1/33. Pyogenic liver abscess as a cause of acute upper abdominal pain. A report of two cases.The clinical course of 2 patients with acute abdominal pain, which was eventually found to be due to pyogenic hepatic abscesses is described. One patient, operated on late in the course, died; the other, who was operated on early, recovered. The importance of considering this life-threatening disease in the differential diagnosis of acute abdominal pain is emphasized.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = life (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/33. Severe gastrointestinal bleeding resulting in total gastrectomy in a patient with major burns--a case report.gastrointestinal hemorrhage is a known but rare complication of major burns. This case report describes the management of this potentially life threatening problem in a young adult with 45% body surface area burns who developed massive gastrointestinal-tract bleeding. The patient required a total gastrectomy that was complicated by a burst abdomen. Despite undergoing a series of major insults. the patient survived and was eventually discharged from hospital with an acceptable level of morbidity. The problems faced by the burn centre team and the issues involved in the decision making process are discussed in the management of this unusually devastating complication.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = life (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/33. Inflammatory (pseudosarcomatous) myofibroblastic tumor of the urinary bladder causing acute abdominal pain.Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a reactive proliferation of myofibroblasts that rarely involves the urinary bladder. The cause of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is unknown but may represent an initial reactive process to an infectious agent or trauma that transforms into neoplastic growth. Cases reported in children, however, often lack any preexisting bladder pathology. The authors present a case in a young child that presented as acute abdominal pain. In general, these tumors follow a benign clinical course after resection, although close monitoring is essential given the rarity of this bladder lesion.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = life (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/33. Case report: portal vein thrombosis associated with hereditary protein c deficiency: a report of two cases.protein c deficiency is one of the causes of curable or preventable portal vein thrombosis. We report two patients of portal vein thrombosis associated with hereditary protein c deficiency. The first patient presented with continuous right upper quadrant pain and high fever. The abdominal sonography revealed normal liver parenchyma but portal vein and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis. Based on a 55% (normal 70-140%) plasma protein C level, he was diagnosed as having protein c deficiency. A trace of his family history showed that his elder brother also had protein c deficiency with a 50% plasma C level. Both patients received anticoagulant therapy. The younger brother showed good response. Unfortunately, the elder one suffered from recurrent episodes of variceal bleeding and received a life-saving splenectomy and devascularization. We herein remind clinicians that early screening and therapy are helpful in preventing late complications of protein c deficiency with portal vein thrombosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = life (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/33. 'Acute abdomen' with a rash.A previously fit and healthy 17-year-old male presented with the clinical symptoms and signs of an acute abdomen and with the secondary complaint of a rash. In view of the primary presenting complaint he was admitted to the surgical ward. The patient was initially booked for an emergency exploratory laparotomy, but after reassessment on the ward a clinical diagnosis of meningococcal septicaemia was made. The patient was treated medically with intravenous antibiotics and supportive therapy, and made a complete recovery. Medical causes of abdominal pain, as exemplified here, can be more life threatening than surgical causes and should be considered in all patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = life (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/33. A preventable cause of acute abdomen.Haemoperitoneum is an extremely rare presentation of hepatocellular carcinoma in the industrialised world. We present the first reported case in the UK. In contrast, up to 10% of hepatocellular carcinomas in africa present in this way, the median time between presentation and death being just six weeks. hepatitis b infection at birth and during childhood is the major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma in the developing world. The world health Organisation, UNICEF and the World Bank have all advocated routine hepatitis b vaccination of children. This can reduce the burden of disease in these communities, among people in their productive years of life.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = life (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/33. Acute abdomen in infants of adolescent mothers: diagnostic challenges.Caring for children of adolescent parents presents unique challenges. Because adolescent parents may lack parenting skills and knowledge of medical terminology, symptoms of life-threatening illnesses may be misinterpreted. We present two cases of unexpected acute abdomen in young infants with adolescent mothers. The first case involves midgut volvulus, which was discovered during a routine newborn visit. The second case, involving pyloric stenosis, presented a clinical management challenge when the adolescent mother refused diagnostic studies.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = life (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/33. Untraditional glucose fermenting actinomycetes as human pathogens. Part I: actinomyces naselundii as a cause of abdominal actinomycosis.actinomyces naeslundii was proved as a primary pathogen in the case of a fulminant abdominal infection of a 74 aged woman. The preliminary diagnosis of actinomycosis based on direct microscopical findings of microgranules in the pus was confirmed by the results of cultivation and casuistry in addition. The case was of a typical course for actinomycosis and penicillin following surgery was of life saving effect for the patient who was dismissed asymptomatic after 55 days of hospitalization. Actinomycotic microgranules were demonstrated in the pus from the natural infection and from experimentally infected mice and the causative agent actinomyces naeslundii TR 91/67 was defined. Nevertheless it was concluded that the judgment of the pathogenicity of actinomyces naeslundii and of the other members of the heterogenous group of etiological agents of human actinomycosis still remains a matter of delicacy in any actual case of their isolation. In practice however, the presumption of actinomycotic etiology of an actual infection may be supported in retrospect by the dramatical effect of penicillin without regard to the presence of concomitant microflora not necessarily sensitive to penicillin.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = life (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/33. pheochromocytoma presenting as an abdominal emergency: association with perforation of the colon.A pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor derived from the adrenal medulla (or from chromaffin cells of sympathetic ganglia). Its symptoms derive mostly from the excessive release of catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline). hypertension is the most recognized feature of this disease, but gastrointestinal manifestations can on rare occasions be just as serious and life threatening. This report describes a rare case of a 70-year-old woman with pheochromocytoma who developed an acute abdominal emergency with shock and panperitonitis as a result of perforation of the descending colon which was effectively treated by surgical removal of the tumor and the perforated colon. There have been 2 such cases in the English literature in whom a pheochromocytoma was associated with perforation of the colon. Successful surgical removal of such a pheochromocytoma has been not reported previously. Our case demonstrates the importance of recognizing that a pheochromocytoma presents with a wide spectrum of manifestations, and rapid treatment brings improvement to the patient.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = life (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/33. Acute abdominal attack of hereditary angioneurotic oedema associated with ultrasound abnormalities suggestive of acute hepatitis.Hereditary angioneurotic oedema (HANO) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a deficiency of the inhibitor protein Cl-esterase. Recurrent subcutaneous and/or submucosal oedema formation is a hallmark of this disease. HANO is a rare, but potentially life-threatening disorder with a mortality around 20-30%. Acute oedematous abdominal attacks of HANO can mimic a surgical emergency; this is exemplified by the case of a 14-y-old male patient with HANO admitted for such clinical manifestations. Conclusion: Diagnostic clues include ascites and abnormalities of hepatic structure visible with ultrasound during the oedematous attack. The importance of appropriate treatment is emphasized.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = life (Clic here for more details about this article) |
| | Next -> |