Malignant epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: a case report.

Malignant epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EH) is a rare tumor of vascular origin. We report a case of a woman who was found to have multiple hepatic masses in the right lobe of the liver on radiologic investigations, initially misdiagnosed as a metastatic carcinoma. The diagnosis of EH was made on histopathological study and confirmed by immunohistochemistry, which showed diffuse response for CD34 marker and no response to tissue CEA, HMB-45 or S-100 protein. Partial hepatectomy was made with good results.

Idiopathic megacaecum: clinical features and diagnostic approach.

Congenital megacaecum is a rare entity and difficult to diagnose. The pathogenesis of this malformation is not well known since there are very few cases reported in the literature. The purpose of this observation is to describe the functional signs that may suggest this rare diagnosis and the means to confirm it. We report the case of a 22-year-old young man, who complained of constipation associated with pelvic pain in the form of gravitational pull exacerbated by standing, sitting and going down the stairs. However, symptoms seemed to be relieved by supine positions. The radiological investigations concluded that the megacaecum dipped into the pelvis, but there was no evidence of mechanical or functional obstruction distally. The treatment consisted of a laparoscopic right colectomy. The postoperative course was uneventful. The megacaecum is rare and poorly understood. The abdominal pain is directly related to fecal stasis, which increases the pressure on cecal colonic segment and this in turn causes a pull on the mesentery. The entero-MRI is valuable in the diagnosis so as to eliminate other causes of chronic abdominal pain.

Predictive factors of morbidity after surgical treatment of hepatic hydatid cyst.

INTRODUCTION: Surgery remains the basic treatment of hepatic hydatid cyst (HHC). However, it is associated with significant morbidity. The aim of our study was to evaluate mortality and morbidity of surgery of the HHC and to highlight the risk factors. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted from January 1, 1996 to December 31, 2006. 391 patients hospitalized for HHC and operated in the Department of General Surgery "A" of the Rabta Hospital in Tunis, Tunisia. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was 0.7% while the overall morbidity rate was 20.4%. About 16.6% suffered from specific complications, while 3.8% suffered from non-specific complications. Predictors of morbidity in a univariate analysis included cysts larger than 9 cm, dome cysts, cysts with bilious contents, type II, III, IV or V on ultrasound classification, fissured cysts and intrabiliary rupture of hepatic hydatid cyst. The multivariate study consisted of independent predictors of disease at the site of the liver dome, the cysto-biliary fistula and intrabiliary rupture of hepatic hydatid cyst CONCLUSION: The hepatic hydatid cyst of the dome and the existence of preoperative complications in particular intrabiliary rupture of hepatic hydatid cyst are the main factors of morbidity. A better understanding of these factors allows the surgeon to choose the appropiate surgical technique that is associated with less morbidity.