Wandering spleen in the pelvic region in an adult man with symptoms of acute abdomen

Wandering or ectopic spleen is a condition characterised by migration of spleen in the abdomen or pelvis. This anomaly is rare, with a reported incidence of <0.2%. It occurs mostly in women between 20 and 40years of age. Clinical diagnosis is difficult because of lack of precise signs, symptoms, and nonspecific laboratory data. Diagnosis of a wandering spleen highly depends on the results of imaging studies such as abdominal ultrasound and abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) scanning. Treatment includes surgery with the choice between splenopexy in a noninfarcted spleen and splenectomy when infarction has occurred. We report a rare case of wandering spleen in a 27-year-old man with infarction due to torsion of its pedicle, which was diagnosed by CT and treated by splenectomy.

CONCLUSION

Despite the rarity of wandering spleen, the possibility of torsion of its long pedicle with acute splenic infarction should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen.

Multidetector CT for thorn (wooden) foreign bodies of the knee

PURPOSE

Thorn (wooden) foreign bodies of the knee present a challenge in their diagnosis. Partly because of inaccurate history and sometimes a long duration of symptoms, radiographs are negative and MRI may show synovitis without a specific pathology.

METHODS

We report a case of a 16-year-old male patient with a date palm thorn foreign body, which caused septic arthritis. He underwent two open surgeries. Both failed to detect the loose body. An MRI of the knee showed a high signal in the posterolateral compartment; however, the pathology could not be confirmed except by 64 Multidetector CT (MDCT) that clearly identified the thorn and its location.

RESULTS

Arthroscopic removal and synovectomy were done by a 4-portal technique. The patient went on to complete recovery.

CONCLUSION

Multidetector CT has proven very useful in identifying wooden foreign bodies, their size and location.

Partial characterization of acidic proteinase in the midgut of Parasarcophaga surcoufi larvae (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

Activity of acidic proteinase in the midgut of larval Parasarcophaga surcoufi was investigated and partially characterized. Larval midgut extract showed a moderate acidic pH (pH 4) optimum for hydrolysis of haemoglobin. The proteolytic activity of the larval midgut was estimated by hydrolysis of haemoglobin, and was found to be inhibited by pepstatin (aspartic proteinase inhibitor), dithiothreitol (DTT) and mercaptoethanol; while it was not inhibited by the soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI) and EDTA. These characteristics may imply that cathepsin D-like proteinase is an effective acidic proteinase present in the Parasarcophaga surcoufi larval midgut.

Effect of bioresmethrin on mitochondrial ultrastructure and oxidative phosphorylation in the flight muscles of Chrysomya albiceps (Wied.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

The sublethal effect of bioresmethrin on the ultrastructure, oxidation and phosphorylation of flight muscle mitochondria in the blow fly Chrysomya albiceps which survived treatment of newly formed pupae (0-day old) with 10 micrograms/pupa (LD30) was studied. The ultrastructure of the flight muscle mitochondria was severely deteriorated by treatment with bioresmethrin. The deterioration included disalignment and sometimes destruction of the cristae and vacuolation of mitochondria. The oxidation rate was decreased in treated flies, although the P/O ratio was increased. The present study may indicate that bioresmethrin is neither an uncoupler nor a direct inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation but may have functioned as an inhibitor of the oxidation rate.