[Jejunal diverticulitis causing an acute abdomen]. / Diverticulitis yeyunal como causa de abdomen agudo.

Jejunal diverticulosis is a rare acquired-disease which courses asymptomatic in most cases. In spite of the fact that there are some publications of this entity in pediatric patients, most symptomatic cases have been found in adults. Reported herein is the case of a patient that presented to the emergency room with signs and symptoms suggestive of an acute abdomen. After diagnostic workup and operative management, presence and complications of a jejunal diverticulum were found to be the cause of the abdominal pain.

[Splenectomy incidence in a specialized care hospital]. / Incidencia de esplenectomías en un hospital de tercer nivel de atención.

BACKGROUND: splenectomy has been elected surgical procedure for multiple hematologic diseases, specially for Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence of splenectomies in two different periods of time and to show decrease tendency during the most recent years. METHODS: it was a retrospectively reviewed study from medical records of patients who underwent splenectomy at the Hospital de Especialidades Siglo XXI, between 1986 to 1990 and 1995 to 1999. RESULTS: during the first period of time, the incidence of splenectomies for hospital admissions was 0.52%, and in the second 0.19%. CONCLUSIONS: the incidence of splenectomies performed at the Hospital de Especialidades Siglo XXI decreased in the second period of time, probably because there are new available treatments for hematologic diseases.

[Jejunal angiodysplasia as a cause of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding]. / Angiodisplasia yeyunal como causa de sangrado de origen desconocido.

BACKGROUND: Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to jejunal angiodysplasia is uncommon. Diagnostic approach is difficult and represents a challenge for the surgeon because of the inaccessibility of the small bowel for evaluation. When the diagnostic work-up has been completed and the bleeding source has not been found, it is mandatory to perform a surgical exploration with transoperative enteroscopy in order to locate the source of the hemorrhage and for further treatment. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 24-year-old male with massive gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to jejunal angiodysplasia in whom an intraoperative enteroscopy was done to locate the source of bleeding and subsequently resect the affected small bowel. There are actually some non-surgical therapies for patients with high risk of complications. When patients' conditions are optimal, surgical resection is mandatory to avoid recurrence of future bleeding.

Angiodisplasia yeyunal como causa de sangrado de origen desconocido / Jejunal angiodysplasia as a cause of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND: Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to jejunal angiodysplasia is uncommon. Diagnostic approach is difficult and represents a challenge for the surgeon because of the inaccessibility of the small bowel for evaluation. When the diagnostic work-up has been completed and the bleeding source has not been found, it is mandatory to perform a surgical exploration with transoperative enteroscopy in order to locate the source of the hemorrhage and for further treatment. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 24-year-old male with massive gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to jejunal angiodysplasia in whom an intraoperative enteroscopy was done to locate the source of bleeding and subsequently resect the affected small bowel. There are actually some non-surgical therapies for patients with high risk of complications. When patients' conditions are optimal, surgical resection is mandatory to avoid recurrence of future bleeding.