Traumatic complex wounds, multidisciplinary approach: our experience in a case series

"Limb-salvage" is a social problem that is rapidly increasing, both in Italy and in the rest of world. Today, as in earlier times, the main causes of open wounds are traumas and such injuries are mainly of II and III stage of Gustilo's classification. Nowadays, the use of modern techniques determined a further dramatic reduction in the infection rates and, above all, in the risk of limb amputation. The most important techniques include: V.A.C. therapy (vacuum assisted closure); PRP gel (platelet-rich plasma gel); hyperbaric oxygen therapy. We treated 4 patients with high energy acute trauma through the combined and innovative use of advanced dressings. The authors report their experience and a brief review of the literature as contribution in regards to treatment of complex wounds of the limbs.

Sigmoidorectal intussusception in adults: a case report

A 75-year-old women was admitted to our hospital due to anal bleeding from 5 days. At clinical examination abdomen was soft but tenderness in the lower quadrants, where a soft, mobile, round mass measuring 10 cm in diameter was palpable. CT scan demonstrated the presence of sigmoido-rectal intussusception. The patient underwent emergency anterior resection of rectum with stapled termino-terminal colo-rectal anastomosis. Postoperative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged 7 days after the operation. Histopathological examination demonstrated a tubular adenoma with low grade dysplasia, 1,2 cm in diameter, located in the distal sigmoid colon. Intussusception is a rather common pediatric condition that rarely presents in adults. Adults intussusception represents 5% of all cases of intussusception. In children it is usually primary and benign, and pneumatic or hydrostatic reduction of the intussusception is sufficient to treat the condition in 80% of patients. In contrast a demonstrable etiology is found in 70% to 90% of cases in adults, and approximately 40%-50% of them are caused by malignant neoplasms. Surgical intervention is necessary in all cases of intussusception in adults. Due to the low incidence and the rare consideration given to this condition among adults the preoperative diagnosis can be difficult, especially in emergency cases. Abdominal CT provides the most accurate diagnostic rate for intestinal intussusception.

Primary psoas abscess in a patient affected by acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: a rare case according to the reviewed literature

Abscesses of the psoas muscle can be divided into primary and secondary. In the primary ones, it is not possible to identify any further infected site. The localization to this muscle is due to its rich vascularization and Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequent aetiological agent of the infection. Treatment requires the use of appropriate antibiotics, as well as surgical or percutaneous drainage of the abscess. The percutaneous drainage is much less invasive and a low risk in the patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and is effective for draining even multiloculated abscess. The authors present a rare case of primary psoas abscess in patient affected by acquired human immunodeficiency syndrome, showing a mass in the inferior lumbar region through the lumbar triangle of Petit and fever. Treatment consisting in percutaneous drainage combined with systemic antibiotic administration was successful.

Gastrointestinal bleeding in emergency setting: two cases of intestinal angiodysplasia and unusual conservative surgical treatment

The authors report two cases of gastrointestinal bleeding in an emergency setting caused by angiodysplasia of colon and small bowel. They stress the rarity of the lesion and consider the difficulties involved in obtaining a preoperative diagnosis. The optimal management is uncertain and depends on the severity and rate of bleeding. A conservative medical approach is indicated for many patients, while surgery constitutes definitive treatment in case of massive hemorrhage or recurrent bleeding. In the cases reported the diagnosis was performed only via intra-operative enteroscopy. An unusual conservative surgical treatment was performed based on ligation of the vascular elements of the angiodysplasia. This method makes it possible to avoid an intestinal resection and yelds good results.

Squamous and adenosquamous cell carcinomas of the gallbladder

Squamous and adenosquamous cell carcinomas (ASC and SCC) are rare subtypes of gallbladder cancer, traditionally considered more aggressive and with a poorer prognosis than adenocarcinoma. We report about two patients affected by an advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder. Both had a large tumour in the gallbladder fossa region with infiltration of the liver. Surgical resection was radical in one, but palliative in the other. pTNM was T3 N0 M0, G3, R0 in the former and T3 N0 M0, G2 R1 in the latter. Patients died for local recurrence after 12 and 5 months, respectively. Natural history, clinical findings, prognosis and outcome of this rare gallbladder tumour are discussed on the basis of a review of the English literature. In conclusion, an aggressive and radical surgical treatment of advanced squamous and adenosquamous cell gallbladder carcinomas seems to be indicated for their low proclivity to distant spreading.

Large extrapleural hematoma in an anticoagulated patient after a thoracic blunt trauma

We report the 7th case of a traumatic extrapleural hematoma that developed in an anticoagulated patient with a thoracic blunt trauma and rib fractures, and required an emergency surgical treatment. Extrapleural hematoma is a rare and life-threatening condition characterized by a collection of blood between the pleura parietalis and the endothoracic fascia. Related symptoms and chest x-ray findings are not characteristic and may present several hours after the injury, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment. Etiological, surgical and prognostic implications of this finding are briefly discussed.

[Digestive hemorrhage from a duodenal neuroendocrine tumor. Diagnostic-therapeutic features and emergency surgical strategy]

The Authors report a rare case of duodenal neoplasia in a 17 year old boy. The patient was admitted in an emergency setting for hemorrhagic shock and duodenal perforation. Laparotomy was performed and a huge perforated neoplasia of the duodenum was found. Conservative approach was preferred, since the intraoperative histology was unuseful in choosing the better procedure: thus just a tumorectomy and closure of the duodenum were performed. Pathology examination demonstrated a neuroendocrine primitive duodenal tumors not well differentiated and with high grade of malignancy. The Authors discuss the role of the elements, clinical features and pathology, as well as emergency and postoperative management.

[Laparoscopy in emergency: treatment of choice in acute abdomen]

From 1992 to November 1999, 225 consecutive cases of acute abdomen were observed: 163 suspicious acute appendicitis, 7 ovarian cysts with suspect torsion, 4 intestinal occlusions, 1 digestive hemorrhage due GIST (Gastro-Intestinal Stromal Tumor), 1 case of hemoperitoneum after laparoscopic appendectomy and 49 cases of acute cholecystitis. In the 225 cases of emergency laparoscopic operations for acute abdomen the diagnostic accuracy has been of 99.5%, with only one case of conversion in to laparotomy for diagnosis. The conversion from laparoscopic to laparatomic surgical technique was registers in 2 cases (1%). The realimentation started in all the cases with a liquid diet as soon as 6 hours after the operation and with solid foods the following morning. The Authors haven't registered wound contaminations. The patients of working age rehabilitated in 8 days (between 7 and 21 days). In the athletic patients the average rehabilitation time was 15 days. On the base of the results obtained with their video-laparoscopy experience in acute abdomen emergency surgery, the Authors confirm that this technique can be advised as Emergency Surgery's first choice treatment.

[Benign schwannoma of the pelvic retroperitoneum. Report of a case and review of the literature]

Benign schwannoma is a tumor arising from Schwann cells (forming the neural sheath of peripheral nerves). The retroperitoneal location is unusual (0.5-5% of cases). Most common locations are cranial nerves (especially the 8th pair) and, in peripheral nerve system the neck, mediastinum and extremities. To this date the known cases of benign retroperitoneal schwannoma are about 60, of which less than 20 in the pelvis. The low frequency of this tumor and the lack of specific instrumental signs and objective symptoms (since it develops in a deep and broad region as retroperitoneum) make presurgical diagnosis very difficult. It can be confirmed only during surgery and definitive histological examination. The information provided by ultrasonography, CT and MR help to limit diagnostic hypothesis, but they don't show any pathognomonic images. The resection of this tumor is the appropriate treatment, even though it is really a complex one. Prognosis is quite good since post-surgical recurrences are unusual. If they appear is probably because excision wasn't radical. Complete resection is the best treatment for retroperitoneal pelvic schwannoma and today it can be performed also by laparoscopy. Partial resection can be used when the mass is strongly connected to essential organs in order to prevent iatrogenic harms (neural deficit, vessel lesions); this may occur in 10% of cases. This paper describes a benign schwannoma with pelvic retroperitoneal location, incidentally discovered during a routine gynecological check up. The purpose of this study is to review current therapeutic and diagnostic techniques in retroperitoneal pelvic schwannoma (including a review of current literature) and to identify th problems that can be encountered in the differential diagnosis of this unusual disease from other neoplasms occurring in the same place.

[Primary carcinoma of the cystic duct: a case report and review of the literature]

The Authors, after a short introduction concerning the primary carcinoma of the cystic duct and the exact definition according to Farrar's criteria, report a case occurred to their observation, the 35th case of international literature. In particular the importance of some hemato-clinical parameters and instrumental investigation (ERCP, angio-CT) to underlined in order to surgical indication. In the case here reported cholecystectomy uses informed with partial resection of the hepato-choledochus and excision of some periductal and pericholedochus lymph nodes. Finally, the Authors discuss about clinical data and diagnostic and therapeutic trends, on the case of their experience and literature review.