A novel presentation of alcohol-induced gastric necrosis: a case report.

Acute gastric necrosis is a rare condition with unknown pathogenesis. Existing literature describes acute esophageal necrosis as a result of excessive alcohol use; however, it is more difficult to find literature on alcohol-induced gastric necrosis. This condition may present with epigastric tenderness, vomiting or diarrhea with findings of pneumoperitoneum, gastric pneumatosis and portal venous gas on computed tomography. These patients can have complications such as septic shock, peritonitis and death. In this case report, we discuss a patient with a history of alcohol abuse who presented with acute gastric necrosis. On endoscopy, this patient was found to have a black necrotic gastric fundus and unusual erythematous changes to the mucosa. Prior research has identified other findings of patchy or diffuse circumferential black pigmentation of esophageal mucosa in patients with alcohol-induced esophageal necrosis, otherwise known as black esophagus. This case report aims to describe this novel presentation of alcohol-induced gastric necrosis.

Penetrating spinal cord injury: A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Penetrating spinal cord injury (pSCI) is uncommon in civilian settings. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding perioperative management and thresholds for operative intervention. This review explores the various trends in the management of pSCI along with a literature review. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 34-year-old male presented with a gunshot wound (GSW) to the left chest. Injuries included a pneumothorax, diaphragmatic injury, splenic injury, multiple small bowel injuries, transverse colon injury, and a bullet lodged at the L5 spinal level. The patient underwent chest tube placement, an exploratory laparotomy, splenectomy, diaphragmatic repair, multiple small bowel resections, and a transverse colon resection. Later on, the patient required a lumbar laminectomy for wound debridement and bullet excision. CONCLUSION: The standards for the surgical management of pSCI are poorly defined. Older studies suggested that >7 days of antibiotics decreased the risk of infection associated with HVI while shorter regimens correlated with higher rates of spinal and neurologic infections (meningitis, paraspinal abscess, and osteomyelitis). Newer studies fail to confirm the benefit of extended antimicrobial therapy, noting no increased infections with 48 h or less of antibiotic use while suggesting increased risks of long-term antibiotic prophylaxis (i.e., antimicrobial resistance and Clostridium difficile infection). There is no current role for steroids in the treatment of pSCI, and routine operative management is no longer necessarily indicated.

Outcomes after Distal Pancreatectomy for Trauma in the Modern Era.

Multiple stump closure techniques after distal pancreatectomy (DP) for trauma have been described, and all are associated with a significant fistula rate. With increasing emphasis on abbreviated laparotomy, stapled pancreatectomy has become more common. This study describes the outcomes of patients with different closure techniques of the pancreatic stump after resection following pancreatic trauma. Retrospective analysis of 50 trauma patients, who sustained grade III pancreatic injuries with subsequent DP and stapled stump closure, were conducted from 1995 to 2011. Demographic, operative, and outcome data were analyzed to characterize patients, and to directly compare closure techniques. After 12 patients were excluded because of early death (<72 hours), final analyses included 38 patients: 19 (50%) had stapled closure alone and 19 (50%) had stapling with adjunct, including additional closure with sutures, fibrin sealants, or a combination of sutures with fibrin sealants/omental coverage. Twenty-four patients (63%) had postoperative complications, most commonly pancreatic fistula (n = 11, 29%). There were no significant differences with regard to pancreatic fistula or other abdominal complications between closure groups, or were any factors associated with increased likelihood of complications. DP remains a morbid operation after trauma regardless of closure technique. Stapled closure alone is perhaps the method of choice in this setting due to the time constraints directly related to outcomes.