Supernumerary breast in an adolescent boy.

We present an adolescent boy with unilateral supernumerary breast. It was a V type by Leung Clasification. Despite the average occurence between 0.22% and 6% in a normal population we have not had other cases in the last 20 years. The patient was an asthenic boy of sixteen in the IV stage of puberty. Sometimes he felt swelling and tenderness in this breast tissue two years ago. These symptoms became worse two months ago. At the admission he was symptom free. In the right hypochondrium inferomedially he had a nipple and areola with a small part of the glandular tissue. The axilla was empty. After an excision we got a 15 x 10 x 8 mm specimen. Pathohistological report described incompletely formed mammary lobule with smooth muscles and lactiferous ducts of nipple in dermis. This was consistent with the diagnosis of ectopic breast tissue. He wanted it removed for esthetic reasons. His hormonal state was normal. All blood checks were normal. Kidney ultrasound was normal. His grandmother had pyelon duplex and frequent uroinfections. As it is known, there is an association between supernumerary breast tissue and renal malformations. Since he did not have it, we think that a routine screening of the uropoetic system should be performed in any patient with supernumerary breast.

Penetrating liver war injury: a report on 172 cases.

During the 4-year military conflict in Croatia, we treated operatively 7,928 casualties. Of those casualties, 172 (2.2%) had penetrating liver injury, mostly sustained by explosive devices. Of these injuries, 90.7% were associated with the trauma of other abdominal and extra-abdominal organs. Seventy-five percent of injuries belonged to grades III and IV on the Liver Injury Scale. The main method of treatment was debridement with ligation of severed vessels and bile ducts. In 8.1% of cases with detrimental bleeding, we used liver packing. Fifty percent of these patients have survived but with a high incidence of septic complications. This method was proven salutary in the most detrimental injuries that could not be treated in any other way. Postoperative hemorrhage and intra-abdominal abscesses were complications that needed surgical and ultrasound-guided aspiration, respectively. Numerous heavy injuries of the liver combined with associated trauma of other vital organs are responsible for the high mortality rate of 28.5%.

Laparoscopic appendectomy is safe procedure in the pregnant patients in second trimester.

Optimal approach to appendicitis in pregnancy remains controversial issue. There is also some concern that laparoscopy during pregnancy may cause fetal injury and alter fetal perfusion. Supporters of laparoscopy claim that minimally invasive approach even in pregnant state possesses several advantages, including fewer wound complications and less postoperative pain, producing faster return to normal activities and early hospital discharge, with no increased fetal risk. We present our series of pregnant patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy that shows that in the hands of an experienced surgeon, this method is a safe option in pregnant patients in the second trimester.

Succcessful laparoscopic treatment of cholecystoduodenal fistula.

BACKGROUND: Cholecystoduodenal fistula (CD) is a rare complication of gallstone disease. Laparoscopic stapling techniques have been reported as feasible methods for treating this fistula, however these procedures are not always performed successfully. We have reported five cases of CD diagnosed intraoperatively, managed successfully by laparoscopic approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the 3-year period, from 2007 to 2009, 1500 patients underwent LC for gallstone desease, five of them (3.3%), who presented with classic symptoms of symptomatic cholelithiasis, intraoperatively CD were found. Data were collected on patients' age, sex, pre-operative diagnoses, operative methods, morbidity and management. Laparoscopic surgery was performed using the standard three trocars technique. RESULTS: All patients were females, 67 years old on average. They had gallstones detected by abdominal ultrasound, but CD's were found during operative treatment of gallstones. In three cases CD was completely mobilized with a combination of blunt and sharp dissection and divided using the endoscopic linear stapling device. In the other two cases after division of the cystic duct and artery the gallbladder was dissected from the liver bed, leaving just the fistulous connection to the duodenum. Then division of the fistula was completed using the same stapling device. All five patients had uneventful postoperative course. The hospital stay of five patients ranged from 5 do 10 days (median 6 days). CONCLUSION: CD does not preclude a laparoscopic approach. With more experience and improved techniques, most of these cases could be performed laparoscopically, with all of the advan-tages of minimally invasive surgery.

Treatment of common bile duct stones--is the role of ERCP changed in era of minimally invasive surgery?

UNLABELLED: In 10-15% of the patients that underwent cholecystectomy, common bile duct stones were found either during the preoperative, intraoperative or postoperative evaluation. Their treatment traditionally was based on open approach and extraction of calculi, with development of endoscopic procedures we have ERCP with endoscopic sphincterotomy, but due to rapid development of laparoscopic procedures now-days we have other therapeutic options such as laparoscopic transcystic extraction and laparoscopic choledohotomy. METHODS: During the period between 2007-2009 we treated 168 patients with common bile duct stones. Age range was 21-78 years, 105 female and 63 male patients. We have performed 47 open explorations, 9 laparoscopic transcystic exploration, as well as 112 ERCP and ES. We monitored the rate of success (%), intra- and postoperative complications. RESULTS: The success rate of the cases of open exploration was 95%, in 2 cases postoperative cholangiogram showed concrement residues that were successfully treated later on with ERCP+ES. Out of 9 transcystic LCBDE we have performed, in 4 cases extraction was successful, 3 patients underwent conversion into open exploration, and 2 patients were successfully treated with postoperative ERCP. A total of 69 patients were treated with ERCP and ES with the 82% success rate of stone extraction. CONCLUSION: Even though laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures have revolutionized treatment of common bile duct stones, the role of ERCP is not changed. Treatment in general hospital settings largely depends on availability of endoscopic and laparoscopic equipment and expertise, and must be individualized according to methods that are available. In our settings we have found that best summary of these demands are achieved by ERCP and laparoscopic approach.