Giant Colonic Lipoma Remains a Surgeon's Domain: A Report of Two Cases

Colonic lipomas are rare benign submucosal tumors that are mostly asymptomatic. With increasing size, they may develop symptoms and complications. The acute presentation may be intestinal obstruction secondary to intussusception or gastrointestinal bleeding. The chronic presentation may be subtle and mimic a colonic malignancy. Symptoms include altered bowel habits, abdominal pain, lower gastrointestinal bleeding, and weight loss. Diagnostic evaluation includes advanced imaging such as Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Endoscopy. With the advent of endoscopic submucosal dissection techniques, the therapeutic capabilities of endoscopy have expanded over the decade. However, surgical interventions were reserved for large, symptomatic lipomas, and resection varies from segmental colonic resection to hemicolectomy. Size and clinical presentation determine the therapeutic approach. We, with this, report two cases of giant colonic lipoma in the right colon causing a colo-colic intussusception.

Central Pancreatectomy: Significance of Vascularity on Anastomotic Integrity and a Note on Reconstructive Technique

Central pancreatectomy is a pancreatic parenchymal sparing surgery usually indicated for benign and borderline malignant tumors of the neck and proximal body of the pancreas. Due to the presence of extensive intra-pancreatic spread, pancreatic parenchyma sparing procedures such as central pancreatectomy are invariably deferred in pancreatic malignancy. The need for management of two pancreatic stumps with a usually soft texture and non-dilated ducts, given the indications, increases the risk of pancreatic fistula and therefore morbidity. Proximal stump management is usually a closure either by suture or stapler with reinforcements; the technique preferred depends on the experience of the surgeon and is mostly extrapolated from distal pancreatectomy. Distal stump management is the Achilles’ heel owing to the texture of the pancreas and pancreatic duct size. Need for additional mobilization may have a bearing on the perfusion of the pancreatic stump and hence may lead to clinically relevant leaks. The use of octreotide accentuating the said vascular insufficiency may not be an overstatement. Here we present a case of solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the neck and proximal body of the pancreas in which a central pancreatectomy with falciform patch closure of the proximal stump and binding pancreaticogastrostomy (PG) was contemplated and further we discuss the types of reconstruction with special reference to the vascular pattern of distal pancreas.

Aberrant Left Colic Artery and Its Surgical Implications

Arterial anomalies of the viscera are not unusual. Of the arterial anomalies, the celiac and the superior mesenteric anomalies are well studied and reviewed in the literature. These variations are due to changes occurring during the development of vessels. Also, the variations in the colonic blood supply have been detailed in the context of conduit surgery in esophageal replacement and oncological resections. Of these, the rarer anomaly is the aberrant left colic artery (ab LCA). Previously described in various anatomic descriptions; it has never been reported in a clinical situation. A middle-aged female presented with abdominal pain and lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleed. On further evaluation, she was diagnosed to have transverse colon malignancy. She underwent extended right hemicolectomy with complete mesocolic excision and D3 lymphadenectomy as classically described. During the dissection, she was found to have an LCA arising from the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) just below the inferior border of the pancreas two centimeters higher to the origin of the middle colic artery. This artery was carefully dissected and preserved. Injury of the ab LCA is possible given the unusual course of the artery. Implications of iatrogenic injury in colonic and pancreatic surgeries may result in additional morbidity which is discussed in detail.

Laparoscopic Removal of an Ingested Foreign Body with Transesophageal Migration into the Mediastinum

Removal of a transesophageal migrated foreign body is recommended to prevent injury to adjacent structures. As the endoscopic approach is not feasible for a transesophageal foreign body migrated into the mediastinum, the thoracoscopic approach is recommended. The thoracoscopic approach often requires single lung ventilation and is associated with more pulmonary complications. The use of a laparoscopic approach to remove a mediastinal foreign body has not been reported earlier. In this report, the authors describe a laparoscopic approach for the removal of a transesophageal migrated foreign body into the lower mediastinum.

Interaction of dexamethasone and dehydroepiandrosterone on testicular ascorbic acid and cholesterol in prepubertal rat

A sharp decline of cholesterol and ascorbic acid in the immature testicular tissues was observed after treatment with two dosages of dexamethasone (DXM) i.e., 20 and 40 micrograms i.p. for 10 days daily to 10-day old rats weighing around 40gms. Reversal of these effec s was noted with the concurrent administration of 80 micrograms dehydroepiandrosterone (DEAT) along with both doses of DXM over a similar period. However, 20 micrograms of DEAT was found to be ineffective when administered concurrently with DXM in either of the dosage levels demonstrate the functional roles of ascorbic acid and cholesterol in the prepubertal rat testis.

Role of ACTH on the cytomorphology of testes of the immature rat

The male gametogenic development of the immature rat shows inhibitory effect by the exogenous infusion of ACTH (0.25 IU and 0.50 IU; i.p.). Seminiferous tubular degeneration, Leydig cell atrophy and Sertoli cell regression are very conspicuous in the dosage of 0.50 IU ACTH (i.p.). Cytometrical and histological evidence confirms that ACTH could be inhibited by FSH during male gametogenic development which leads to cellular degeneration of testes in the immature rat.