Diagnosis and treatment of epiploic appendagitis in a Middle Eastern country: An observational retrospective analysis of 156 cases.

BACKGROUND: Epiploic appendagitis (EPA) is an uncommon emergency surgical condition that causes acute abdominal pain, rendering a list of differential diagnoses. Therefore, careful examination and imaging tools are required. EPA is a self-limiting condition that can be resolved in 1-2 weeks and rarely needs surgical intervention. Its low incidence makes EPA less well-known among the public and some medical professionals, and it is frequently under-diagnosed. We aimed to explore the incidence, clinical presentation, modalities of imaging to diagnose and options for treating EPA. METHODS: An observational retrospective analysis was conducted between 2016 and 2022 at a tertiary hospital in an Arab Middle Eastern country. RESULTS: There were 156 EPA cases diagnosed over six years, with a mean age of 33 years. Males represented 82% of the cohort. The entire cohort was treated non-operatively except for eight patients who had surgical intervention using open or laparoscopic surgery. The diagnosis was made by a computerized tomographic scan (CT). However, plain X-ray, abdominal ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed initially in a few selected cases to rule out other conditions. No specific blood test indicated EPA; however, a histopathology examination was diagnostic. No mortality was reported in the study cohort. CONCLUSION: This is the most extensive study analyzing EPA patients from the Middle East. EPA is a rare and mostly self-limiting acute abdominal disorder; however, early ultrasound and CT scan can pick it up quickly after a high index of suspicion.

Choice of specimen's extraction site affects wound morbidity in laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND: The choice for an ideal site of specimen extraction following laparoscopic colorectal surgery remains debatable. However, midline incision (MI) is usually employed for right and left-sided colonic resections while left iliac fossa or suprapubic transverse incision (STI) were reserved for sigmoid and rectal cancer resections. OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) and incisional hernia (IH) in elective laparoscopic colorectal surgery for cancer and specimen extraction via MI or STI. METHOD: Prospectively collected data of elective laparoscopic colorectal cancer resections between January 2017 and December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. MI was employed for right and left-sided colonic resections while STI was used for sigmoid and rectal resections. SSI is defined according to the US CDC criteria. IH was diagnosed clinically and confirmed by CT scan at 1 year. RESULTS: A total of 168 patients underwent elective laparoscopic colorectal resections. MI was used in 90 patients while 78 patients had STI as an extraction site. Demographic and preoperative data is similar for two groups. The rate of IH was 13.3% for MI and 0% in the STI (p = 0.001). SSI was seen in 16.7% of MI vs 11.5% of STI (p = 0.34). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that the choice of extraction site is associated with statistically significant higher incisional hernia rate. CONCLUSION: MI for specimen extraction is associated with higher incidence of both SSI and IH. The choice of incision for extraction site is an independent predicative factor for significantly higher IH and increased SSI rates.

Clinical Significance and Prognostic Implications of Quantifying Pulmonary Contusion Volume in Patients with Blunt Chest Trauma.

BACKGROUND Pulmonary contusion (PC) is the most frequent blunt chest injury which could be used to identify patients at high-risk of clinical deterioration. We aimed to investigate the clinical correlation between PC volume and outcome in patients with blunt chest trauma (BCT). MATERIAL AND METHODS BCT patients with PC were identified retrospectively from the prospectively collected trauma registry database over a 2-year period. Contusion volume was measured and expressed as percentage of total lung (CTCV) volume using three-dimensional reconstruction of thoracic CT images on admission. Data included patients' demographics, mechanism of injury (MOI) and injury severity, associated injuries, CTCV, mechanical ventilation, complications, and mortality. RESULTS A total of 226 BCT patients were identified to have PC with a mean age of 35.2 years. Motor vehicle crash (54.4%) and falls (16.4%) were the most frequent MOIs. Bilateral PC (61.5%) was more prevalent than right-sided (19.5%) and left-sided PC (19%). CTCV had a significant positive correlation with ISS; whereas, age and PaO2/FiO2 ratio showed a negative correlation (p<0.05 for all). The median CTCV was significantly higher in patients who developed in-hospital complications (p=0.02). A CTCV >20% was associated with increasedrisk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), blood transfusion and prolonged mechanical ventilation. However, multiple linear regression analysis showed that CTCV alone was not an independent predictor of in-hospital outcomes. Presence of chest infection, CTCV, and Injury Severity Scores were predictors of ARDS. CONCLUSIONS Quantifying pulmonary contusion volume could allow identification of patients at high-risk of ARDS. CTCV has a significant correlation with injury severity in patients with BCT. Further prospective studies are needed to address the validity of CTCV in the patients care.

The enigma of primary and secondary encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Encapsulating Peritoneal Sclerosis (EPS) describes a variety of diseases that are frequently confused with different names and different etiopathogeneses. The aim of this article is to report personal experience of focusing on correct classification and the status of current diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed. Age, sex, ethnic origin, past medical history, symptoms and their duration, radiological tools and signs, laboratory tests, preoperative diagnosis, surgical approach, intraoperative findings, pathological findings, hospital stay, morbidity and mortality were studied. RESULTS: A total of seven patients, including six males and one female, aged from 24 to 72 years were observed. Four patients had recurrent abdominal colic pain for 3 months, 1, 2 and 9 years; two patients also reported recurrent attacks but without any specification of the duration. All seven patients presented at the emergency department with abdominal pain that was mainly diffused over the entire abdomen. Six patients were submitted to a CT scan. Only in two patients was the diagnosis of EPS made preoperatively. All seven patients were submitted to open surgery. The hospital stay was between 4 and 60 days. One patient had morbidity, and one patient died of MOF. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, the correct identification of EPS is more easily possible than in the past, but the diagnosis is still a challenge. Surgery must be performed as soon as possible to avoid a poorer quality of life.

Adult appendicitis score versus Alvarado score: A comparative study in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

Background: Acute Appendicitis (AA) is the most common abdominal surgical emergency. It requires proper management to decrease mortality and morbidity. Clinical scoring systems for diagnosing AA aimed to decrease the use of radiological scans and the rate of negative appendectomies (NA). We aim to assess the adult appendicitis score (AAS) in the diagnosis prediction of AA. Method: A retrospective study with 1303 cases of AA is performed. We compared the correlation of AAS and Alvarado scores to postoperative histopathology. Specificity, sensitivity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV), and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) were assessed. ROC was used. Results: AAS risk stratification was applied to the study population. Group I for a low probability, and groups II and III for an intermediate and high probability of AA. We found that 159 patients were matched in group I, 505, and 639 were in groups II and III of AAS, respectively. The correlation between Alvarado and AAS with HP was significant. AAS ≥ 16 presented sensitivity and specificity of 50 % and 75.47 %, respectively, with PPV of 97.96 % and NPV of 6.02 %, with an accuracy of 51.04 %. Regarding AAS ≥ 11, the sensitivity was 88.96 %, specificity was 39.62 %, PPV was 97.2 %, NPV was 13.21 %, and accuracy was 86.95 %. Conclusion: AAS is relatively more accurate than Alvarado's score, especially in selecting a safe candidate for discharge from an emergency. In addition, AAS is found to decrease the need for radiological images and NA rate more than Alvarado.

Diagnostic Inflammation Biomarkers for Prediction of 30-Day Mortality Rate in Acute Cholangitis.

Background: Acute cholangitis (AC) is an acute inflammation and infection of the biliary tract, a potentially life-threatening infection, which is usually associated with biliary tree obstruction and impairment of bile flow from the liver to the duodenum. AC is classified by severity from mild, moderate to severe infection (grade I to III, respectively). Methods: This study recruited a retrospective cohort from Jan 2015 to July 2018. Overall, 294 patients of age ≥ 18 years with AC were enrolled. The study was conducted according to the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. Demographic and laboratory data were collected for analysis. T-Bilirubin and other laboratory results were collected and analyzed using independent T-test and ANOVA for continuous values and multivariate COX regression for survival analysis for identifying independent factors for early mortality. The cut-off threshold of T-bilirubin was determined by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: There were 213 male and 81 female patients and mean age ± SD of patients was 49.57 ± 16.1 and 56.12 ± 20.18 respectively. 31.9% patients were found older than 60 years of age and 35% patients were found between 30-45 years of age. T-bilirubin and length of hospital stay (LOS) were found statistically significant (P < 0.05) in relation to mortality in AC patients. The area under ROC curve for T-bilirubin level (P = 0.017, OR = 1.010) was 0.717 (95% CI, 6.25-168.9) and this is consistent with the Cut-off point for more than or equal to 38.6 µmol/L (2.26 mg/dL). Conclusions: In this study, T-bilirubin level is found to be significantly related to short-term mortality in AC. Further studies are still needed with larger cohorts to shed more light on these findings. Highlights: Herein, we report a retrospective observational study aiming to evaluate biomarkers contributing to mortality in AC and to determine the cut-off diagnostic levels that could be easily used in emergency setting. Overall, 294 patients of age ≥ 18 years with AC were enrolled. The study was conducted according to the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki and approved by Institutional Review Board (IRB) with approval: MRC-01-20-823 at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). Demographic and laboratory data were collected for analysis. Total-Bilirubin and other laboratory results were collected and analyzed using independent T-test and ANOVA for continuous values and multivariate COX regression for survival analysis for identifying independent factors for early mortality. The cut-off threshold of T-bilirubin was determined by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. There were 213 male and 81 female patients and mean age ± SD of patients was 49.57 ± 16.1 and 56.12 ± 20.18 respectively. 31.9% patients were found older than 60 years of age and 35% patients were found between 30-45 years of age. T-bilirubin and length of hospital stay (LOS) were found statistically significant (P < 0.05) in relation to mortality in AC patients. The area under ROC curve for T-bilirubin level (P = 0.037, OR = 1.010) was 0.717 (95% CI, 6.25-168.9) and this is consistent with the Cut-off point for more than or equal to 38.6 µmol/L (2.26 mg/dL).

Appendicitis Secondary to Trauma following a Camel Kick: Case Report and Review of Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Independently, trauma and appendicitis are two of the most common conditions in surgical practice. Rarely, both conditions may coexist, which raises the controversy whether it is merely a coincidence or trauma may lead to acute appendicitis. Presentation of Case. We report a case of acute appendicitis after blunt abdominal trauma caused by a camel hoof kick to the abdomen in a young man and discuss the potential underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms with review of the pertinent literature. CONCLUSIONS: Blunt abdominal trauma caused by a camel kick to the abdomen requires a close observation of the patients. A camel kick may increase intra-abdominal pressure and cause internal organ injury including the appendix. Therefore, acute appendicitis should be considered in differential diagnosis in any patient with abdominal pain resembling appendicitis following blunt abdominal trauma.

Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio Associated with Prolonged Hospital Length of Stay Postpeptic Ulcer Perforation Repair: An Observational Descriptive Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The predictive role of platelet to lymphocyte ratio (P/LR) in patients with perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) is not well-studied. We aimed to investigate the association between the P/LR ratio and the hospital length of stay (HLOS) for surgically treated PPU. METHOD: This is a retrospective observational study for surgically treated adult cases of PPU at Hamad Medical Corporation during the period from January 2012 to August 2017. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their HLOS (I week). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to determine the cutoff value for lymphocyte count, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, and P/LR ratio for predicting the prolonged hospitalization. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-two patients were included in the study. The majority were young males. The mean age was 38.3 ± 12.7 years. Perforated duodenal ulcer (139 patients) exceeded perforated gastric ulcer (13 patients). The HLOS > 1 week was observed in 14.5% of cases. Older age (p = 0.01), higher preoperative WBC (p = 0.03), lower lymphocyte count (p = 0.01), and higher P/LR ratio (p = 0.005) were evident in the HLOS > 1 week group. The optimal cutoff value of P/LR was 311.2 with AUC 0.702 and negative predictive value of 93% for the prediction of prolonged hospitalization. Two patients died with a mean P/LR ratio of 640.8 ± 135.5 vs. 336.6 ± 258.9 in the survivors. CONCLUSION: High preoperative P/LR value predicts prolonged HLOS in patients with repaired perforated peptic ulcer. Further larger multicenter studies are needed to support the study findings.

First ever case report of co-occurrence of hobnail variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma and intrathyroid parathyroid adenoma in the same thyroid lobe.

INTRODUCTION: The hobnail variant of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is rare. Intrathyroid parathyroid adenoma (ITPA) is also rare. Co-ocurrence of PTC and ITPA in the same thyroid lobe is extremely rare. Likewise, primary hyperparathyroidism with such non-medullary thyroid carcinoma is rare. The specific molecular profile of hobnail PTC (HPTC) is different from the classic, poorly differentiated and anaplastic variants and may contribute to its aggressive behavior. HPTC's genetic profile remains unclear. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 61-year-old woman presented to our endocrine clinic with generalized aches, bone pain, polyuria, and right neck swelling of a few months' duration. Laboratory findings revealed hypercalcemia and hyperparathyroidism. Ultrasound of the neck showed 4.6 cm complex nodule within the right thyroid lobe. Sestamibi scan suggested parathyroid adenoma in the right thyroid lobe. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) revealed atypical follicular lesion of undetermined significance. She underwent right lobectomy, which normalized the intraoperative intact parathyroid hormone levels. Final pathology with immunohistochemical stains demonstrated HPTC and IPTA (2 cm each). Next-generation sequencing investigated the mutation spectrum of HPTC and detected BRAFV600E mutation. CONCLUSIONS: A parathyroid adenoma should not exclude the diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma. Thyroid evaluation is needed for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism to prevent missing concurrent thyroid cancers. Cytomorphologic features to distinguish thyroid from parathyroid cells on FNA cytology must be considered. Immunohistochemical stains are important. BRAFV600E is the most common mutation in HPTC. This is possibly the first reported case of HPTC and ITPA co-occurring within the same thyroid lobe. Studies that define other molecular abnormalities may be useful as therapeutic targets.

Prevalence and Type Distribution of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in Breast Cancer: A Qatar Based Study.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been implicated in the etiology of a variety of human cancers. Studies investigating the presence of high-risk (HR) HPV in breast tissue have generated considerable controversy over its role as a potential risk factor for breast cancer (BC). This is the first investigation reporting the prevalence and type distribution of high-risk HPV infection in breast tissue in the population of Qatar. A prospective comparison blind research study herein reconnoitered the presence of twelve HR-HPV types' DNA using multiplex PCR by screening a total of 150 fresh breast tissue specimens. Data obtained shows that HR-HPV types were found in 10% of subjects with breast cancer; of which the presence of HPV was confirmed in 4/33 (12.12%) of invasive carcinomas. These findings, the first reported from the population of Qatar, suggest that the selective presence of HPV in breast tissue is likely to be a related factor in the progression of certain cases of breast cancer.

First sliding Amyand hernia harbouring appendicular schistosomiasis: Case report.

INTRODUCTION: Amyand's hernia (AH) is rare, schistosomiasis of the appendix is very uncommon, and both conditions coexisting together is an extremely rare event. Pre-operative diagnosis of each of the two conditions is usually difficult. To the best of our knowledge, the current paper is first to report both these two conditions in coexistence. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 31-year old man who had no comorbidities was admitted electively as a day case of non-complicated right indirect inguinal hernia. Further history and physical examination were unremarkable. Intraoperatively the patient was found to have right sliding AH with appendicular schistosomiasis (AS). The patient underwent Lichtenstein repair of the hernia with appendectomy. On follow up he was referred to infectious disease clinic, and the post-operative course was uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative identification of non-typical hernia sac before its opening should alert the surgeon to the possibility of sliding hernia and the presence of an organ as a part of the sac. Rare causes of appendicular masses like schistosomiasis granuloma should be considered in endemic areas or immigrants from these areas, despite the difficulty of preoperative diagnosis. Management should follow general guidelines of appendectomy, hernia repair and dealing with the associated pathology if present.

Assessment of PULP score in predicting 30-day perforated duodenal ulcer morbidity, and comparison of its performance with Boey and ASA, a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: /aim: Scores commonly employed to risk stratify perforated peptic ulcer patients include ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists), Boey and peptic ulcer perforation score (PULP). However, few studies assessed and compared the accuracy indices of these three scores in predicting post PPU repair 30-day morbidity. We assessed accuracy indices of PULP, and compared them to Boey and ASA in predicting post perforated duodenal (PDU) ulcer repair 30-day morbidity. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of all PDU patients (perforated duodenal ulcers only) at the largest two hospitals in Qatar (N = 152). Data included demographic, clinical, laboratory, operative, and post repair 30-day morbidity. Area under the Curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity were computed for each of the 3 scores. Multivariate logistic regression assessed the accuracy indices of each score. RESULTS: All patients were males (M age 37.41 years). Post PDU repair 30-day morbidity was 10.5% (16 morbidities). Older age, higher ASA (≥3), Boey (≥1) or PULP (≥8) scores, shock on admission and preoperative comorbidities; and conversely, lower hemoglobin and albumin were all positively significantly associated with higher post PDU 30-day morbidity. PULP displayed the largest AUC (72%), and was the only score to significantly predict 30-day morbidity. The current study is the first to report the sensitivity and specificity of these three scores for post PDU repair 30-day morbidity; and first to assess accuracy indices for PULP in predicting post PDU repair 30-day morbidity. CONCLUSION: PULP score had the largest AUC and was the only score to significantly predict post PDU repair 30-day morbidity.