Internal hernia after trans-abdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) hernia repair: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Hernia repair is a common procedure performed by general surgeons. Introduced in 1990s, the use of laparoscopic hernia repair has recently increased and, consequently, rare complications previously unknown have been reported. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 43-years-old male patient who underwent a transabdominal preperitoneal patch plasty (TAPP) procedure for symptomatic bilateral inguinal hernia. On the sixth postoperative day, the patient was admitted for small bowel obstruction (SBO) and underwent reoperation; the central portion of the peritoneal suture in the left inguinal region was lacerated and a hole in the peritoneum had performed a hernia orifice, causing small bowel occlusion by preperitoneal herniation. After the hernia was released, the peritoneum was closed again and the surgery was completed. DISCUSSION: SBO after TAPP procedure is a rare complication and should be considered in patients with abdominal pain and vomiting after TAPP procedure. CONCLUSION: This complication can be prevented with appropriate peritoneal closure techniques and treated with early laparoscopic surgery.

Complicated appendiceal diverticulitis a extremely rare cause of acute abdomen: A case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Appendiceal diverticulitis (AD) represents a rare cause of acute abdomen. Diagnosis of AD is a challenge because of its rarity and resemblance to other ileocecal diseases like as cecal diverticulitis (CD) and acute appendicitis (AA). Preoperative imaging can be useful to aid diagnosis. Surgery represents the correct treatment of AD. CASE PRESENTATION: A 48-year-old Caucasian male presented to the Emergency Department with a two-day history of right lower quadrant (RLQ) abdominal pain and fever. Physical examination revealed RLQ abdominal pain and rebound tenderness with muscle guarding. Laboratory tests reported high levels of C-reactive protein and neutrophilic leukocytosis. Abdominal computed tomography(CT) scan showed findings of AA and a thin-walled 5 mm appendiceal diverticulum. The patient underwent laparoscopic appendectomy. The postoperative course was uneventful, the patient was discharged on the 5th postoperative day in a stable condition. Gross anatomy confirmed the presence of appendiceal diverticulum in the distal appendix on the mesenteric border. Histopathological examination revealed an inflamed and perforated appendiceal pseudo-diverticulum with surrounding AA and peri-appendicitis. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Appendiceal diverticulosis is an uncommon entity, classified as congenital or acquired based on the number of appendiceal layers herniating through the normal wall. Two thirds of diverticula will develop acute or chronic diverticulitis that can lead to several complications some of which can be life-threatening. CONCLUSION: AD is a rare surgical emergency and represents often an overlooked diagnosis. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for reducing morbidity and mortality Appendectomy represents a safe and appropriate treatment of AD.

Giant retroperitoneal well-differentiated liposarcoma presenting in emergency with intestinal occlusion: Case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Liposarcoma (LPS) represents the most common type of retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) and can be classified into four subtypes. Preoperative diagnosis of retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) is a challenge because of its late and nonspecific clinical presentation. Imaging may be helpful for determining the correct diagnosis. Surgery represents a potentially curative treatment of RLPS. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old Caucasian female presented to the Emergency Department with a two-day history of abdominal pain, abdominal distension, inability to pass gas or stool, nausea, vomiting and lipothymia. Abdominal examination revealed abdominal distention, abdominal pain without obvious muscle guarding and a giant non-tender mass. Laboratory tests reported neutrophilic leukocytosis and anemia. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) showed a heterogeneous and hypodense giant retroperitoneal mass compressing and displacing the surrounding organs and vessels. The patient underwent excision of a giant retroperitoneal mass. The postoperative course of the patient was uneventful. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: RLPS is a malignant neoplasm that can slowly grow to enormous size with possible involvement of adjacent organs and vessels; it may recur locally and has a minimal capacity to metastasize. Preoperative diagnosis and staging of RLPS are important to establish appropriate management and prognosis. Surgery represents the gold standard for non-metastatic RLPS treatment. CONCLUSION: RLPS is a rare malignant neoplasm generally difficult to detect early due to its late and nonspecific clinical presentation. CECT represents the most commonly used modality for diagnosis, staging and preoperative evaluation. Surgery represents the appropriate treatment of non-metastatic RLPS.

Gangrenous appendicitis in Amyand's hernia: Surgical approach under local anesthesia. Case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Amyand hernia is a rare disease seen in approximatively 1% of all hernias, complications of it, like acute appendicitis, or perforated appendicitis are even more rare, about 0.1%. Its diagnosis is very difficult in the preoperative period: it is usually an incidental finding. CASE PRESENTATION: We report an unusual case of perforated gangrenous appendicitis with peri-appendicular abscess occurring in an irreducible Amyand's hernia. An 80-year-old male, with chronic obstructive disease and pulmonary emphysema, atrial fibrillation, acute myocardial infarction, underwent urgent surgery, under local anesthesia, for right incarcerated inguinoscrotal hernia. He was found to have a perforated gangrenous appendicitis with peri-appendicular abscess within a right indirect inguinal hernia sac. Appendicectomy and Bassini's hernia repair were performed under local anesthesia without any complications. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: The treatment of Amyand's hernia is not standardized. The current generally accepted algorithm for Amyand's hernia is essentially contingent on the appendix's condition within the hernia sac. CONCLUSION: Appendectomy and primary herniorrhaphy, under local anesthesia, for type 3 of Amyand's hernia, is a safe procedure and easy to perform and, if confirmed by further study, could be part of every surgeon's knowledge.

Primary jejunogastric intussusception: A case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Jejunogastric intussusception following gastric surgery is a rare complication that, if not diagnosed early, can have catastrophic outcomes. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We have reported a case, never described previously, of an acute spontaneous retrograde JGI, presenting with obstruction and hematemesis, in a 70-year-old woman who has never, previously, undergone abdominal surgery. DISCUSSION: As in all cases of intestinal intussusception, early diagnosis is important for acute JGI as mortality rates increase from 10% when the intervention occurs within 48 h. to 50% if treatment is delayed for 96 h. The diagnosis of JGI can be determined with many imaging studies, such as endoscopy, ultrasonography (US), barium stadium and CT scan. Although JGI, up to now, has been described as a rare complication after any type of gastric surgery, this disease must, however, be suspected also in patients who have never undergone abdominal surgery, if they present with non-sedable abdominal pain associated with signs of high intestinal obstruction and hematemesis. CONCLUSION: Our hope is to add to the available literature to aid physicians in their diagnostic work-up and in developing management plans for similar cases occurring in the future.

Intestinal obstruction and ischemia by necrotic annular Meckel's diverticulum: Case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is a vestigial remnant of the omphalomesenteric duct, representing the most common congenital malformation of the gastrointestinal tract. Diagnosis of MD is a challenge because of its rarity and frequent asymptomaticity. Radiological exams generally aren't useful for its diagnosis. Intestinal obstruction represents the most common complication of MD in adults. Surgery is the appropriate treatment of complicated MD. CASE PRESENTATION: A 70-year-old Caucasian male was admitted to the Emergency Department with a two-day history of abdominal pain associated with inability to pass gas or stool, nausea and vomiting. Physical examination revealed abdominal distention and abdominal pain without Blumberg's sign. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) showed small bowel obstruction caused by suspected MD. Laboratory tests reported high serum levels of glycemia, LDH, C-reactive protein and leukocytosis. After diagnosis of intestinal obstruction, the patient underwent exploratory laparotomy: a segmental resection of ischemic distal ileum bearing a necrotic MD was performed. The postoperative course of patient was uneventful. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: MD is found in 2%-4% of the population in large autopsy and surgical series. MD is mostly asymptomatic and incidentally discovered if not complicated; a debate exist about management of asymptomatic MD. Surgery represents the definitive treatment of complicated MD. CONCLUSION: MD is a true diverticulum rarely discovered in adults. Diagnosis of MD is difficult even with the help of radiological exams. Although surgical resection represents the correct treatment of symptomatic MD, nowadays there is no consensus on the optimal treatment of asymptomatic and incidentally discovered MD.

Bouveret's syndrome as a rare complication of cholelithiasis: Disputes in current management and report of two cases.

INTRODUCTION: Bouveret's syndrome is a rare complication of cholelithiasis that determines an unusual type of gallstone ileus, secondary to an acquired fistula between the gallbladder and either the duodenum or stomach with impaction of a large gallbladder stone. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult because of its rarity and the absence of typical symptoms. Adequate treatment consists of endoscopic or surgical removal of obstructive stone. PRESENTATION OF CASES: Two old females patients were admitted to the Emergency Department with a history of abdominal pain associated with bilious vomiting. Physical examination revealed abdominal distension with tympanic percussion of the upper quadrants, abdominal pain on deep palpation of all quadrants and in the first patient positive Murphy's sign. Preoperative diagnosis of gallstone impacted in the duodenum was obtained by abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan in the first patient and by esophagogastroduodenoscopy in the second one. Both patients underwent surgery with extraction of the gallstone from the stomach. Postoperative course of two patients was uneventful and they were discharged home. DISCUSSION: Bouveret's syndrome usually presents with signs and symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction. Preoperative radiological investigations not always are useful for its diagnosis. Appropriate treatment, endoscopic or surgical, is debated and must be tailored to each patient considering medical condition, age and comorbidities. CONCLUSION: Bouveret's syndrome is a very rare complication of cholelithiasis, difficult to diagnose and suspect, because of lack of pathognomonic symptoms. Nowaday there are no guidelines for the correct management of this pathology. Endoscopic or surgical removal of obstructive stone represents the correct treatment.

Acute intrathoracic gastric volvulus with retrograde gastric intussusception: A case report of a rare surgical emergency with review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: The gastric volvulus is a rare condition in which the stomach, or part of it, rotates on its axis, for over 180°, constituting a surgical emergency. Even more rare is gastro-gastric intussusception. A delay in their diagnosis and treatment can have fatal consequences PRESENTATION OF CASE: An 82-year-old woman was admitted to the Surgery Unit with a two-day history of abdominal pain associated at first with coffee vomiting and, subsequently, with unproductive retching and oligoanuria. Physical examination showed severe dehydration, fever, at the abdominal level, palpation caused a marked tenderness of all quadrants, with signs of peritonism. Laboratory test showed showed neutrophilic hyperleukocytosis and high C reactive protein level. Abdominal computed tomography revealed an acute intrathoracic gastric volvulus and a gastrogastric intussuception. The patient was submitted to exploratory laparotomy, subtotal gastrectomy with Roux en Y anastomosis and simple plastic of the esophageal hiatus. At the end of the surgery, however, the patient died of your septic shock. DISCUSSION: The traditional treatment for a patient with acute gastric volvulus is an immediate surgical intervention to derotate the stomach and prevent vascular insufficiency. In the presence of necrosis or gastric perforation, resection should be performed. The few cases of gastrogastric intussusception described in the literature have been treated with sub-total gastrectomy and gastro-jejunal anastomosis. Any delay in diagnosis and treatment can prove fatal. CONCLUSION: Intrathoracic Gastric Volvulus and, even more, retrograde gastrointestinal intussusception are very rare pathologies, difficult to diagnose.

Tubulo-villous adenoma of the appendix: A case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Tubulo-villous adenoma is a rare benign appendiceal neoplasm often asymptomatic with the most clinical manifestation that resembles acute appendicitis. Pre-operative diagnosis is difficult by its rarity and the absence of typical symptoms. Adequate treatment is surgical resection. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 69-year-old male was admitted to the Emergency Department with a two-day history of abdominal pain associated with constipation. Abdominal examination revealed abdominal pain localized, at deep palpation, in the right iliac fossa and in hypogastrium without obvious muscle guarding or rebound tenderness. Laboratory tests showed a normal white blood cell count with 82.3% neutrophils and high C-reactive protein level. After a negative abdominal ecography, the patient was evaluated by abdominal computed tomography, which revealed acute appendicitis. The patient was submitted to surgery and open appendectomy was performed. The post-operative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged on the 5th post-operative day. DISCUSSION: Acute appendicitis may be a clinical manifestation of a benign appendiceal neoplasm. Pre-operative radiological investigations not always are useful for an early diagnosis that is mandatory because of the potential risk of malignant degeneration. Appropriate treatment of acute appendicitis is debated: some surgeons suggest operative treatment, but others advocate for non-operative management. In our case the patient was submitted to surgery avoiding the risk of diagnostic delay of neoplasm. CONCLUSION: Appendiceal tubulo-villous adenoma is a rare neoplasm difficult to diagnose and suspect because of lack of pathognomonic symptoms and specific diagnostic signs. Acute appendicitis is the most common clinical presentation. Appendectomy is the appropriate treatment.