Preoperative trans-jugular porto-systemic shunt for oncological gastric surgery in a cirrhotic patient.

Abdominal surgery in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension is associated with high incidence of disease and mortality. In these patients, oncological gastric procedures with lymph-nodes dissection show much higher complication rates than in normotensive portal vein patients. Thus, normalization of portal vein pressure may be a favorable determinant factor to reduce complications. We report a case of a patient with hepatitis C virus-related hepatic cirrhosis, esophageal varices, portal hypertension and gastric cancer. We demonstrated the efficacy of a preoperative trans-jugular porto-systemic shunt to perform oncological radical resection more safely. We retained preoperative the trans-jugular porto-systemic shunt in the patients with elevated portal pressure and gastric cancer to perform a gastrectomy more safely and to decrease morbidity and mortality of these cases.

Adult intra-thoracic kidney: a case report of bochdalek hernia.

Introduction. Bochdalek hernia is a congenital posterior lateral diaphragmatic defect that allows abdominal viscera to herniate into the thorax. Intrathoracic kidney is a very rare finding representing less than 5% of all renal ectopias with the least frequency of all renal ectopias. Case Presentation. We report a case of a 62-year-old man who had a left thoracic kidney associated with left Bochdalek hernia. Abdominal X-ray and chest X-ray revealed dilated loops of the colon above left hemidiaphragm. Abdominal ultrasound (US) showed the right kidney with many fluid and esophytic cysts; left kidney was unfeasible to study because of the impossibility to find it. Computed Tomography (CT) basal scan demonstrated a left-sided Bochdalek hernia with dilatated colon loops and the left kidney within the pleural space. Magnetic Resonance (MR) confirmed a defect in left hemidiaphragm with herniation of left kidney, omento, spleen and colon flexure, and intrarotation with posterior hilum on sagittal plane. Conclusion. The association of a Bochdalek hernia and an intrathoracic renal ectopia is very rare, that pose many diagnostic and management dilemmas for clinicians. Our patient has been visualized by CT and MR imaging. A high index of suspicion can result in early diagnosis and prompt intervention with reduced morbidity and mortality.

Ground-glass opacity: high-resolution computed tomography and 64-multi-slice computed tomography findings comparison.

OBJECTIVE: Comparative evaluation of ground-glass opacity using conventional high-resolution computed tomography technique and volumetric computed tomography by 64-row multi-slice scanner, verifying advantage of volumetric acquisition and post-processing technique allowed by 64-row CT scanner. METHODS: Thirty-four patients, in which was assessed ground-glass opacity pattern by previous high-resolution computed tomography during a clinical-radiological follow-up for their lung disease, were studied by means of 64-row multi-slice computed tomography. Comparative evaluation of image quality was done by both CT modalities. RESULTS: It was reported good inter-observer agreement (k value 0.78-0.90) in detection of ground-glass opacity with high-resolution computed tomography technique and volumetric Computed Tomography acquisition with moderate increasing of intra-observer agreement (k value 0.46) using volumetric computed tomography than high-resolution computed tomography. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, volumetric computed tomography with 64-row scanner shows good accuracy in detection of ground-glass opacity, providing a better spatial and temporal resolution and advanced post-processing technique than high-resolution computed tomography.