Infantile granulomatous urachal abscess with acute localized peritonitis and appendicitis

Infected urachal remnants in early childhood are occasionally seen. However, intraperitoneal penetration of an infected urachal remnant, resulting in acute peritonitis, is rare. We report a case of infantile granulomatous urachal abscess extending into the peritoneum and appendix. The diagnosis and treatment of urachal abscess in childhood are discussed.     

Jejunal perforation caused by blunt abdominal trauma in a patient with Crohn's disease: report of a case

We report herein the case of a 23-year-old man with Crohn's disease who was found to have a perforated small bowel following blunt abdominal trauma sustained in a traffic accident. The general findings of diffuse peritonitis were identified by physical examination, and a plain X-ray film showed free air in the abdominal cavity. An emergency laparotomy was performed which revealed three perforated ulcers in the affected intestine. An abrupt increase in intraluminal pressure due to the striking force of the steering wheel to the abdomen was assumed to have been the cause of these perforations.     

Penicillin as a supplement in resolving the localized acute apical abscess

PROBLEM: Antibiotics are often prescribed indiscriminately to treat endodontic emergencies. OBJECTIVES: This study examined (1) the effect of penicillin supplementation on reduction of symptoms and (2) the course of recovery of localized acute apical abscess after emergency treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Patients with pulp necrosis and periapical pain and/or localized swelling were considered. Those eligible did not have any signs of spreading infections. Patients received appropriate local treatment, and a double-blind protocol was used to randomly assign them to one of three groups: penicillin VK group, placebo group, or neither medication group. All received ibuprofen 600 mg four times daily for 24 hours. Patients entered their pre- and postoperative pain and swelling experience on a visual analog scale for up to 72 hours. RESULTS: Resolution was fairly rapid in most patients. Statistical analysis of the scores of 32 respondents revealed no significant differences (at p < 0.05) between the three groups in course of recovery or symptoms at any time period. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with localized periapical pain or swelling generally recovered quickly with local treatment. The data did not show a demonstrable benefit from penicillin supplementation.     

Foreign body intestinal perforation and intra-abdominal abscess formation as a complication of enteroplication in a dog

On 6 Dutch dairy farms cows died of an acute, very serious mastitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This happened shortly after drying off with antibiotics. Before drying off the teat ends were cleaned with teat wipes contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.     

Jejunal atresia with absent mesentery and a helical ileum

Of 59 infants with jejunoileal atresia, seven presented with absence of mesentery, the main superior mesenteric artery ceasing to exist beyond the origin of the right colic or ileocolic artery, and a helical ileum. This distinctive form of jejunal atresia has been recognized with increasing frequency in recent years. Distal to the atresia, the small bowel receives its blood supply retrograde from an artery derived from the ileocolic or right colic arcades, and the ileum coils around its nutrient artery in an "apple peel" or "Christmas tree" deformity. The first three patients in this report died. The lastion, but they recovered as their malabsorption gradually disappeared. The treatment includes resection of the dilated bowel, as in other atresias. Resection of part of the distal bowel may be required for additional atresias or for poor vascularity with questionable viability. Postoperative malabsorption generally requires intravenous hyperalimentation.     

Liver abscess secondary to intrahepatic perforation of the gallbladder, presenting as a liver mass

We present an unusual case of a large pyogenic liver abscess containing multiple stones caused by perforation of a necrotic gallbladder and spread of the infection into the liver. It manifested by weakness, weight loss, and a palpable liver mass, pointing toward a neoplastic process. Workup for metastatic disease was negative, and tumor markers also were negative. Ultrasound and computerized tomography were inconclusive, and the diagnosis was established by laparoscopy. Open drainage and cholecystectomy were performed, with good outcome. In the literature, there have been very few reports of intrahepatic perforation of the gallbladder resulting in formation of hepatic abscess. The presentation, diagnosis, and management of liver abscesses, as well as the complications of acute cholecystitis, are discussed.     

Jejunal lipomatosis with diverticulosis: report of a case

We herein report the very rare case of a 68-year-old Japanese man with multiple jejunal lipomatosis and diverticulosis. He was admitted to our hospital with the chief complaint of melena and anemia. A barium study of the small bowel showed multiple lipomatosis and diverticulosis. An approximately 200-cm length of the jejunum was therefore resected. Thereafter, two diverticula and 215 lipomas were recognized in the resected specimen. A pathological examination showed mature adipose tissue with fibrous septa in the submucosal and muscularis propria. These findings were thus suggested to be due to the attenuation of the muscularis propria. The complications of lipomatosis are also discussed.     

Sarcoidosis with nasal obstruction and septal perforation

Although sarcoidosis is predominantly a pulmonary disorder, it often produces disease in the head and neck. For this reason, otolaryngologists should be comfortable in evaluating and treating the disease. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis often can be made with a biopsy of conjunctival or oral mucosa, even when disease manifestations are not apparent in those parts of the body. In a case of sarcoidosis involving the nose, a 54-year-old black man had a proliferation of small lumps on the tip of his nose. For many years, he had had daily epistaxis, anosmia and severe difficulty breathing through this nose. The bridge of his nose was deformed, and he had a large anterior septal perforation. Physical examination revealed palpable bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy. Laboratory test results were, for the most part, normal; however, fine-needle aspiration of one of the cervical lymph nodes showed multiple epithelioid granulomas with interspersed lymphocyte, and an incisional biopsy of the nasal tissue was highly suggestive of sarcoidosis. Unenhanced computed tomography also revealed widespread nasal inflammation and an abnormal soft tissue mass anterior to the maxilla consistent with chronic osteomyelitis. The patient's condition dramatically improved following treatment with oral prednisone; however, he considered undergoing reconstructive surgery for the noticeable nasal septal deformity.     

Granuloma annulare with transfollicular perforation

The decline in oestrogen secretion at the time of the menopause may give rise to symptoms involving the genital and autonomic nervous systems. There is evidence that it may also contribute to the incidence of psychological features, such as depression, and to the development of post-menopausal osteoporosis. Oestrogen replacement therapy clearly reverses the genital changes and the hot flushes, and may prevent the development of osteoporosis and lead to improvement in depression. Recent evidence indicates an association between oestrogen replacement therapy and endometrial cancer, although the exact nature of the relationship, and the factors which might alter it, remain unknown. Current data do not permit the physician to make a decision with conviction concerning the indications for, nature of and duration of oestrogen replacement in the symptomatic post-menopausal woman, but it is recommended that she be given such therapy in effective dosage and in association with regular progestagen supplement in order to achieve medical curettage. Further research is required in order to resolve many of the relevant controversies.     

Pneumonitis and pulmonary abscess associated with Moraxella nonliquefaciens

A 78-year-old man with pneumonitis and pulmonary abscess associated with Moraxella nonliquefaciens is presented. This organism was found by culture of both transtracheal aspirate and sputum. No previous reports have associated M nonliquefaciens with infection of the lower respiratory tract, although sinusitis and bronchitis have been reported. Possible predisposing factors in our patient included carcinoma of the larynx, as well as alcohol ingestion and cigarette smoking.     

Ovarian abscess with spontaneous vaginal drainage

The occurrence of a rare ovarian abscess, spontaneously drained through the vagina after an abdominal hysterectomy is described. The treatment was an oophorectomy. The various forms of primary ovarian abscess are discussed in connection with these observations. This case illustrates the need for adequate manipulation of the gonad during pelvic surgery in order to avoid parenchymal contamination and the subsequent formation of such abscesses.     

Breast abscess associated with Helcococcus kunzii

Helcococcus kunzii, a nonvirulent member of the human skin flora, has recently been implicated in causing infections in immunosuppressed patients. We report a case of breast abscess associated with H. kunzii in an immunocompetant patient and discuss the criteria used in its identification and our observations of susceptibility testing for this species.