SPONTANEOUS PERIRENAL HEMATOMA DUE TO POLYARTERITIS-NODOSA

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a systemic disease which involves the kidneys in 70% of cases. We report a case in which the pre-operative diagnosis was perirenal abscess or perirenal tumour, but at operation a perirenal haematoma was found. After pathological examination, it was recognised as renal involvement with PAN

THE ROLE OF PERITONEAL-LAVAGE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PENETRATING ABDOMINAL INJURY

Preventing negative laparotomies is one of the most challenging problems in the management of penetrating abdominal injuries. The term "selective laparotomy" has been therefore introduced and has found an ever increasing acceptance. The peritoneal lavage is a useful tool in patient selection for laparotomy but the main problem is where to set the boundary between a positive and a negative peritoneal lavage. The manipulation of this boundary leads to significant changes in the sensitivity and specificity of the peritoneal lavage. Here we are presenting 162 consecutive cases of penetrating abdominal trauma and discussing our methods of evaluation and management

The role of diagnostic laparoscopy in the treatment of penetrating injuries of the lower thoracic wall and anterior abdominal wall

Penetrating injuries of the lower thoracic wall and anterior abdominal wall cause difficulties in the decision for laparotomy. For gunshot wounds laparotomy without further investigations is in most cases justified, but in other penetrating traumata one should use every diagnostic modality to prevent unacceptably high negative laparotomy rates. We performed diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) on 39 patients with penetrating injuries of the anterior abdominal wall and/or lower thoracic wall. Of these 39 patients, 25 had negative and 14 positive results. We had only one false-negative finding. No false-positive result occurred. We think that DL is a very reliable diagnostic tool which requires a relatively high technology