Could pre-mortem computerised tomography scans reduce the need for coroner's post-mortem examinations?

INTRODUCTION: Post-mortem examinations may result in considerable distress to the bereaved family. This audit was undertaken to examine whether computerised tomography (CT) scanning prior to death might reduce the need for post-mortems without compromising the accuracy of recording the cause of death. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The case notes of 100 consecutive patients who had a coroner's post-mortem, because the cause of death was unknown, were reviewed by four senior clinicians. Along with the likely cause of death, the clinicians gave their opinion as to whether a CT scan would have enabled certification of death without the need for a post-mortem. Concordance between the post-mortem findings and the clinical events surrounding death was explored. RESULTS: It would have been possible to perform a pre-mortem CT scan on 90 of the 100 patients. A pre-mortem CT scan would have given the cause of death in 59 (66%) of these. In 30 patients, the cause of death established by the post-mortem was at variance with the clinical events surrounding death and clinically relevant information, such as recent surgery, was not recorded on the death certificates of 26 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a pre-mortem CT scan and involvement of senior clinicians in the process of establishing cause of death will improve the accuracy and may obviate the need for a post-mortem in some patients. However, if a post-mortem is needed, the clinical notes should always be available for the pathologists and a senior member of the patient's team should attend the post-mortem to help accurate death certification.

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.

Whose appendicectomy?--Do laparoscopic appendicectomies impair SHO training?

INTRODUCTION: Open appendicectomy is an ideal procedure for junior surgical trainees to develop operative skills. However, in recent years, we have noticed a decline in the number of appendicectomies performed by basic surgical trainees and a shift towards increasing use of laparoscopic appendicectomy. The aim of this study was to determine whether the growing popularity of laparoscopic appendicectomy is having a detrimental impact on the training experience of SHOs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We undertook a retrospective review of all cases of appendicectomies performed in one district hospital over a 7-year period (August 1999 to August 2006.) A standard performa was used to extract data from the original case notes of these patients relating to the operating surgeon and technique. RESULTS: Data were obtained for 857 appendicectomies. Between February 2002 and July 2003, there was a significant decline in the proportion of appendicectomies performed by SHOs from 78.7% to 29.3% (P < 0.001). Either side of this decline there were no significant changes in the proportion of SHO appendicectomies. The number of appendicectomies performed laparoscopically only began to rise after February 2004, with a year-on-year increase. The number of appendicectomies performed by SHOs remained stable during this time. No laparoscopic appendicectomy was performed by an SHO. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence that the popularisation of laparoscopic appendicectomy has contributed to the decline of appendicectomies performed by SHOs. Nevertheless, with the continual rise in popularity of this procedure, it is important to balance training opportunities for both junior and higher surgical trainees.

Aortoduodenal fistula and streptococcal myonecrosis.

Pyomyositis is a rare primary bacterial infection of the skeletal muscles. Pyomyonecrosis is the most severe manifestation of this disease and is associated with a potentially devastating outcome. Patients with peripheral vascular disease presenting with pyomyositis may be difficult to distinguish from those with critical ischemia or synthetic graft sepsis. This article reports on a patient with aortobifemoral bypass graft and severe vitamin B(12) deficiency who developed pyomyonecrosis and aortoduodenal fistula. This article highlights the etiologic dilemma, diagnostic difficulties, and management challenges inherent in such cases. Pitfalls in our management of this patient are discussed.