Dumping syndrome following nissen fundoplication in an adult patient diagnosed by continuous online 13C/12C monitoring of ¹³C-Octanoic acid breath test "a case report".

BACKGROUND: Nissen Fundoplication is a common surgical procedure performed in treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Complications include dysphagia, gastric hypersensitivity, abnormal gastric motility, gas bloat syndrome and GERD relapse. Dumping syndrome may occur when a large volume of gastric content is delivered to the duodenum or jejunum, resulting in both gastrointestinal and vasomotor symptoms. Occasionally, dumping syndrome may be a complication in patients that have undergone nissen Fundoplication, especially in adults. The BreathID® continuous online 13C-Octanoicoctanoic acid breath test detects variations of less than 1/100,000 in the 13CO2/12CO2 ratio in exhaled air. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 38 year old male who was admitted and diagnosed with dumping syndrome following nissen Fundoplication, who was diagnosed using the BreathID® continuous online 13C-Octanoic acid breath test. CONCLUSIONS: Early performance of a gastric emptying rate breath test in symptomatic patients, following upper GI tract surgery may help in the prediction or diagnosis of nissen Fundoplication complications such as dumping syndrome.

Delayed fecal incontinence following surgery for anal fissure.

PURPOSE: The surgical treatment of chronic anal fissure is basically done by therapeutic controlled damage to the internal anal sphincter. While fecal incontinence is a well-documented early complication of anal fissure surgery, few data are available about delayed incontinence. The aim of the present study was to assess whether surgical treatment of anal fissures may contribute to the development of delayed anal incontinence. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients referred to the Pelvic Floor Laboratory for physiological evaluation of anal incontinence between 1992 and 2009. All patients, diagnosed with anal fissures, who underwent anal dilatation or partial lateral internal sphincterotomy and developed incontinence at least 4 years after the surgery were included. Controls were patients with delayed anal incontinence after obstetric injury. RESULTS: A total of 21 patients with delayed post-anal fissure surgery incontinence (nine women and 12 men) were identified. The mean (SE) age of incontinence onset in this group of patients was 51.5 (±2), which was 8 years younger than the rest of the 363 incontinent patients (p < 0.001). Time from presumed anal sphincter damage to the onset of incontinence was significantly shorter in the group of past anal-fissure-surgery patients compared to post-obstetric trauma patients (mean difference 15 years, p < 0.001). The severity of incontinence was higher in post-obstetric trauma patients. CONCLUSIONS: Fecal incontinence may present as a late complication of anal fissure surgery. Incontinence may be associated with other cofactors accumulating over time or, more likely, anal fissure surgery may accelerate the physiologic age-related weakening of the anal sphincter mechanism. Candidates for anal fissure surgery should be informed regarding this possible outcome.

Achalasia in pregnancy.

Achalasia is a motor disorder of the esophageal smooth muscle in which the lower esophageal sphincter does not relax normally with swallowing, and the esophageal body undergoes nonperistaltic contractions. The underlying abnormality is the loss of intramural neurons. Achalasia affects men and women of all ages. Dysphagia, chest pain, and regurgitation are the main symptoms. Information on the effects of achalasia on pregnancy outcome and the effects of pregnancy on the natural course of achalasia is limited. Two studies, including 30 patients altogether, and several case reports have been published. Treatment options include nitrates, calcium channel antagonists, botulinum toxin injection, pneumatic dilation, and esophagomyotomy.