Transverse colon volvulus in a 15 year old boy and the review of the literature

We report a rare case of transverse colon volvulus in a fifteen year old boy with a review of the literature. This brings the total number of pediatric cases reported in the English literature to fifteen. This case is unusual in that no aetiological factor has been found, in contrast to the majority of the pediatric cases. Diagnosis can be challenging and the effective management remains controversial. The various radiological imaging modalities are presented. The epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and management of transverse colon volvulus are discussed. It is important to highlight this case and those in the literature, as many surgeons may never have seen a single case of transverse colon volvulus. It may therefore not be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent intermittent abdominal pain or acute intestinal obstruction

Pancreatic Pseudocyst Pleural Fistula in Gallstone Pancreatitis

Extra-abdominal complications of pancreatitis such as pancreaticopleural fistulae are rare. A pancreaticopleural fistula occurs when inflammation of the pancreas and pancreatic ductal disruption lead to leakage of secretions through a fistulous tract into the thorax. The underlying aetiology in the majority of cases is alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis. The diagnosis is often delayed given that the majority of patients present with pulmonary symptoms and frequently have large, persistent pleural effusions. The diagnosis is confirmed through imaging and the detection of significantly elevated amylase levels in the pleural exudate. Treatment options include somatostatin analogues, thoracocentesis, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with pancreatic duct stenting, and surgery. The authors present a case of pancreatic pseudocyst pleural fistula in a woman with gallstone pancreatitis presenting with recurrent pneumonias and bilateral pleural effusions

Ruptured Jejunal Diverticulum Due to a Single-Band Small Bowel Obstruction

Jejunal diverticulosis is rare and often goes unnoticed until complications occur. The diverticula are true, acquired diverticula and often asymptomatic. Jejunal diverticulosis can be associated with diverticulosis of the duodenum, ileum, and colon. Here we describe a patient with known severe diverticular disease of the large bowel, who presented acutely with abdominal pain and signs of generalised peritonitis. Laparotomy showed ruptured jejunal diverticulosis with a single band over the terminal ileum, causing small bowel obstruction. Spontaneous perforation of a jejunal diverticulum is rare and is usually an intraoperative finding. One should exclude a precipitating cause, such as coexisting distal obstruction, stricture, or a foreign body

Dieulafoy lesion endoscopically rubber banded, with further severe haematemesis requiring emergency laparotomy – Case report

Dieulafoy lesion is a rare cause of massive gastrointestinal haemorrhage that can be fatal. We report a case of a sixty-year-old lady who presented to the emergency department with haematemesis and melaena. During oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD), an active bleeding vessel was seen on the lesser curvature of the stomach, near the gastro-oesophageal junction and a diagnosis of Dieulafoy's lesion made. The lesion was managed with the application of two rubber bands. Our patient re-presented to the emergency department ten days later with severe haematemesis requiring an emergency laparotomy

Consultation on the Libyan health systems: towards patient-centred services

The extra demand imposed upon the Libyan health services during and after the Libyan revolution in 2011 led the ailing health systems to collapse. To start the planning process to re-engineer the health sector, the Libyan Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other international experts in the field sponsored the National Health Systems Conference in Tripoli, Libya, between the 26th and the 30th of August 2012. The aim of this conference was to study how health systems function at the international arena and to facilitate a consultative process between 500 Libyan health experts in order to identify the problems within the Libyan health system and propose potential solutions. The scientific programme adopted the WHO health care system framework and used its six system building blocks: i) Health Governance; ii) Health Care Finance; iii) Health Service Delivery; iv) Human Resources for Health; v) Pharmaceuticals and Health Technology; and vi) Health Information System. The experts used a structured approach starting with clarifying the concepts, evaluating the current status of that health system block in Libya, thereby identifying the strengths, weaknesses, and major deficiencies. This article summarises the 500 health expert recommendations that seized the opportunity to map a modern health systems to take the Libyan health sector into the 21st century