Summary
Anatomical abnormalities of the liver are extremely rare. Although the majority of cases with an accessory liver are not detected, it can give rise to various clinical symptoms like recurrent abdominal pain and impaired liver function. Here we present the first case of orthotopic liver transplantation in a patient with hepatic ischemia caused by complete vascular occlusion due to a twisted accessory liver lobe. Although rare, an accessory liver lobe may cause serious and life‐threatening problems and should therefore be kept in mind in patients presenting with acute abdominal pain.
A 27-year-old woman with a giant cell tumor of the rib with a cystic-hemorrhagic appearance underwent surgery consisting of en bloc resection and reconstruction of the thoracic wall with Marlex mesh, reinforced with two titanium plates. When possible this type of tumor requires resection, instead of radiotherapy, since the majority of cases of malignant transformation are linked to prior radiation therapy.
Summary
Intestinal transplantation has evolved into an established treatment for patients with intestinal failure. Although acute rejection episodes are reversible, late onset and chronic rejections remain major prognostic factors. We describe here our experience with endoscopic and histologic long‐term monitoring through a cutaneous enterostomy. Between 1989 and 2003, 24 intestinal transplants were performed. After revascularization and reconstruction of proximal intestinal continuity, a side‐to‐end ileo‐enterostomy was performed 20 cm from the stoma and the terminal allograft ileostomy left in the abdominal wall. Approximately after 2 months, in eight patients (nine transplants), the stoma was excluded from the gastrointestinal continuity, allowing ongoing endoscopy and histologic examination. Of 280 forceps biopsies, 64 (23%) were performed through the ‘blind ostomy’. Eleven acute allograft rejections were diagnosed between days 3 and 51, with two episodes in three cases. Through the ‘blind ostomy’, a late mild acute rejection was diagnosed in five instances, three to 37 months after transplantation. In all these patients, basal immunosuppression was intensified. Chronic rejection was seen in three cases 4–26 months after transplantation. In one of the three patients, chronic rejection was diagnosed from the excluded blind enterostomy. A long‐term cutaneous enterostomy, even if disconnected from the intestinal continuity, enables simple long‐term monitoring of small bowel allografts.
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