancolonic diverticulosis may be associated with systemic diseases such as collagen disorders, vascular complications, and increased risk of recurrent diverticulitis. This case is an example of a rare manifestation of diverticular disease that is important for clinicians to recognize when evaluating and treating patients with gastrointestinal symptoms.

Coexistence of Brachial Plexus-Anterior Scalene and Sciatic Nerve-Piriformis Variants.

The trunks of the brachial plexus typically pass through the interscalene triangle, between the anterior and middle scalene muscles and superior to the first rib. Likewise, the two components of the sciatic nerve, tibial and common fibular nerves, usually join and pass together inferior to the piriformis muscle. We present a cadaver with anatomic variations of both the right brachial plexus-interscalene triangle relationship and the sciatic nerve-piriformis relationship. The right brachial plexus C5 and C6 roots formed the superior trunk as they passed through a bifurcated anterior scalene muscle, while the C7, C8, and T1 roots passed posterior to the anterior scalene. After passing through the left greater sciatic foramen, the sciatic nerve branched into the common fibular and tibial nerves, which passed through and inferior to the piriformis muscle, respectively. The presence of these anatomic variations may predispose individuals to symptomatic nerve entrapments such as thoracic outlet syndrome and piriformis syndrome. This finding is relevant to clinicians performing invasive procedures and diagnosing neurological conditions.