Transmesocolic hernia with sigmoid colon strangulation without surgical history: a series of two case reports.

The incidence of internal hernias is rare (0.2-0.9%). The prevalence of intestinal obstruction for an internal hernia is low (0.5-5%), however if strangulation is present the overall mortality is higher than 50%. There are multiple places where an internal hernia may be localized, with transmesenteric: transmesocolic (8%) and transomental (1-4%) as the rarest. We report a series of two cases (men with 40 years-old and women with 92 years old) of volvulus of colon sigmoid in a strangulated transverse and descendent transmesocolic hernia, with one case associated also to a transomental hernia. Both patients were submitted to a Hartmann procedure and on follow-up remained free of complains. In conclusion, transmesenteric internal hernia should be included as diagnosis hypothesis for intestinal occlusion and if the diagnosis is made, the patient should be submitted to emergency surgery due to high rates of complications, high morbidity and mortality.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A theoretical model of inflammation- and mechanotransduction- driven asthmatic airway remodelling

Inflammation, airway hyper-responsiveness and airway remodelling are well-established hallmarks of asthma, but their inter-relationships remain elusive. In order to obtain a better understanding of their inter-dependence, we develop a mechanochemical morphoelastic model of the airway wall accounting for local volume changes in airway smooth muscle (ASM) and extracellular matrix in response to transient inflammatory or contractile agonist challenges. We use constrained mixture theory, together with a multiplicative decomposition of growth from the elastic deformation, to model the airway wall as a nonlinear fibre-reinforced elastic cylinder. Local contractile agonist drives ASM cell contraction, generating mechanical stresses in the tissue that drive further release of mitogenic mediators and contractile agonists via underlying mechanotransductive signalling pathways. Our model predictions are consistent with previously described inflammation-induced remodelling within an axisymmetric airway geometry. Additionally, our simulations reveal novel mechanotransductive feedback by which hyper-responsive airways exhibit increased remodelling, for example, via stress-induced release of pro-mitogenic and procontractile cytokines. Simulation results also reveal emergence of a persistent contractile tone observed in asthmatics, via either a pathological mechanotransductive feedback loop, a failure to clear agonists from the tissue, or a combination of both. Furthermore, we identify various parameter combinations that may contribute to the existence of different asthma phenotypes, and we illustrate a combination of factors which may predispose severe asthmatics to fatal bronchospasms

Supralevator abscess: New treatment for an uncommon aetiology: Case report

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Supralevator abscess is the least common type of anorectal abscess. Its diagnosis can be hard and treatment difficult. PRESENTATION OF THE CASE: A 48-year-old men was diagnosed in the emergency department with a supralevantor abscess. Under general anaesthesia, the abscess drainage was accomplished after removal of a fish bone, who was perforating the rectum. Due to persistent rectal purulent discharge, a pelvic Magnetic Resonance (MRI) was performed: a supralevator abscess adjacent to the internal obturator muscle and an inter-sphincteric fistulae from the inferior margin of this collection were identified. A Pezzer® drain was placed through the fistula tract. After radiological resolution, under general anaesthesia, the patient was submitted to extraction of the drain and marsupialization of the path left using an ENDO GIA®. At two year follow up he remained asymptomatic. DISCUSSION: Despite of the abscess aetiology, the principles of treatment are the same: good radiological characterization and proper drainage. An adequate radiological characterization is important to avoid iatrogenic creation of a complex fistulae. CONCLUSION: If a supralevator abscess diagnosis is made, fistulae trajectory should be studied. If no clear internal opening is evident, a pelvic MRI should be done followed by drainage of the abscess. After resolution the drain should be taken off and marsupialization with ENDO GIA® should be performed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Delayed colorectal cancer care during covid-19 pandemic (decor-19). Global perspective from an international survey

Background The widespread nature of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been unprecedented. We sought to analyze its global impact with a survey on colorectal cancer (CRC) care during the pandemic. Methods The impact of COVID-19 on preoperative assessment, elective surgery, and postoperative management of CRC patients was explored by a 35-item survey, which was distributed worldwide to members of surgical societies with an interest in CRC care. Respondents were divided into two comparator groups: 1) ‘delay’ group: CRC care affected by the pandemic; 2) ‘no delay’ group: unaltered CRC practice. Results A total of 1,051 respondents from 84 countries completed the survey. No substantial differences in demographics were found between the ‘delay’ (745, 70.9%) and ‘no delay’ (306, 29.1%) groups. Suspension of multidisciplinary team meetings, staff members quarantined or relocated to COVID-19 units, units fully dedicated to COVID-19 care, personal protective equipment not readily available were factors significantly associated to delays in endoscopy, radiology, surgery, histopathology and prolonged chemoradiation therapy-to-surgery intervals. In the ‘delay’ group, 48.9% of respondents reported a change in the initial surgical plan and 26.3% reported a shift from elective to urgent operations. Recovery of CRC care was associated with the status of the outbreak. Practicing in COVID-free units, no change in operative slots and staff members not relocated to COVID-19 units were statistically associated with unaltered CRC care in the ‘no delay’ group, while the geographical distribution was not. Conclusions Global changes in diagnostic and therapeutic CRC practices were evident. Changes were associated with differences in health-care delivery systems, hospital’s preparedness, resources availability, and local COVID-19 prevalence rather than geographical factors. Strategic planning is required to optimize CRC care