Primary hydatid cyst of the gallbladder: an unusual localization diagnosed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Hydatid disease is endemic in Tunisia and has been considered as one of the most common surgical pathology. Several localizations have been described, but hydatidosis of the liver is the most frequent clinical entity. Primary hydatid cyst of the gallbladder is very rare. We report in this observation a new case of primary hydatid cyst of the gallbladder diagnosed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).Pan African Medical Journal 2013; 14:1

Cholécystectomie laparoscopique ambulatoire: première expérience en Tunisie

Introduction: La cholécystectomie laparoscopique est le gold standard de la prise en charge des calculs vésiculaires symptomatiques. Il existe une importante controverse quant au fait de savoir si elle devrait être pratiquée en chirurgie ambulatoire ou dans le cadre d'une chirurgie avec hospitalisation d'une nuit pour ce qui concerne la sécurité des patients. Le but du travail est d’évaluer l'impact de la cholécystectomie laparoscopique en chirurgie ambulatoire versus en chirurgie avec hospitalisation d'une nuit sur les critères de jugement axés sur le patient, tels que la mortalité, les graves événements indésirables et la qualité de vie. Méthodes: Il s’agit d’une étude transversale descriptive réalisée au sein du service de chirurgie générale de l’hôpital Habib Thameur, sur la période allant de Mai 2009 à Février 2010. Cette étude porte sur 67 malades porteurs d’une lithiase vésiculaire symptomatique ayant eu une cholécystectomie laparoscopique en ambulatoire (CLA). Étaient exclus de l’étude: les malades ASA III et IV, les diabétiques sous sulfamides ou sous insuline, les grands obèses, les malades de plus de 65 ans et moins de 18 ans, ceux avec un antécédent de chirurgie abdominale majeure, les malades suspects d’une lithiase de la voie biliaire principale, d’une cholécystite aiguë ou d’une pancréatite. Pour être traité par CLA, le malade devait résider à moins de 50 km de l’hôpital, et avoir la possibilité d’une présence adulte à ses côtés. Résultats: Dix-sept patients étaient inclus puis exclus de notre étude devant la découverte per opératoire de signes de cholécystite aigue ou devant des difficultés de dissection amenant le chirurgien à mettre un drain de Redon en sous hépatique en fin d’intervention. Finalement, 50 patients ont été retenus: 7 hommes et 43 femmes d’âge moyen de 48 ans. L’intervention se déroulait selon les modalités habituelles. A la sortie de la salle de réveil, le patient était dirigé en secteur ambulatoire où une alimentation liquide était autorisée. Le malade était revu avant 19 h et la sortie décidée si une analgésie orale était possible, si une alimentation liquide était tolérée, s’il n’existait aucun trouble de la diurèse, et si le patient acceptait un retour à domicile avec un traitement antalgique et anti-inflammatoire à la demande. Trente neuf patients (78%) ont quitté l’hôpital et 11 ont été gardés. L’âge > à 45 ans, la durée de l’anesthésie > à 70 minutes et la fatigue post opératoire ont été identifié comme facteur de risque de sorties ratées. Aucune réadmission n’a été observée. Les patients qui ont pu être mis sortants ont été satisfaits du protocole de prise en charge avec des réponses majoritairement de type excellent et bon (94%). Conclusion: La chirurgie ambulatoire semble tout aussi sûre que la chirurgie avec hospitalisation d'une nuit dans la cholécystectomie laparoscopique avec un faible taux de complication et de réadmission chez des malades sélectionnés, et avec une réduction du coût de l’intervention

Giant gastric lipoma mimicking well-differentiated liposarcoma

Authors report the case of a 51-year-old man, presenting with epigastralgia of recent onset. Physical exam was unremarkable. Endoscopy revealed a large, ulcerated, submucosal, antral tumor. CT scan reveals an antral mass with fat attenuation. The patient underwent a total gastrectomy. Macroscopic examination identified in the antral wall a 9-cm, well-circumscribed, nodular lesion, with a yellow, greasy cut surface. On histological examination, the tumor was composed of a mature adipocytes proliferation, showing significant variation in cell size, associated to some lipoblasts. Nuclei were sometimes large, slightly irregular, but without hyperchromasia nor mitosis. Diagnosis of a well-differentiated liposarcoma was suspected and molecular cytogenetic analyses showed no MDM2 nor CDK4 gene amplification on fluorescent in situ hybridization. The diagnosis of lipoma was made. Twelve months following surgery, the patient is doing well.Pan African Medical Journal 2012; 13:1

Soil Properties at Different Distances of Intercropping in Three Olive Orchards in Morocco

Aims: This study aims to investigate the effect of the distance from olive tree on soil fertility in three intercropping (wheat, fababean, and chickpea).Study Design: Randomized complete block with four replications. The factor studied is the distance from the olive rows.Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted during 2014 in farmers’ fields at Dou yet in Morocco. Three olive orchards were chosen with the three intercropping.Methodology: The planting density of the olive orchards is 10*10 m2 and planted variety is Moroccan Picholine. After harvesting annual crops, soil samples were taken from 0-30 cm layer at ten different distances from olive rows, with four replications in each of the three intercropping to the olive tree. Soil fertility parameters were determined. Olive leaves were also collected with eight repetitions in each of the three orchards. Leaf nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents were determined. The olives yield components were determined on a sample of 30 fruits per tree, taken at harvest, with eight repetitions in each of the three olive orchards.Results: The olive yields in this year were 1.7, 2.5 and 3 t.ha-1 for trees associated with wheat, fababean and chickpea, respectively. The distance from the olive row had different effects on the soil parameters within each intercropping in the olive orchards. For wheat, the maximum organic matter content was recorded near the tree (distance 0). For fababean, the distance from the olive row had no effect on all soil parameters. In chickpea plot, the distance from the olive row affected only the soil nitrate content with the maximum level was recorded at 5 meters from the olive row.Conclusion: This study shows that fertilization of the combination of olive tree and intercrop should take in to the count, the associated species and the distance from olive tree for an efficient use of mineral fertilization

Reliability testing of a modified MISTELS score using a low-cost trainer box

Abstract Background Training programs such as the fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) that are based on simulation are being currently used in several western countries. FLS allows skill acquisition and evaluation of competency in laparoscopic surgery. On the practical side, evaluation is determined by the MISTELS metrics (MISTELS is the acronym for the McGill inanimate system for training and evaluation of laparoscopic skills). This training program may be modified so that it can be implemented in countries with limited resources using a low-cost trainer box. Would the use of a low-cost trainer box alter the reliability of the MISTELS score? Objective of study The aim of the study was to evaluate the reliability of a modified MISTELS using a low-cost trainer box. Methods It was a prospective study carried out at Habib Thameur hospital in Tunis (Tunisia), between April 2016 and August 2016. The study involved residents from different surgical specialties in the departments of general surgery and paediatric surgery of the hospital during 2015 and 2016. This study assessed the reliability of a modified MISTELS system (Only three tasks were performed out of the five tasks used in the original MISTELS system). Evaluation was based on Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). A low-cost trainer box was designed and constructed. The residents included in the study performed three series of three tasks using this trainer box. The first series was scored by two trained raters to evaluate inter-rater reliability. The two-other series were successively performed to evaluate test-retest reliability. Results The internal consistency, assessed by Cronbach’s alpha, was at 0.929 which is an acceptable score. As for inter-rater and test-retest reliabilities that were assessed by ICCs, they yielded excellent scores that were at 1 and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.891–0.978) respectively. Conclusions The reliability of a modified MISTELS is not altered by the use of a low-cost trainer box. The score of the modified MISTELS is a reliable score for evaluating technical skills of surgical residents using a low-cost trainer box

Gastric leiomyosarcoma and diagnostic pitfalls: a case report

Abstract Background Since the advent of immunohistochemistry for the diagnosis of stromal tumours, the incidence of leiomyosarcomas has significantly decreased. Nowadays, gastric leiomyosarcoma is an exceptionally rare tumour. We report the second case in the English literature of gastric leiomyosarcoma revealed with massive bleeding and hemodynamic instability and diagnostic pitfalls that we encountered. Case presentation A 63-year-old woman, with 2 years’ history of dizziness and weakness probably related to an anaemic syndrome, presented to the emergency room with hematemesis, melena and hemodynamic instability. On examination, she had conjunctival pallor with reduced general condition, blood pressure of 90/45 mmHg and a pulse between 110 and 120 beats per minute. On digital rectal examination, she had melena. Laboratory blood tests revealed a haemoglobin level at 38 g/L. The patient was admitted to the intensive care department. After initial resuscitation, transfusion and intravenous Omeprazole continuous infusion, her condition was stabilized. She underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showing a tumour of the cardia, protruding in the lumen with mucosal ulceration and clots in the stomach. Biopsies were taken. Histological examination showed interlacing bundles of spindle cells, ill-defined cell borders, elongated hyperchromatic nuclei with marked pleomorphism and paranuclear vacuolization. Immunohistochemistry showed positivity for Vimentine, a strong and diffuse immunoreactivity for smooth muscle actin (SMA). Immunoreactivities for KIT and DOG1 were doubtful. Computed tomography scan revealed a seven-cm tumour of the cardia, without adenopathy or liver metastasis. The patient underwent laparotomy. A total gastrectomy was performed without lymphadenectomy. Post-operative course was uneventful. Histological examination of the tumour specimen found the same features as preoperative biopsies with negative margins. We solicited a second opinion of an expert in a reference centre for sarcomas in France, who confirmed the diagnosis of a high grade gastric leiomyosarcoma. Conclusion Gastric leiomyosarcoma is a rare tumour. Diagnosis is based on histological examination with immunohistochemistry, which could be sometimes confusing like in our case. The validation of a pathological expert is recommended

Detection of a new JCV strain of genotype A in a subpopulation of colorectal adenocarcinomas in Tunisia

The etiology of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains elusive in spite of major advances in knowledge of this disease and related risk factors. Several studies report the detection of human polyomavirus JC (JCV) in colorectal tumors and some suggest its association with CRC. Since many known human virus associations with cancer are linked to factors such as ethnic and geographical origin, it is interesting to search for the postulated association of JCV with CRC in different populations and regions. In this perspective, the present work was undertaken to assess the presence of JCV in CRC tumors in Tunisia. Fresh biopsies were obtained from both colorectal tumors and adjacent normal tissues of 47 CRC patients. Only tumors diagnosed as adenocarcinomas were included in the present study. Twenty patients with other gastroenterological disorders were taken as controls. DNA was extracted from fresh biopsies or formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections. A region of the viral T-Ag gene was amplified by PCR and the DNA amplicons were subjected to automated sequencing. JCV DNA was found in 22 (46%) of the adenocarcinomas but in none of the normal mucosa biopsies of either CRC or control patients. Sequence analysis indicated that the amplified DNA belonged to a new JCV variant of genotype A. The presence of JCV DNA was correlated with tumor location and grade. The data obtained suggest that JCV may be associated either with a subpopulation of colorectal tumors or with CRC in general, possibly through a hit and run mechanism