Abdomen agudo obstructivo por hernia diafragmática crónica postraumática / Obstructive acute abdomen due to postraumatic chronic diaphragmatic hernia

Se describe el caso clínico de un paciente de 37 años de edad, que acudió al Servicio de Emergencia del Hospital General Docente de Riobamba, en Ecuador, con manifestaciones clínicas e imagenológicas que permitieron diagnosticarle un abdomen agudo obstructivo por hernia diafragmática crónica postraumática, por lo que el tratamiento fue quirúrgico. Teniendo en cuenta la evolución satisfactoria del paciente se le dio el alta hospitalaria 10 días después de la operación. Se mantuvo con seguimiento durante 3 meses sin presentar complicaciones.

The case report of a 37 years patient that went to the Emergency Service of the Teaching General Hospital of Riobamba, in Ecuador, is described. He presented clinical and imaging signs that led to the diagnosis of an obstructive acute abdomen due to postraumatic chronic diaphragmatic hernia, reason why the treatment was surgical. Taking into account the patient's favorable clinical course he was discharged from the hospital 10 days after the surgery and received follow-up care during 3 months without presenting complications.

Enteritis eosinofílica, una causa extraña de abdomen agudo. reporte de caso clínico / Eosinophilic enteritis, a strange cause of acute abdomen Clinical case report

La enteritis eosinofílica, es una patología rara, caracterizada por infiltración de eosinófilos en una o más capas histológicas en diferentes niveles del tracto gastrointestinal, siendo el estómago e intestino delgado los más afectados; su cuadro clínico, inespecífico, caracterizado por dolor abdominal, náusea, vómito, diarrea o estreñimiento, pérdida de peso y ascitis, con presencia o ausencia de eosinofilia en la biometría. Reporte de caso Paciente masculino de 51 años de edad, acudió a emergencia por distensión abdominal y náusea, al examen físico en la palpación intenso dolor y distención abdominal, percusión timpánico y abolición de ruidos hidroaéreos. La analítica reportó leucocitosis con neutrofilia, radiografía de abdomen íleo adinámico, en la ecografía abdominal presencia de imágenes tubulares con aspecto de diana, asociado a líquido libre purulento en fosa ilíaca derecha y fondo de saco vésico rectal. Un cuadro clínico compatible con abdomen agudo de resolución quirúrgica, se realizó laparotomía exploratoria (AU);

The eosinophilic enteritis is a rare pathology, characterized by infiltration of eosinophils in one or more histological layers at different levels of the gastrointestinal tract, the stomach and small intestine being the most affected; its nonspecific clinical picture, characterized by abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, weight loss and ascites, with the presence or absence of eosinophilia in the biometry. Enteritis eosinofílica, una causa extraña de abdomen agudo. reporte de caso clínico Eosinophilic enteritis, a strange cause of acute abdomen year-old male patient came to the emergency room due to abdominal distention and nausea, to physical examination on palpation, intense abdominal pain and distention, tympanic percussion and abolition of air-fluid sounds. Laboratory analysis reported leukocytosis with neutrophilia, abdominal ileus adynamic radiography, abdominal ultrasound presence of tubular images with a target appearance, associated with free purulent fluid in the right iliac fossa and rectal vesicum fundus. A clinical picture compatible with an acute abdomen with surgical resolution, an exploratory laparotomy was performed (AU);

Reporte de caso. Abdomen agudo nutricional en el adulto mayor: apendagitis epiploica / Case report. Acute nutritional abdomen in the elderly: epiloic appendagitis

Se presentó un paciente de sexo masculino de 71 años de edad que consultó por un cuadro compatible con abdomen agudo médico de comienzo brusco. Refirió antecedentes de diabetes mellitus tipo 2, obesidad, dislipemia e hipertensión arterial. Al examen físico se encontró: afebril, presión arterial (PA) 128/75 mmHg; a la palpación del abdomen se halló un abdomen globoso, blando, depresible, doloroso en ambas fosas iliacas, signo de Mc Burney negativo, sin signos de re-acción peritoneal, catarsis y diuresis conservadas. Se solicitó una tomografía computada (TC) abdominal con con-traste oral y endovenoso (EV). La TC informó, a nivel del sigma sobre el borde antimesentérico, una imagen nodular de densi-dad grasa con halo hiperintenso y alteración tomodensitometría de la grasa adyacente, además de imágenes diverticulares no complicadas. Con el cuadro clínico del paciente y los hallazgos tomográficos se arribó al diagnóstico de apendagitis epiploica. Se inició tratamiento conservador con abordaje nutricional.

Hematoma disecante del esófago a causa de abdomen agudo quirúrgico / Dissecting Hematoma of the Esophagus due to Acute Surgical Abdomen

RESUMEN El hematoma disecante del esófago es poco frecuente y solo existen pocos casos registrados en la literatura. Generalmente, se presenta después de un trauma asociado a procedimientos endoscópicos o de forma espontánea. Se describe clínicamente con la triada clásica de dolor torácico, odinofagia, disfagia o hematemesis. Se ha relacionado con un aumento rápido de la presión intraesofágica o un mecanismo de deglución anómala particularmente en presencia de trastornos de la hemostasia. La mayoría de los pacientes tienen un buen pronóstico pues resuelven con tratamiento conservador. Presentamos el caso clínico de un paciente con diagnóstico de hematoma disecante de esófago con ruptura a cavidad abdominal que causó hemoperitoneo importante. Se realiza una revisión del tema(AU)

ABSTRACT Dissecting hematoma of the esophagus is a rare condition and there are only few cases reported by the literature. Generally, it occurs after trauma associated with endoscopic procedures or spontaneously. It is described clinically with the classic triad of chest pain, odynophagia, dysphagia or hematemesis. It has been associated with a rapid increase in intra-esophageal pressure or an abnormal swallowing mechanism particularly in the presence of haemostasis disorders. Most patients have a good prognosis because they obtain a solution by means of a conservative treatment. We present the clinical case of a patient with a diagnosis of dissecting hematoma of the esophagus with rupture to the abdominal cavity causing significant hemoperitoneum. A review of the subject is carried out(AU)

Signo del remolino: cirugía de urgencia o falacia ad populum / Whirpool sign: emergency surgery or Falacia ad populum

Introducción: Las pruebas de diagnóstico por imagen se han convertido en una pieza crucial en el diagnóstico del abdomen agudo en la urgencia, sin embargo, la conducta médica deberá basarse en los hallazgos iconográficos contextualizados. El signo tomográfico del remolino constituye un paradigma por su asociación con el vólvulo intestinal. Objetivos: Registrar pacientes con diagnóstico de abdomen agudo en busca del "signo del remolino" en la tomografía computada e identificar quiénes requirieron intervención quirúrgica. Métodos: Estudio analítico de corte transversal evaluándose 115 tomografías computadas de abdomen agudo obstructivo en búsqueda del signo del remolino. Resultados: 15 tomografías fueron excluidas por tratarse de estudios solicitados en posoperatorios. El signo del remolino se presentó en el 5%. Los diagnósticos fueron de mal rotación intestinal (2%), vólvulo de intestino delgado (1%), vólvulo de sigma (1%) y enterocolitis (1%). Sólo el 60% de los pacientes requirieron cirugía. Discusión: La presencia del signo del remolino no siempre obedece a una resolución quirúrgica. No es patognomónico de una sola entidad puntual, pudiendo representar un hallazgo en el contexto de otra patología aguda, por lo que se debería reconocer sus variantes para instaurar el tratamiento adecuado, sea quirúrgico o médico.

Introduction: The imaging test have become an important piece on the diagnosis of the acute abdomen in emergency, nevertheless medical conduct should be based on contextualized iconographic findings. The tomographic "whirlpool sign" establishes a surgical paradigm for its association with the bowel volvulus. Objetive: To register patients with diagnosis of acute abdomen looking for the "whirlpool sign" in the computed tomography and identify who needed surgical intervention. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study. 115 tomographies of acute obstructive abdomen have being evaluated. Results: 15 tomographies were excluded. The prevalence of the whirlpool sign was 5%. Diagnoses were intestinal malrotation (2%), midgut volvulus (1%), sigmoid volvulus (1%) and enterocolitis (1%). Only 60% of the patients required surgery. Discussion: The presence of the "whirlpool sign" not always determines a surgical resolution. It is not a pathognomonic sign of a punctual entity; it could represent an ordinary finding in the context of several pathologies. To apply the correct treatment, surgical or medical, for these patients it was important to recognize "whirlpool sign" variants.

Apendagitis epiplóica primaria / Primary epiploic appendagitis

RESUMEN La apendagitis epiploica primaria es una rara causa de dolor abdominal que puede simular cualquier otro cuadro de abdomen agudo. Esto hace de su diagnóstico un verdadero desafío. Se presenta el caso de un paciente masculino de 22 años de edad, sin antecedentes de importancia que ingresó a la sala de emergencias con un cuadro de dolor abdominal de 36 horas de evolución. En la exploración física presentó dolor a la palpación en el flanco derecho. Se le realizó una tomografía axial de abdomen contrastada en la cual se observó una imagen redondeada con un halo hiperdenso con borramiento de planos grasos y cambios inflamatorios a su alrededor sin relación a otro órgano abdominal. Con estos hallazgos hicimos el diagnóstico de una apendagitis epiploica primaria. El paciente fue ingresado a la sala de internamiento para manejo del dolor y con mejoría clínica es egresado a las 48 horas asintomático. Si bien la apendagitis epiploica primaria es una causa infrecuente de dolor abdominal, consideramos que su conocimiento es relevante para evitar errores diagnósticos y terapéuticos que incrementan de forma innecesaria la morbilidad como el uso inadecuado de antibióticos y de recursos hospitalarios(AU)

ABSTRACT Primary epiploic appendagitis is a rare cause of abdominal pain that may mimic any other acute abdomen condition. This makes its diagnosis a real challenge for physicians. Here is a 22 years-old male patient, with no significant history of diseases, who were admitted to the emergency room because he had suffered abdominal pain for 36 hours. The physical exam revealed pain on palpating the right flank. He underwent a contrasted computed tomography of abdomen which showed a rounded image with hyperdense halo, fat plane effacement and inflammatory changes around, which was unrelated to another abdominal organ. These findings allowed diagnosing primary epiploic appendagitis. The patient was hospitalized for pain management and was discharged 48 hours later with clinical improvement and no symptoms. Primary epiploic appendagitis is infrequent cause of abdominal pain, however, we consider that it is important to know it so as to avoid diagnostic and therapeutic mistakes that might unnecessarily increase morbidity and the inadequate use of antibiotics and of hospital resources(AU)

Divertículo cecal solitario perforado: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Cecal solitary perforated diverticulum: case report and literature review

El objetivo de este artículo es relatar un caso de divertículo cecal solitario perforado, observado en el Hospital Municipal Los Pinos de La Paz Bolivia, en un paciente masculino de 72 años diagnosticado con abdomen agudo quirúrgico y la presencia de una masa en ciego cuyo estudio histopatológico informo divertículo perforado. La diverticulitis cecal es una entidad poco frecuente y se presenta en la mayoría de los casos como diagnostico secundario o incidental durante una laparatomía por apendicitis aguda. Además se expondrá no solo los medios diagnósticos, sino su clasificación y la terapéutica actualizada y/o estandarizada, que implica tomar en cuenta en esta patología una vez diagnosticada.

The aim of this article is to describe a case of solitary cecal diverticulum drilled, observed in the Hospital Municipal Los Pinos of the peace Bolivia, in a 72-year-old male patient diagnosed with surgical acute abdomen and the presence of a mass in blind whose histological study reported perforated diverticulum. Cecal diverticulitis is a rare entity and occurs in the majority of cases as diagnosis secondary or incidental damages during a laparotomy for acute appendicitis. In addition will be exposed not only the Diagnostics, but classification and therapeutic updated and/or standardized, which entails taking into account in this condition once diagnosed.

Oclusión intestinal por nudo ileosigmoideo / Intestinal occlusion by Ileosigmoid Knot

La oclusión intestinal es una causa frecuente de abdomen agudo quirúrgico. Dentro de sus múltiples casusas se encuentra el nudo ileosigmoideo, entidad rara en el mundo, pero puede verse con relativa frecuencia en algunas latitudes geográficas como Asia, Medio Oriente y otros países del continente africano. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar cuatro casos de pacientes con oclusión intestinal por nudo ileosigmoideo en los hospitales Souro Sanu de Bobo Diulaso, Burkina Faso y Wa Regional Hospital, de Gana. Se intervinieron quirúrgicamente, se hizo resección en bloque de los segmentos ileales y sigmoideos gangrenados con anastomosis íleo-ascendente y colostomía de tipo Hartman. Los pacientes evolucionaron satisfactoriamente y luego de tres meses se restableció definitivamente el tránsito intestinal. Se realizó una revisión de la literatura(AU)

Intestinal occlusion is a frequent cause of surgical acute abdomen. Among its multiple causes are the ileosigmoid knot, a rare entity worldwide, which is relatively frequent in some geographic areas such as Asia, Middle East and Africa. The objective of this paper was to present four patients with intestinal occlusion due to ileosigmoid knot in Souro Sanu of Bobo Diulaso hospitals in Burkina Faso and Wa Regional Hospital in Ghana. They were operated on through block resection of gangrenous ileal and sigmoid segments with ascending ileoanastomosis and Hartrman-type colostomy. The patients recovered satisfactorily and three months later, the intestinal transfer was finally re-established. A literature review on the topic was made(AU)

Mesenteric adenitis in children: sonographic criteria for diagnosis

The purpose of this study is to highlight mesenteric adenitis as a frequent cause of acute and recurrent abdominal pain in children and identify the sonographic criteria that can be used in diagnosis and differentiation from other causes of mesenteric lymphadenopathy. 107 children [70 boys, 37 girls] referred to Almadeena medical polyclinic in Mukalla-Yemen with acute or recurrent abdominal pain were evaluated using graded compression sonongraphy for features of mesenteric adenitis. The children were divided into two groups according to their clinical presentation: acute and subacute or recurrent, and into three subgroups according to age: A:1 - less than 5, B: 5 - less than 10, C: 10-15 y. The number, size, shape, site, echogenicity and color doppler findings of each mesenteric node was recorded and evaluated. The frequency of mesenteric adenitis was higher in boys [n=70 [65.4%]] than girls [n=37 [34.6%]]. Acute presentation resembling appendicitis was higher in older children [age group C], while recurrent presentation is more frequent in younger age [less than 10 years], and in general the disease had a more frequent subacute presentation [67.3%]. The mesenteric lymph nodes detected in each patient were more than 5 in number, mainly in clusters, ovoid or spherical in shape, hypoechoic and sharply demarcated from surroundings, with a hyperechoic center which showed color doppler signal and located mainly in the right lower abdomen but also seen in the left lower abdomen and preaortic area, each one measures >/= 5 mm in short axis, and the long axis of the largest one measures >/= 10 mm. Mesenteric adenitis can be diagnosed when mesenteric lymphadenopathy with sonographic features mentioned above detected by ultrasound in children with acute or recurrent abdominal pain in the absence of sonographic features of appendicitis or other inflammatory abdominal processes

Divertículo duodenal perforado como causa de abdomen agudo quirúrgico / Perforated duodenal diverticulum as cause of surgical acute abdomen

La enfermedad diverticular duodenal es considerada en el ámbito de la cirugía de vías digestivas como inusual. Por su parte, la complicación menos frecuente referida en la literatura médica lo constituye la perforación aguda, y cuando esta ocurre siempre se practicará tratamiento quirúrgico de urgencia. Resulta polémico llegar a un consenso general que dirija la metodología diagnóstica, debido a su atípica forma de presentación. La tomografía abdominal ha resultado de gran utilidad en el diagnóstico de esta entidad. Se reportan tasas de mortalidad altas (25-30 por ciento) originadas, generalmente, por la dificultad diagnóstica frente a esta enfermedad. Se presenta un nuevo caso de divertículo duodenal perforado en una paciente, del sexo femenino, de 60 años de edad. La técnica quirúrgica empleada en esta oportunidad consistió en la exclusión duodenal y el drenaje del retroperitoneo(AU)

The duodenal diverticular disease is considered within surgery of digestive tracts as unusual. The less frequent complication referred in medical literature is the acute perforation and when it occurs always will be carried out the emergency surgical treatment. It is polemic to arrive to a general consensus directing the diagnostic methodology due to its atypical way of presentation. The abdominal tomography has been very useful in diagnosis of this entity. Authors report high mortality rates (25-30 percent) in general originated by the diagnostic difficulty in face of this disease. A new case of perforated duodenal diverticulum of a female sex patient aged 60. The surgical technique used in this opportunity was the duodenal exclusion and the retroperitoneal drainage(AU)

Idiopathic postpartum intussusception: a rare cause of acute abdominal pain

To present a case with acute abdominal pain due to idiopathic intestinal intussusception diagnosed by ultrasound and computed tomography [CT] during the early postpartum period. A 21-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with abdominal pain, nausea and emesis after a normal vaginal delivery. Laboratory tests done at admission were within normal limits except for leukocytosis. Physical examination revealed abdominal distention, guarding and rebound tenderness. Abdominal ultrasound and oral contrast-enhanced CT showed a complex mass in the hypogastrium, with a typical configuration of intussusception. Emergent laparotomy revealed ileoileal invagination approximately 70 cm to the ileocecal valve but no lead point. A partial ileal resection was performed. This case shows that when intussusception is suspected, an abdominal ultrasound should be performed even in patients with atypical symptoms. CT may be used to confirm the diagnosis

Acute abdomen due to acute pancreatitis--a rare presentation of leptospirosis.

Even though, Leptospiral infection is not uncommon, it can have different rare presentations. Acute pancreatitis is one such rare gastrointestinal manifestation of acute pancreatitis. Apart from the typical clinical features; elevated serum lipase or elastase-1, along with radiological evidence and positive leptospiral serology confirms this rare association.

Caracterización de apéndice normal en tomografía computada helicoidal sin contraste: resultados preliminares / Characterization of normal appendix in helical computed tomography without contrast: preliminary results

Abstract: The development of the US and CT has increased the request of exams to confirm or to discard the diagnosis of acute abdomen of appendicular origin. The objective of this paper is to characterize the appendix normal findings in helical unenhanced CT. 235 computed CT were reviewed. The average diameter of the appendix was of 6,18mm, with a standard deviation of 1,29mm; air was seen at the appendix lumen in 76% of them. The periappendicular fatty was normal in 98,9% of the patients.

El desarrollo del ultrasonido (US) y tomografía computada (TC) ha aumentado la solicitud de exámenes para confirmar o descartar el diagnóstico de abdomen agudo de origen apendicular. El objetivo del trabajo es caracterizar los hallazgos del apéndice normal en TC helicoidales efectuadas sin contraste. Se revisaron 235 TC. El diámetro promedio del apéndice fue de 6.18 mm con una desviación estándar de 1.29 mm; el 76% de ellos presentaban aire en su interior. En el 98.9% de los pacientes, el tejido adiposo periapendicular fue normal.

Imaging in acute abdomen.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims at establishing the exact role and limitation of ultrasound in pediatric acute abdomen. METHODS: Fifty children less than 14 years of age presenting with acute abdomen were evaluated by US and other imaging modalities. The mean age of presentation was 3 1/2 years. Maximum number of cases were seen in less than two years of age. There were 17 cases of intussusception with US sensitivity and specificity of 88.2% and 100% respectively and positive and negative predictive values of 100% and 94.5% respectively. There were 13 cases of appendicitis. US was diagnostic in 11 with sensitivity and specificity of 91.6% and 97%; the positive and negative predictive values were 91.6% and 97% respectively. RESULTS: There were two cases each of congenital bands, adhesive intestinal obstruction, malrotation of bowel with volvulus, incarcerated inguinal hernia, hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, duplication cyst and pseudopancreatic cyst, one case each of trichobezoar, Meckel's diverticulum, ureteric calculus and worms as a cause of intestinal obstruction. The sensitivity of US for diagnosing specific cause of acute abdomen was found to be 77.5%. The main limitation of US was in the diagnosis of acute intestinal obstruction such as congenital bands and adhesions. CONCLUSION: US should now be considered as imaging modality of choice in pediatric acute abdomen. However, at times, plain radiography, conventional contrast studies and CT may be vital to reach the true diagnosis.

Ultrasound examination of gastrointestinal tract diseases

With recent technical advances, increasing use of sonography in the initial evaluation of patients with abdominal disease may allow the detection of unexpected tumor within the abdominal cavity. Easiness of sonographic detection of bowel pathology, purposely or unexpectedly, warrants the inclusion of bowel loops during ultrasound examination when a patient complains of symptoms indicating diseases of the bowel. In patients complaining of acute abdominal symptoms or nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms and showing signs such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, hematochezia, change of bowel habit, or bowel obstruction, sonography may reveal the primary causes and may play a definitive role in making a diagnosis. On ultrasonography, abnormal lesions may appear as fungating mass with eccentrically located bowel lumen (pseudokidney sign) or symmetrical or asymmetrical, encircling thickening of the colonic wall (target sign). In patients with mass or wall thickening detected on ultrasonography, additional work-up such as barium study, CT or endoscopy would be occasionally necessary for making a specific diagnosis.