Laparoscopic approach to tailgut cyst (retrorectal cystic hamartoma).

Retrorectal cystic hamartomas, or tailgut cysts, are complex congenital cystic lesions which arise from embryologic tissues. Fewer than 200 cases have been reported worldwide, with women outnumbering men by 3:1. They are asymptomatic in 50% of the cases; the remainder present with back pain or mass effect as the most common symptoms. Malignant transformation rarely occurs. Guided biopsy is controversial, while surgery is the therapy of choice. We report the case of a 31-year-old woman complaining about perineal and vague lower abdominal pain, who was submitted to magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed a multilocular cystic, well-circumscribed retrorectal mass. Subsequently, laparoscopic excision was successfully accomplished. Operative time was 175 min. Intra- and post-operative course was uneventful. Hospital stay was 75 h. While any malignancy suspicion should lead to open surgery, given the risk of rupture, we support the benefits of laparoscopy may also be applied.

Tracheoinnominate fistula: a rare acute complication of penetrating neck injury.

Penetrating injuries in the base of the neck are considered to be the most dangerous due to the potential combination of vascular and intrathoracic lesions. We describe an extremely rare case of combined injury of the trachea and innominate artery, which resulted in formation of a traumatic acute tracheoinnominate fistula. Previously, these fistulas have been described as an iatrogenic complication of tracheostomy, presenting with massive peristomal bleed or hemoptysis. This case demonstrates that a combination of lesions to vital anatomical structures in the neck can change their clinical presentation, making them extremely difficult to diagnose.