1/53. Continuous inferior mesenteric ganglion block for the control of abdominal pain.BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A 71-year-old woman was referred for control of intractable left-sided abdominal pain and constipation caused by stage 2B rectosigmoid colon cancer. She was treated with an intravenous morphine sulfate infusion at 4 mg/h which made her drowsy and lethargic. Because the distal colon is innervated by the inferior mesenteric sympathetic ganglion, it was hypothesized that a continuous block of this ganglion would provide both pain control and increased intestinal motility. methods: The patient was placed in a prone position, and a Tuohy needle was placed at an entry site 7 cm lateral to the L3 spinous process. The needle was advanced 2 cm anterior to the L3 vertebral body with fluoroscopic guidance. An 18-gauge indwelling catheter was placed through the needle and a continuous infusion with 0.1% bupivacaine was maintained for 4 days. RESULTS: The patient obtained immediate pain relief and bowel motility. She remained awake and comfortable throughout the duration of therapy. She was discharged home 3 days after stopping the infusion and required a minimal amount of opioids. CONCLUSION: Continuous inferior mesenteric ganglion block may be an option in providing relief for pain caused by distal colon pathology.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdominal pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/53. abdominal pain in children.Chronic vague abdominal pain is an extremely common complaint in children over 5 years, with a peak incidence in the 8 to 10 year group. In over 90 per cent of the cases no serious underlying organic disease will be discovered. Most disease states can be ruled out by a careful history, a meticulous physical examination, and a few simple laboratory tests such as urinalysis, sedimentation rate, hemoglobin, white blood count determination, and examination of a blood smear. If organic disease is present there are often clues in the history and the examination. The kidney is often the culprit--an intravenous pyelogram should be done if disease is suspected. barium enema is the next most valuable test. Duodenal ulcers and abdominal epilepsy are rare and are over-diagnosed. If no organic cause is found, the parents must be convinced that the pain is real, and that "functional" does not mean "imaginary." This is best explained by comparing with "headache"--the headache resulting from stress and tension hurts every bit as much as the headache caused by a brain tumor or other intracranial pathology. Having convinced the patient and his parents that no serious disease exists, no further investigation should be carried out unless new signs or symptoms appear. The child must be returned to full activity immediately.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = abdominal pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/53. Obstructed defecation after undiverted ileoanal pouch reconstruction for ulcerative colitis: pharmacologic approach. Report of a case.PURPOSE: Obstructed defecation after ileal pouch construction has been reported only after closure of the diverting loop ileostomy, and biofeedback was an effective treatment modality. METHOD: This is a case report of a patient with immediate obstructed defecation after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis without a covering loop ileostomy and its successful pharmacologic management. RESULTS: A 38-year-old female underwent restorative proctectomy and stapled ileal J-pouch-anal anastomosis without a covering loop ileostomy. On the seventh postoperative day, her pouch catheter (in lieu of a covering loop ileostomy) was removed and she failed to evacuate. After ruling out any technical complications, diltiazem was commenced with successful spontaneous pouch emptying. Obstructed defecation reoccurred after cessation of diltiazem one week later, but the symptoms resolved once the diltiazem was recommenced. CONCLUSIONS: Obstructed defecation has been reported in patients after pelvic pouch reconstruction. However, in all those patients a diverting loop ileostomy had been raised and their obstructive symptoms were only apparent after closure of the ileostomy and when the pouch had healed. The concern regarding our patient was the complete outlet obstruction so soon after surgery, with undue strain on the anastomosis and the potential risk of disruption. Our only two options were either to create a diverting loop ileostomy or to try a fast-acting pharmacologic agent (diltiazem) to treat the presumed levator spasm. The latter option spared the patient a further operation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.00026501388626708keywords = back (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/53. Surgical treatment of a sigmoid volvulus associated with megacolon: report of a case.Sigmoid volvulus occurring concomitantly with megacolon is an uncommon cause of bowel obstruction, and various approaches to treatment have been proposed. We report herein a case of sigmoid volvulus with megacolon that was successfully treated by elective surgery following endoscopic reduction during the same hospital stay. A 70-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with abdominal pain, distension, and severe constipation. physical examination, plain abdominal X-ray, and barium enema confirmed a sigmoid volvulus and further examinations revealed concomitant megacolon. An elective sigmoid colectomy was performed following successful endoscopic decompression. The postoperative course was uneventful and there was no residual colonic dysmotility. Histologically, no aganglionic tissue was observed in the resected specimen.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = abdominal pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/53. Surgical treatment of severe colonic inertia with restorative proctocolectomy.patients with severe constipation due to colonic inertia who remain symptomatic after extensive medical therapy or partial colonic resection have occasionally been treated with ileostomy as a last resort. The hospital records of five patients with persistent symptomatic idiopathic colonic inertia were reviewed. Each of the patients had undergone extensive medical management, and eventually four underwent one or more colonic resections to relieve the recurrent abdominal distention and pain. Three of the patients eventually received a distal ileostomy, which functioned well. Anorectal manometric studies were within normal range for each of the five patients. Restorative proctocolectomy (J pouch) was therefore performed for each. With a mean follow-up of 42 months after restorative proctocolectomy each of the five patients was relieved of constipation and small bowel distention. The average number of bowel movements per 24 hours at 6 months was 4.8. All patients were able to discriminate flatus from stool, could hold back for up to 1.5 hours after the initial urge to defecate, and had total daytime continence. Each returned to work or school within 3 months, and each reported greater satisfaction with bowel function than with the ileostomy. Restorative proctocolectomy with a J pouch provides a satisfactory option for the management of patients with persistent abdominal distention and pain due to idiopathic colonic inertia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.00026501388626708keywords = back (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/53. uterus didelphys with obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis. A case report.BACKGROUND: uterus didelphys with obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis usually presents after menarche with progressive abdominal pain during menses secondary to hematocolpos. We describe a case with the unique presentation of rectal pain and constipation. CASE: A 13-year-old girl presented to the emergency department complaining of lower abdominal and rectal pain and constipation of two weeks' duration. Pelvic ultrasound, physical examination and laparoscopic findings established a diagnosis of hematometracolpos secondary to uterus didelphys with unilateral imperforate hemivagina. An incision in the vaginal septum allowed drainage of the hematocolpos, providing relief of the patient's symptoms. CONCLUSION: uterus didelphys with unilateral imperforate hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis may present with apparent gastrointestinal symptoms. With increased awareness of this problem, timely diagnosis may be achieved.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = abdominal pain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/53. Biofeedback avoids surgery in patients with slow-transit constipation: report of four cases.Biofeedback is established treatment for intractable constipation in patients with an element of pelvic floor dysfunction. In those with intractable slow-transit constipation and normal pelvic floor function, colectomy is usually recommended. We report four patients with isolated slow-transit constipation who benefited from biofeedback and avoided surgery. All four patients were extensively investigated for pelvic floor dysfunction before undergoing a standard biofeedback course of four outpatient sessions. All improved in terms of bowel frequency, laxative use, bloating, straining, and lifestyle. Improvement has been maintained for a median of nine (range, 5-12) months without the requirement for further treatment. Biofeedback represents a safe and inexpensive treatment for these patients and may avoid surgery in a significant proportion.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.0021201110901366keywords = back (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/53. The application of percutaneous endoscopic colostomy to the management of obstructed defecation.PURPOSE: We describe the case of a 52-year woman with a 17-year history of obstructed defecation in whom all other standard treatments had failed and the patient had refused a colostomy. Her symptoms were controlled by percutaneous endoscopic colostomy with antegrade colonic irrigation. METHOD: A percutaneous endoscopic colostomy tube was placed in the sigmoid colon endoscopically using a colonoscope and the patient irrigated two liters of water through the percutaneous endoscopic colostomy twice each day and was able to successfully evacuate her rectum without excess straining or discomfort. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous endoscopic colostomy is an alternative option to colostomy in the management of obstructed defecation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.026712764767671keywords = discomfort (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/53. constipation, polyuria, polydipsia, and edema associated with orlistat.OBJECTIVE: To report the occurrence of a novel group of adverse effects associated with initiation and rechallenge of orlistat. CASE SUMMARY: A 42-year-old white woman developed symptoms of constipation, polyuria, polydipsia, and increased lower-leg edema after 2 weeks of treatment with orlistat 120 mg 3 times daily. The drug was discontinued for 4 days and the symptoms resolved. On reinstitution of the orlistat treatment, the symptoms reappeared within 2 days. Thereafter, the medication was permanently discontinued. DISCUSSION: Common gastrointestinal adverse reactions associated with orlistat use include fecal urgency and abdominal pain and discomfort. Pedal edema has also been reported to occur, although less frequently. No reports were discovered documenting the occurrence of constipation, polydipsia, and polyuria associated with the use of orlistat. Despite careful consideration of other possible causes of these symptoms, the temporal association between initiation, discontinuation, and rechallenge of orlistat and the patient's symptoms suggest a medication-related adverse event. Based on the Naranjo probability scale, the likelihood that orlistat was the cause of this cluster of adverse effects is possible. CONCLUSIONS: It is important for the healthcare provider to be aware of these adverse effects to promptly evaluate and differentiate between possible causes of similar reactions.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.22671276476767keywords = abdominal pain, discomfort (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/53. Radiographic, computed tomographic and histopathologic appearance of a presumed spinal chordoma in a dog.A 4-year-old Labrador Retriever presented for urinary incontinence and constipation of 2 weeks duration. There was a tender abdomen, lumbar pain and conscious proprioceptive deficits in both pelvic limbs. Depressed pelvic limb reflexes were present consistent with a lower motor neuron lesion. In radiographs of the lumbar spine there was narrowing of the intervertebral disc space at L5-L6 with irregular, multifocal areas of mineralized opacities dorsal to the intervertebral disc space, presumably within the vertebral canal. On computed tomography, an intramedullary, partially mineralized mass was identified in the spinal cord at the level of caudal L5 through cranial L6. At necropsy there was a four-centimeter enlarged, irregular segment of spinal cord at the level of L5-L6. When sectioned, the spinal cord bad a mineralized texture. Histologically there were variable sized cells that were stellate in appearance with vacuolated cytoplasm (physaliferous cells) and mucinous background consistent with a chordoma. chordoma is a rare, skeletal neoplasm that originates from mesoderm-derived notochord and has been reported in humans and animals. Extraskeletal development of a chordoma within the spinal cord is a rare manifestation of this neoplasm. However, based on other reports in dogs, solitary extraskeletal locations of chordomas may be the typical expression of this neoplasm in the dog. Differentiation of similar histologically appearing tumors, such as a parachordoma or myxoid chondrosarcoma, will require immunohistochemical characterization of these tumors in veterinary patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.00026501388626708keywords = back (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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