A giant colonic diverticulum presenting as a 'phantom mass': a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Diverticulosis coli is the most common disease of the colon in Western countries. Giant colonic diverticulum, defined as a colonic diverticulum measuring 4 cm in size or larger, represents an unusual manifestation of this common clinical entity. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old Caucasian British woman with a history of intermittent lower abdominal mass, leg swelling and focal neurological symptoms underwent extensive non-diagnostic investigations over a significant period under a number of disciplines. The reason for a diagnosis being elusive in part related to the fact that the mass was never found on clinical and ultrasound examination. As a result, the patient's validity was questioned. Ultimately, this 'phantom-mass' was diagnosed as a giant colonic diverticulum causing intermittent compression of the iliac vein and obturator nerve. CONCLUSION: Intermittent compression of the iliac vein and the obturator nerve by a colonic diverticulum has not previously been reported. A giant colonic diverticulum presenting as an intermittent mass is very rare. This case also illustrates two factors. First, the patient is often right. Second, the optimal mode of investigation for any proven or described abdominal mass with referred symptoms is cross-sectional imaging, typically a computed tomography scan, irrespective whether the mass or symptoms are constant or intermittent.

Short-term and long-term outcomes of the cleft lift procedure in the management of nonacute pilonidal disorders.

PURPOSE: We report the results of the cleft lift procedure in the management of nonacute pilonidal sinus disorders. METHODS: Seventy consecutive patients who underwent a cleft lift for nonacute pilonidal sinus were evaluated prospectively. Responses to a postal questionnaire were analyzed for long-term outcome. RESULTS: All patients who fulfilled the criteria for day-case were operated on as such. Sixty-six patients achieved complete wound healing within six weeks. Delayed wound healing occurred in three patients and nonhealing occurred in one. Fourteen patients had one or more complications: wound breakdown, superficial (n = 7) and deep (n = 1); wound infection (n = 5); wound seroma (n = 4); and early recurrence (n = 1). The median time off work and to return to normal activities was two and four weeks, respectively (range, 0.5-12). Forty-seven patients completed the questionnaire at a median follow-up of 24 months: five patients reported minimal tenderness in the sacral region; none reported recurrence of pilonidal symptoms; and all were satisfied. CONCLUSIONS: The cleft lift procedure is easy to perform as a day-case procedure. It is associated with high rates of primary healing, durable low recurrence rates, and early functional recovery. This technique may be the procedure of choice in the surgical management of nonacute pilonidal disorders.

A randomized, double-blind trial of the effect of metronidazole on pain after closed hemorrhoidectomy.

PURPOSE: Patients consider hemorrhoidectomy to be a painful operation. Attempts to reduce the length of inpatient stay have concentrated mainly on a reduction in postoperative pain. Metronidazole has been shown to reduce pain after open hemorrhoidectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of metronidazole after closed hemorrhoidectomy. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients undergoing closed hemorrhoidectomy were randomly allocated to receive metronidazole 400 mg (n = 18) or placebo (n = 20) three times daily for seven postoperative days. All patients received a stool softener and analgesics perioperatively. Linear analog scales were used to assess expected pain, actual pain and patient satisfaction. Time to first bowel movement, return to normal activity, complications, and use of additional analgesics were recorded. RESULTS: Both groups of patients experienced less pain than expected. Patients in the metronidazole group required fewer additional analgesics postoperatively (6.3 vs. 26.3 percent), and satisfaction scores in the placebo group were higher at one week (0.5 vs. 2.5), although these differences were not statistically significant. There were no differences in pain actually experienced, time to first bowel movement, return to normal activity, or complications between the two groups. Satisfaction scores at six weeks for all patients were relatively high, with no significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: Closed hemorrhoidectomy results in high patient satisfaction and low pain scores. The use of postoperative metronidazole did not reduce postoperative pain.

Adenocarcinoma in the residual outflow tract after incomplete excision of a failed ileoanal pouch: a late complication of unrecognized Crohn's colitis: report of a case.

A case of adenocarcinoma complicating the outflow tract remnant of a previously excised ileoanal pouch is described. The pouch had failed because of unsuspected Crohn's disease. This is the first reported case of malignancy complicating a pouch that had been constructed in a patient with Crohn's disease. More importantly, it demonstrates that carcinoma may develop in the outflow tract remnant left in situ after simple pouch excision. This case suggests that patients who require pouch excision may benefit from excision of the outflow tract.