1/2207. Cardiocutaneous fistula. infection of the Teflon pledgets on the heart suture line after left ventricular aneurysm repair, presenting late with a fistulous tract connecting the heart with the skin (cardiocutaneous fistula) is an uncommon but potentially serious condition. The case is reported of a 73 year old man who developed a cardiocutaneous fistula extending through the left hemidiaphragm and draining at the abdominal wall, which developed six years after left ventricular aneurysmectomy. Following radiographic evaluation, which established the diagnosis, the Teflon pledgets and fistulous tract were successfully surgically removed. Prompt diagnosis depends on a high index of suspicion. Eradication of infection requires excision of infected material, which must be planned on an individual basis. ( info) |
2/2207. Haemosuccus pancreaticus: a clinical challenge. BACKGROUND: Haemosuccus pancreaticus is a rare complication of pancreatitis. It is a diagnostic problem for even the most astute clinician and a challenge for the expert endoscopist. We report a 25-year-old male patient who had all the features usually seen in haemosuccus pancreaticus patients: recurrent obscure upper gastrointestinal bleeding, pancreatitis, pseudocyst formation, ductal disruption, fistula and pancreatic ascites. The patient was treated by subtotal pancreatectomy, splenectomy and drainage of the pseudocyst. Although pancreatic duct communication with the surrounding vasculature could not be ascertained, we strongly believe the patient had haemosuccus pancreaticus because, over a follow-up period of 3 years, the patient was not only ascites free, but did not experience any further upper gastrointestinal bleeding. We believe that in evaluating patients with recurrent obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, one should always remember that the pancreas is a part of the gastrointestinal tract and, like other organs, is prone to blood loss. ( info) |
3/2207. A de novo discharging sinus of the fronto-orbital suture: a rare presentation of a dermoid cyst. Dermoid cysts are developmental anomalies, resulting primarily from trapped germinal epithelium. In the neck and head region, the most common location is the fronto-orbital upper outer quadrant of the orbit. Because only a few cases of dermoid cysts with discharging sinus of the fronto-orbital area have been reported in the literature, the authors present an unusual case of a frontozygomatic suture dermoid cyst, presenting as a sinus, in an 56-year-old man. The histologic report confirmed that the cystic lesion was a dermoid cyst with a tract. diagnosis and management are discussed. ( info) |
4/2207. Treatment for empyema with bronchopleural fistulas using endobronchial occlusion coils: report of a case. We report herein the case of a woman with bronchopleural fistulas treated with the endobronchial placement of vascular embolization coils. She was referred to our hospital to undergo lavage of a postoperative empyema. She had undergone an air plombage operation for pulmonary tuberculosis 9 years previously. However, bronchopleural fistulas occurred postoperatively and she had to continue the use of a chest drainage tube since then. Lavage of her empyema space with 5kE of OK-432 (picibanil: Chugai) plus 100 mg minocycline was performed once every 2 weeks for 3 months, and the purulent discharge from the empyema remarkably decreased. Thereafter, the bronchopleural fistulas were occluded endobronchially by the placement of vascular embolization coils. Soon after the procedure, air leakage from the fistulas was stopped and the drainage tube was removed 2 days later. The patient remains well without any additional treatment at 20 months after this treatment. As treatment for empyema with bronchopleural fistulas, it would be worth trying to lavage the empyema space with OK-432 until it is cleaned out and to plug the fistulas by the endobronchial placement of embolization coils, before such radical operations as thoracoplasty and space-filling of the empyema are considered. ( info) |
5/2207. Congenital fistula of the palate. Four cases of congenital fistula of the palate are presented. All four patients had a fistula which was situated in the vault with a bifid uvula, submucous separation of the palatal muscles, deformities of the palatal plates and unilateral cleft lip. Velopharyngeal incompetence appeared in primarily treated children. The aetiology and surgical treatment of the congenital defect are discussed. ( info) |
6/2207. papilledema associated with a sacral intraspinal cyst. A rare case of papilledema associated with a large sacral intraspinal cyst is described in a 34-year-old male. Symptoms were aggravated by heavy work and consisted of low back pain, headache, dizziness and episodic vomiting. papilledema was observed on ophthalmological examination. A valvular mechanism was found to exist between the normal spinal sac and the huge sacral cyst. Division of the valvular fistula combined with a dural plastic operation brought complete relief of all symptoms. ( info) |
7/2207. Fibrous dysplasia of the temporal bone and maxillofacial region associated with cholesteatoma of the middle ear. Fibrous dysplasia of the temporal bone is a rare disease which may lead to progressive stenosis of the external auditory canal and the development of cholesteatoma. We present a case in which minimal symptoms were present despite a massive temporal bone fibrous dysplasia. cholesteatoma resulted most probably secondary to external auditory canal stenosis. Retroauricular fistula developed as a result of destructive effect of cholesteatoma, that influenced previous diagnosis and treatment of this clinically silent disease. ( info) |
8/2207. The use of granulocyte colony stimulating factor to promote wound healing in a neutropenic patient after head and neck surgery. BACKGROUND: neutropenia and neutrophil dysfunction, in association with a variety of diseases, has been shown to play a role in poor wound healing. Wound breakdown with fistula formation in patients undergoing total laryngectomy results in significant morbidity and increased hospital stay. Although malnutrition, prior radiation, diabetes, and other diseases are recognized as factors predisposing patients with head and neck cancer to developing fistulas, neutrophil dysfunction should also be considered. Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been used successfully to treat neutropenia and neutrophil dysfunction. methods: This study was conducted as a case report. RESULTS: We present the first report of a neutropenic head and neck cancer patient with a persistent wound of 6 months' duration who showed dramatic improvement after treatment with G-CSF. CONCLUSION: We conclude that G-CSF may represent a useful adjunct in patients with persistent wound healing problems and neutropenia despite adequate treatment by conventional means. Further clinical experience with G-CSF in patients with delayed healing is indicated. ( info) |
9/2207. Successful repair of an idiopathic spontaneous aortoduodenal fistula. A case of idiopathic spontaneous aortoduodenal fistula treated surgically is reported. This case is probably the first successful repair of an idiopathic fistula to be recorded in the literature. The difficulty in diagnosis and possible aetiology are discussed. ( info) |
10/2207. Surgical management of chylous fistula after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Conservative treatment with low-fat diet, medium-chain triglyceride or total parenteral nutrition, depending on the general condition of the patient, is the mainstay in the treatment of chylous ascites. In patients with persistent chylous fistula direct surgical closure is a valid treatment option. ( info) |