Ileosigmoid knot in a patient with Down syndrome: a unique surgical emergency.

The ileosigmoid knot (ISK) or double ileosigmoid volvulus is a wrapping of the small intestine around the base of the sigmoid colon. We report an unusual case in the digestive surgery department of the Ibn Tofail Hospital of CHU Mohammed VI Marrakech of a 28-year-old man with Down's syndrome who presented with symptoms and signs of intestinal obstruction. Abdominal CT scan revealed a whirl sing and significant distension of the sigmoid loop. Exploratory laparotomy revealed ISK resulting in gangrene of ileum and sigmoid colon. The surgical procedure was a necrotic digestive segments resection, with a double-barrelled ileostomy and a Hartmann procedure. One month afterwards, the patient was operated on to reestablish of the continuity. Through this observation and a review of the literature we define the diagnostic, therapeutic and prognosis aspects of this rare clinical entity.

Calcified liver hydatid cyst compressing the gall bladder.

A 48-year-old male patient was admitted to suffering from hydatid disease located in the gall bladder. Although Morocco remains an endemic area for echinococcosis, this presentation of the disease was rare. The pericyst was tightly attached to the liver. Complete pericystectomy with cholecystectomy was done. Histopathology confirmed the presence of a calcified hydatid cyst of the gall bladder. Perioperative adjuvant medical therapy with albendazole was administered. After a 2-year follow-up, no recurrence occurred.

Tuberculous appendicitis.

Gastrointestinal tuberculosis is quite rare, representing only 3% of all extrapulmonary cases. Involvement of the appendix is rare, only occurring in about 1% of cases. It is usually secondary to tuberculosis elsewhere in the abdomen. A prompt diagnosis depends on a high index of suspicion as clinical signs may be nonspecific and microbiological confirmation is difficult. Histopathologic examination is often the only way to reach a diagnosis and to establish specific antibiotic therapy. In these cases, due to the absence of specific symptoms and signs, the diagnosis is delayed until after surgery.

Primary anal mucinous adenocarcinoma: a case series.

Primary mucinous adenocarcinoma is a rare malignancy of the anus (3% of anal cancers), the pathogenesis of which is better understood by immunohistochemistry. We reviewed cases of primary mucinous adenocarcinoma of the anus from 2000 to 2009 in the Hepatogastroenterology Department of the University Hospital Centre of Marrakech. Three cases were identified who were males with the mean age of 68years, and presented with a chronic anal fistula. Two cases had anal pain. Clinical examination revealed multiple fistulae in two cases with a secretion simulating 'cooked grains of tapioca'. Diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology and immunohistochemical profile (CK7 positive/CK20 negative). Imaging revealed a retro-rectal collection with thickening of the anal wall without metastasis (two cases). One patient underwent abdominoperinal resection without recurrence.