Search

Epiploic appendagitis is a rare cause of acute abdomen. It can mimic other inflammatory processes such as diverticulitis or appendicitis. Diagnosis is based on CT scan. Medical management is the approach of choice in the absence of complications., Competing Interests: Les auteurs ne déclarent aucun conflit d’intérêts., (Copyright: Saad Slaiki et al.)

The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiologic, therapeutic, and prognostic aspects of surgical acute abdomen at the National Hospital of Zinder (HNZ). This was a prospective study of patients undergoing digestive surgical emergencies in HNZ over 24 months (January 2013-December 2014). During the study period, 622 digestive surgical emergencies were operated. The mean age was 22.91 ± 18.14 years old, with a sex-ratio of 3:1. The average admission time was 64.31 ± 57.90 h. Abdominal pain was the main reason for admission in 61.90% (N = 385) of the cases, with or without fever throughout the course in 26.05% (N = 162) of the cases. The average time before surgery was 9.13 ± 5.97 h. Acute peritonitis accounted for 51.61% (N = 321) of cases, led by ileal perforation maybe from typhoid (N = 175). The acute intestinal obstruction and acute appendicitis accounted for 27.49% (N = 171) and 9.65% (N = 60) of the cases, respectively. Abdominal trauma had affected 53 patients (8.52%). The average length of hospital stay was 8.71 ± 5.29 days. Postoperative morbidity was 38.10% (N = 237). Septic complications (N = 187) were predominant. Overall lethality of 13.67% (N = 85), was associated with the delay of diagnosis and treatment (P < 0.001). The incidence and the high morbidity and lethality of digestive surgical emergencies in the Sub-Saharan context, could be avoided through prevention, early consultation, and adequate intra-hospital management.

We report the case of a young woman who presented with acute abdomen at our hospital. The control revealed the presence of fetal parts in extra-uterin and intra-abdominal place after a late abortion. The patient was succesfully operated by celioscopy.

Children presenting with acute abdominal pains at emergency rooms are frequent, but few of them require a pediatric surgeon. However it can be dangerous for the patient (and for the physician = major cause of prosecutions) to misdiagnose those cases. Children with "classic" gastroenteritis may prove to have a perforated appendicitis, while those with tender abdomens may suffer pneumonia or streptococcal pharyngitis, and a comatous child may have an intussusception and not a metabolic disease. We review the diagnostic and management of some common causes of surgical abominal pains in children to help the physicians to avoid some pitfalls, and to involve the pediatric surgeons at an early stage.

We present the case of a 17-year-old patient known to have an asymptomatic ectopic spleen, who presented with an acute abdomen. Clinical symptoms and ultrasound led to suspect an acute appendicitis, confirmed later on by pathology. Twenty-four hours after the appendectomy, the patient complained of an abdominal pain of acute onset. Torsion of the pedicle of the ectopic spleen was suspected. Imaging studies supported this diagnosis, and an urgent splenectomy was performed. Did the torsion happen by simple coincidence 24 hours after appendectomy, knowing that the spleen has been asymptomatic for 17 years, or was it precipitated by the surgical intervention? Should we have removed the ectopic spleen during the appendectomy? This is the first report of a case of torsion of a wandering spleen after a laparotomy; a review of the literature is done in order to explain the physiopathology of the disease, and to propose its management.

Introduction: A case of imperforate hymen discovered after a surgical complication is reported. We discuss the lessons to draw from this case in terms of diagnosis and therapeutic management., Case Report: An 11-year-old girl was referred with fever and acute lower abdominal pain. A diagnosis of appendicitis was hypothesized because of rigidity located to the right iliac fossa, a psoas sign, polynuclear leukocytosis, and increased serum C-reactive protein. A McBurney laparotomy showed a brownish hemoperitoneum and a dilated right fallopian tube. The appendix appeared normal and an appendicectomy was done. A diagnosis of hematocolpos aggravated by hematometra, hematosalpinx, and hemoperitoneum was suspected. Pelvic examination revealed an imperforate hymen with a taut pelvic mass confirmed by transabdominal and endorectal ultrasonography. Hymenotomy was performed, which allowed the discharge of 400cc of chocolate-colored fluid. The history-taking revealed recurrent intermittent lower abdominal pain with several referrals to emergency departments. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged 2 days later., Conclusion: In case of acute abdominopelvic pain in pubertal girls with no previous menstruation, the possibility of an imperforate hymen must be suspected. Examination should include observation of secondary sexual characteristics and inspection of the external genitalia. Treatment is surgical and consists of a hymenotomy., (Copyright 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To determine the contribution of computerized tomography (CT) to the management of nontraumatic acute abdomen, to evaluate interobserver agreement and the contribution of CT to cost control, to look for the predictive factors of CT., Patients: and method. Ninety prospectively included patients, admitted for nontraumatic acute abdomen and examined by a surgeon, received CT examination. Diagnosis and treatment 1) envisioned before and 2) defined after CT, and 3) finally retained were compared, and the interobserver agreement was calculated after the second reading. The predictive value of the clinical and biological criteria as well as the radiological criteria characterizing these patients was sought., Results: CT was contributive in 68.9% of cases, with a reliable diagnosis and treatment strategy, defined after CT examination, for 92.2% and 90%, respectively. Interobserver agreement was 93.3%. CT contributed to reducing costs in 15.5% of patients, for an additional cost estimated at 104-139 euros. The positive predictive factors of the CT contribution were age over 70 years, localized symptoms, fever, and high CRP., Conclusion: In agreement with the literature, in our study CT appears to be a choice examination to guide patient care in nontraumatic acute abdomen.

Objective: To assess acute abdomens incidence of parasitic origin at Yaounde (Cameroon) and evaluate their different management modalities., Materials and Methods: Retrospective study from January 1973 to December 2002 of patients managed at Department of Surgery, Central Hospital, Yaounde (Cameroon)., Results: Among 3464 acute abdomens managed by laparotomy during this period, 135 patients (3.9%) had a parasitic origin. Ninety-seven patients (79%) were operated on before 1990. Among these 135 patients, 63 (47%) had peritonitis secondary to liver amoebic abscess intraperitoneal rupture, 24 (18%) had acute intestinal obstruction due to an ascaridioma, 21 (15%) had appendicitis of parasitic origin, 15 (11%) had amoebic typhlitis, 4 (3%) had pancreatitis and/or angiocholitis caused by the obstruction of ampulla of Vater by an adult ascaris worm, 4 (3%) had intestinal perforation by ascaris, and 4 (3%) had intussusception (tricocephalus)., Conclusions: Incidence of abdominal emergencies of parasitic origin is unfrequent but not rare at Central Hospital, Yaounde, Cameroon. This incidence is decreasing over time. However, liver amoebic abscess intraperitoneal rupture is the most common cause of peritonitis and is still associated with postoperative high mortality rate. Preoperative diagnosis could lead to non-operative management that may be associated with better prognosis.

Unlabelled: Hepatic hydatid disease is an uncommon surgical emergency. We report an observation and its diagnosis and treatment., Case Report: An algerian child consulted in emergency unit for appendicitis syndrome. The surgeon discovered an opened hydatid liver cyst. He performed a cystectomy associated with post-operative chemotherapy., Discussion: Hepatic hydatid disease is frequent in endemic zone. If not complicated, it is often revealed by hepatomegaly. The diagnosis is radiological and mainly serological. Management is medicosurgical., Conclusion: Prognosis depends on early surgical management. Long-time serological and echographic follow-up is required.

Introduction: This retrospective study of 20 procedures for malfunction of a biliary-enteric anastomosis include 7 choledochoduodenal anastomosis (CD) and 13 choledocho- or hepaticojejunal anastomosis (HJ)., Methods and Results: The malfunctions were revealed by angiocholitis (N=16) jaundice (N=4) acute abdominal syndrome (N=1). Among the 7 CD, the median waiting period before reoperation has been 14 years, the procedures were justified by a biliary disorder in 5 cases (1stricture, 4 stones or food obstruction) or by a duodenal stricture (2 cases). The CD have been converted into HJ. The operative mortality was null, the morbidity rate was of 14%. A recurrence of angiocholite occurred in the long-term followed-up. About HJ, the waiting time before reoperations was 6 years and 9 months, the procedures were justified by anastomotic anastomosis stricture (7) calculi without stricture (4) Roux-en-Y limb anomalies (2). Two Roux-en-Y limbs have been lengthened. The anastomoses have been redone when necessary. The side-to-side HJ were converted in end-to-side HJ. The operative mortality was null, the morbidity rate of 8%. In the long term followed-up, 2 stenosis recurrence and 1 lithiase recurrence occurred., Conclusions: Malfunctions of biliodigestives anastomosis are revealed by angiocholitis that can lead to secondary biliary cirrhosis. The complications treatment of CD is easy and effective. The complications evolution of HJ depends of initial pathology.

We report a case of pregnancy in a rudimentary horn that ruptured at 18 weeks. An emergency laparotomy was taken for acute abdomen and ruptured right rudimentary horn pregnancy was diagnosed. Excision of the rudimentary horn and ipsilateral salpingectomy were carried out. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and she left the hospital 6 days later.

Haemoperitoneum is usually associated with trauma, ruptured aortic aneurysm, ectopic pregnancy, bleeding from an ovarian follicle or hepatic tumor. Idiopathic spontaneous haemoperitoneum is a very rare pathology, presenting more often with diffuse abdominal pain, associated with cardiovascular instability. We discuss a case of idiopathic spontaneous haemoperitoneum in a 28-year-old healthy woman, presenting with right lower quadrant syndrome. A review of the literature and practical considerations towards this rare affection are presented.

Infarction with or without torsion of the greater omentum is an uncommon but well recognised acute abdominal condition which was seldom diagnosed preoperatively before the widespread clinical use of US and CT. The aetiology is unknown and speculative. In most cases the pathology is right sided and clinical presentation consists of an acute or subacute flank pain with mild peritonism usually evoking appendicitis or cholecystitis. Recently, US and CT have proved to provide sufficiently typical, consistent and well-recognizable features to avoid unnecessary surgery. We report on six typical -five right sided and one left sided- cases investigated with CT and US. Two patients underwent surgical treatment, one because the usually spontaneous regression of the entity was ignored and the other because of extremely severe clinical symptoms. In the other four patients, conservative medical management was preferred and successful. Even though US may be efficient if performed by a well-trained echographist, CT appears to be the procedure of choice as it is operator independent and reliable for excluding mimicking surgical conditions or associated pathology.

Because of the lack of specificity of gastrointestinal tract symptoms and of imaging studies findings in one hand, and because of a presumed high risk of complications in the other hand, surgical management of acute abdomen in neutropenic patients remains very controversial. The purpose of the study is to review our experience with management of acute abdomen. The records of 21 neutropenic patients admitted in the intensive care unit for postoperative management or for evaluation and diagnosis of abdominal symptoms were reviewed. Thirteen patients underwent surgery, 8 did not. Peritoneal signs on physical examination were correlated with positive laparotomies, the sensitivity was 71% and the specificity was 50%. Seven of the 13 operated patients survived the surgical procedure (54%); while 37,5% of the non operative group survived. The surgical treatment may be safely carried out in neutropenic patients with an acute abdomen and represent sometimes the only way to assure proper treatment.

Evaluation of an elderly patient with acute abdominal conditions presents a challenge to the physician on account of the general poverty of history and clinical signs and the poor reliability of diagnostic procedures. The management of these pathologies are analyzed: cholecystitis, appendicitis, incarcerated hernia, small bowel obstruction, côlonic diverticular disease, intestinal ischemia and gastroduodenal ulcer. An early elective treatment of chronic pathologies like gallstones, hernias and intestinal ischemia trends to avoid complications.

Acute mesenteric ischemia is an infrequent abdominal emergency. The 90% mortality of this affection is related to a delayed diagnosis. The mesenteric ischemia and the mesenteric infarction are two different pathologic stages characterized by two different treatment and prognosis. Superior mesenteric artery embolism is the most frequent cause of mesenteric ischemia. According a difficult clinical diagnosis and the necessity of an early diagnosis we suggest an aggressive attitude. All the patients presenting risk factors and an abdominal pain must have a mesenteric angiography. The purpose of the angiography is diagnostic and therapeutic. The aim of surgery in case of mesenteric ischemia is to restore a normal vascularisation. In spite of this attitude the prognosis of this affection remain poor.

Primary infarction of the greater omentum is a rare cause of acute abdominal syndrome. Rate of occurrence may nevertheless be underestimated. We report a series of six cases observed over a 30-month period with US and CT imaging. We assessed early signs and their course. CT-scans depicted fatty oval-shaped masses below the right anterior or anterolateral parietal wall, associated with a thickening of the anterior parietal peritoneum, explaining symptom pathogenesis. Torsion can be identified, but has no specific impact on prognosis. Follow-up CT scan may evidence spontaneous, but sometimes slow, resolution.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the results of the laparoscopic surgical treatment of abdominal emergencies. From May 1991 to September 1995, 200 patients operated by laparoscopy for an acute abdomen were included in this study. The decision to treat the patient by laparoscopy was taken by the surgeon on duty. There were 101 males and 99 females with a mean age of 41 +/- 20 years (range 11-90 years). The main indications for operation were: acute appendicitis (109 patients), acute cholecystitis (52 patients), small bowel obstruction (14 patients) and perforated duodenal ulcer (14 patients). There was no hospital mortality. One per cent of patients experienced an operative complication which was treated by laparotomy. Conversion to laparotomy was needed in 13% of cases. The morbidity rate was 9% and reoperation by laparotomy for acute generalized peritonitis secondary to small bowel perforation was necessary in two cases. Mean postoperative hospital stay ranged from 4 to 7 days. The authors conclude that surgical laparoscopic treatment of the common abdominal emergencies is safe. The conversion rate is low as is the complication rate. These conclusions should be confirmed by a prospective study.

Interventional radiology used in acute abdominal diseases has demonstrated its efficacy in most emergency cases especially in patients at high risk for surgery. Percutaneous drainage is a reference standard for abscesses located within the abdomen and pelvis with high success rates of up to 80%. The diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal hemorrhage have changed over the past two decades, with decreased diagnostic examinations and advances in pharmacologic therapy and improved endoscopic techniques. On the other hand, embolization techniques and new procedures such as trans jugular intra hepatic porto systemic shunt have been developed. Arterial embolisation in many situations such as blunt or direct trauma, obstetric or post operative hemorrhage, can be used as an effective easy and relatively safe technique with high success rates to stop bleeding and save the organ. Percutaneous drainage and angiographic techniques adapted to biliary and urinary tree have also been developed as well as endoscopic procedures, allowing treatment of stenoses by balloon dilatation, or plastic or metal prostheses. Indications, technical aspects, complications and limits of these various procedures are presented.

Pain in the right iliac fossa in a patient infected with HIV raises several questions which can mislead or delay diagnosis leading to increased morbidity and mortality. We report 3 cases selected because of the difficulties encountered in diagnosis or treatment and review the literature on the topic in an attempt to develop a management strategy for such patients.

Acute severe hyponatremia is a medical emergency. The case of a patient presenting this syndrome together with an abdominal surgical emergency is reported. The perioperative management of this severe electrolytic disorder is discussed.

As a cause of small intestine occlusion, volvulus is often a consequence of a band or adhesions. Except in infants, it is rarely the primary cause of symptomatology. Between January 1976 and December 1992, 13 patients (7 women and 6 men, mean age of 56.8 years) were admitted in our department for an acute abdomen due to a spontaneous primary volvulus of the small bowel. Clinical examination and laboratory tests did not help in preoperative diagnosis. All patients underwent an explorative laparotomy. Six patients had had prior abdominal surgery but none of them presented adhesion or band. In 8 patients (62%), detorsion was sufficient. Resection of a segment of small bowel was necessary in 4 patients. Gangrenous of the entire bowel was observed in one patient who rapidly died. Two patients presented minor complications. One patient with Down syndrome died of bronchoaspiration. One patient has been reoperated on one year later for recurrence of the volvulus, and underwent a Noble procedure. We conclude that volvulus of the small bowel is a rare cause of acute abdomen that must be remembered. Early surgery is mandatory to reduce the risk of gangrene, which is known to double the mortality. Laparoscopy will be helpful in early diagnosis and therapy.

The authors report the principal abdominal surgical emergencies which may occur during pregnancy. Missed diagnosis of these acute abdomens forms the basis of their gravity in terms of both maternal and fetal prognosis.

After observing a benign tumour of the small bowel which led to ileo-ileal invagination in an adult we recalled the main data on the epidemiology, aetiology and diagnosis. In infants, the diagnosis is usually made but in adults, the situation is much rarer and the clinical and radiographic signs are not specific. Echotomography of the abdomen is the most reliable examination. In the adult, surgery is always indicated because invagination is caused by an organic cause in 9 out of 10 cases.

From 1984 to 1992 we treated 4341 patients with acute abdominal disease in the elderly. We divided all patients in two groups. In the first group were all patients up to 60 years; in the second group all patients above 60 years. This last group was subdivided in patients between 60 and 65 years; IIIrd age between 65 and 75 years and IVth age between 75 years and plus. Total mortality affected in 48 (3.03%) patients.

The diagnostic and therapeutic value of laparoscopy in emergency was studied in 314 patients presenting with non-traumatic acute abdomen. Laparoscopy gave a correct and complete diagnosis of the underlying disease in 92% (290/314) of cases. An erroneous preoperative diagnosis was corrected by laparoscopy in 18% (58/314) of cases. This implied a change of the therapeutic strategy in 9% (27/314). Seventy five per cent (234/314) of patients were exclusively treated by laparoscopy, 22% (68/314) by laparotomy and 3% (11/314) by laparoscopically assisted surgery. Mortality was 2.5% (8/314) and morbidity 9% (29/314). In conclusion, laparoscopy is a valuable diagnostic tool for the surgeon in the context of acute abdomen and is an interesting therapeutic alternative in selected cases. However, it requires extensive experience in laparoscopic techniques.

Among postoperative incisional hernias, mid-epigastric eventrations have peculiar features for physiopathological reasons that are summed up in general and specifically in the first paragraph of this paper; they are characterized by the quick retraction of the lateral belt, with the chondrocostal margin of the thorax participating as the upper limit of the cleft, and by the rapidly irreducible diastasis--hence the importance of an early decision to operate. The authors propose three regular procedures with which they are experienced: repair with a large retromuscular nonabsorbable synthetic tulle prosthesis for extensive epigastric eventrations, fillup aponeuroplasty using the sheath of the rectus abdominis associated with a premuscular patch in case of diastasis or of multiple superimposed orifices and suture associated with a small retromuscular auxiliary patch to treat small incisional hernias. The article, mainly dealing with the technical details of the three procedures and of their variants, is concluded by a brief report of the personal results obtained with a series of 616 postoperative eventrations, including 91 mid-epigastric ones, controlled after an average time lapse of 5.5 years.

Tuberculosis has become a rare disease in developed countries. However, this is not the same in Third World countries where the prevalence rate is 20 to 50 times greater. The abdominal forms are relatively rare, but should also be looked for, because surgery, which would show the affection of more than one organ, permits the revelations of tuberculous granulomas, and also permits a more specific treatment of these patients.

The authors report about one case of acute abdominal pain syndrome, the etiology of which proved to be a primary torsion of the greater omentum. On this basis, they review the international literature and set forth etiopathogenetic hypotheses.

Bloodless laparotomy (BL) is defined as an opened exploration of the abdominal cavity that yields negative results, i.e., "provides no information as to the cause of the clinical and paraclinical symptoms responsible for prompting the surgical investigation". The authors report a retrospective study spanning January 1975 to December 1989, on the incidence of and mortality associated with emergent BL in patients with acute abdominal syndrome, with the intent of reducing its frequency. Over this period, 24 BL occurred in 3480 emergent laparotomies, i.e., 0.63%. These involved 7 men, 5 women, 5 boys and 7 girls, aged 4 to 52 years (mean age = 19.5 years). Indications for surgery were based on clinical signs, as well as on laboratory findings such as chest X-ray and plain radiography and needle-puncture of the abdomen. Surgical data indicated:liver cirrhosis--3 cases; mesenteric adenopathy--3 cases; intestinal parasitosis--1 case; bilateral adnescitis--1 case; polycystic ovaries--1 case; wall abscess--1 case; unexplained pain--14 cases. The mortality rate was 2/24. Use of other paraclinical investigations, namely ultrasonography, laparoscopy and peritoneal lavage, and of computer science methods after a prior clinical examination initiated by history-taking, might help reduce the rate of BLs, which are non-devoid of mortality.

Survey of 304 cases of surgical, abdominal emergencies (peritonitis and bowel occlusions). We deplored 42 post-operative deaths (14%). When patients are operated within 12 hours after the beginning of the pain, out of a group of 56 patients, two died (4%). After the 48th hour, of 114 patients operated, 26 died (23%) despite a stay in an intensive care unit. 174 patients, under 60 years old, we operated; 4 died (2.3%). This is mainly due to a stay in an intensive care unit (50 were operated after the 48th hour). Out of a group of 60 eighty years old patients, 18 were operated before the 24th hour; one death, that of a 94 years old patient, was deplored. Out of the 42 patients operated after the 24th hour, 19 died (45%). On the 304 patients, 56 (18%) were operated before the 12th hour, and 18 only, before the 6th hour (6%). the delay in operating, does not increases mortality only, but increase the duration of hospitalisation; this in itself increase expenses and sufferings. The causes of these delays are analyzed. A wiser use of clinical examination would decrease them.