Evaluation of the use of cadaveric computed tomography in anatomy education: An overview.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore to what extent the literature supports that the use of cadaveric computed tomography can play an important role in anatomy education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, SCOPUS, Education Resources Information Center and Cochrane Databases were searched for papers with purpose to explore the outcomes of the use of cadaveric computed tomography scans in anatomy education. The following data were obtained from each paper: authors, number of participants, type of study (comparative or not), level of outcome according to Kirkpatrick hierarchy, possible evaluation of statistical significance, acquisition of anatomical knowledge after the educational intervention and perceptions about the effectiveness of this intervention in anatomy learning. RESULTS: Seven articles were included. Four of them evaluated students' knowledge after the use of cadaveric computed tomography scans in anatomy education and three papers evaluated only students' perceptions. Generally, the outcomes, which mainly concerned students' perceptions, were positive, while it was showed that students' academic performance may also be improved. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes of the use of cadaveric computed tomography scans in anatomy education encourage the implementation of this teaching modality in anatomy curricula. Further research, including comparative studies with evaluation of acquisition of students' knowledge, is needed to show if cadaveric computed tomography will be proved a remarkable supportive tool in anatomy educators' hands.

Giant transmural lipoma of the sigmoid colon.

Lipomas of the colon are relatively rare benign tumors of mesenchymatic origin. They are usually asymptomatic but as they become larger they can cause symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, haematochezia, loss of body weight, anemia or even intussusception and colonic obstruction. We present a 52 year old male patient who visited the emergency room complaining of constipation, rectal bleeding, mucus in stools and a palpable rectal mass. Colonoscopy revealed a polypoid mass of the sigmoid colon lying about 30 cm from the anal verge. Sigmoidectomy was performed. The postoperative recovery was uneventful and he was discharged five days later. At follow up a month after surgery the patient was asymptomatic. The pathological examination revealed a transmural tumor of the sigmoid colon measuring a 9x5x2.5cm and histologically compatible with a lipoma.

Acinar cell carcinoma of the pancreas: a case report and review of the literature.

The majority of pancreatic malignant tumours are adenocarcinomas of the ductal type, whereas acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) is unusual. Its management is not well codified, resulting from its low frequency. It seems however that curative operative resection represents the best first-line treatment. We present a case of ACC in a 54-year-old woman who presented with right upper quadrant pain of the abdomen due to a pancreatic mass in the head of the pancreas, detected by computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In April 2008 the patient underwent a pancreatoduodenectomy (Longmire-Traverso) and received postoperative chemotherapy. We present a case of pancreatic ACC treated with a curative operation followed by chemotherapy. Our patient remains free of the disease and has a good quality of life.

Primary malignant melanoma of the small intestine: a case report.

The small intestine is the most common site of gastro-intestinal metastasis from cutaneous malignant melanoma. A primary origin at this site has been reported in rare cases. We report a case of a 71-year-old man with a primary malignant melanoma in the jejunum. The patient presented with weakness, weight loss, non-specific abdominal pain and episodes of fainting. After clinical examination, laboratory evaluation and radiological work-up, which included CT of the abdomen, the patient was diagnosed with a tumour mass in the jejunum. This diagnosis was confirmed at laparotomy. The patient underwent enterectomy with wide excision of the tumour. A primary malignant melanoma of the small intestine is an extremely rare neoplasm. A definite diagnosis can only be made after a thorough investigation has been made to exclude the co-existence of a primary lesion elsewhere. Curative resection of the tumour remains the treatment of choice.

Delayed small bowel obstruction after blunt abdominal trauma. A case report.

We present a case of small bowel stricture and obstruction with delayed and subtle presentation 3 months after a car accident. Such a presentation is a rare clinical entity. The most likely cause, supported by most authors, implicates an injury to the mesentery. Post-traumatic ischaemic bowel stenosis may result from even small tears and contusions. These lesions may cause partial thickness ischaemia of the bowel wall, with mucosal ulceration and submucosal inflammation and fibrosis, or may cause full-thickness ischaemia with fibrosis of all layers. Mesenteric tears or intramural haematomas have been found on close inspection of the specimens. Our case supports the mesenteric injury theory since there is the initial CT-scan proof of retroperitoneal and consequently, mesenteric haematomas. Regardless of the pathophysiology of this clinical entity, it is very important that the condition of post-traumatic small bowel stricture should be suspected when a patient experiences bowel obstruction weeks, or even years, after sustaining abdominal injury, especially in connection with a seat-belt injury.