We report our experience and results in the management of Fournier's gangrene. Fournier's gangrene is a synergistic infective necrotizing fasciitis, which involves perianal, perineal and genital regions, originated mostly from colorectal and genitourinary sources. Charts and records from 28 patients with Fournier's gangrene diagnosed between 1993 and 1997 were reviewed. The mean patients age was 57.8 years (range, 22-82 years); mean hospital stay was 19 days. Eighteen patients (64.3%) were diabetic. The most common source of gangrene was ischiorectal abscess in 22 patients (78.6%). Colostomy was performed on 14 patients (50%) and cystostomy on 7 patients (25%). Ten patients (35.7%) died because of sepsis. In conclusion, medical and surgical treatment should be aggressive. Colostomy should only be performed if sphincter complex is damaged. Multidisciplinary management is mandatory, because of high morbidity and mortality.

Late perforation after ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting is extremely rare. Colonic perforation is uncommon and represents 0.1%-0.7% of abdominal complications. Colonic perforation can challenge diagnostic and therapeutic decisions, and there are no clear guidelines on the management of this problem. We present a 34-year-old woman who was admitted for a 1-week history of sensation of a foreign body through the anus at the time of bowel movements. She had previously undergone a VP derivation for hydrocephalus secondary to neurocysticercosis. Plain abdominal radiographs demonstrated the shunt within the colonic lumen and through the descendening and sigmoid colon. The shunt was exteriorized in the cervical area and a laparotomy was performed with a primary two-layer colonic close. The patient received antibiotic therapy for 2 weeks with good outcome. Percutaneous and endoscopic approaches have been reported in patients with no abdominal signs. Prompt recognition of this complication is critical to avoid high mortality rates.

Endoanal sonography can be used in the assessment of benign and malignant anal conditions and to evaluate the anatomy of the anal sphincters. We used endoanal sonography with a 10-MHz rotating endocavitary probe to evaluate a 45-year-old woman with a perianal mass, fecal incontinence, and menses-associated perianal pain. She had had 2 vaginal deliveries requiring episiotomies. Biopsy of the mass showed endometrial tissue. The ultrasound examination showed a perianal mass and an external anal sphincter injury. A wide excision and sphincteroplasty were performed, with improvement of fecal continence and pain. Histopathologic examination of the mass confirmed perianal endometrioma in an episiotomy scar.

Background Human bone marrow transplantation (BMT) becomes an accepted treatment of leukemia, aplastic anemia, immunodeficiency syndromes, and hematologic malignancies. Colorectal surgeons must know how to determine and manage the main colonic complications. Objective To review the clinical features, clinical and pathological staging of graft vs host disease (GVHD), and treatment of patients suffering with colonic complications of human bone marrow transplantation. Patients and methods We have reviewed the records of all patients that received an allogeneic bone marrow transplant and were evaluated at our Colon and Rectal Surgery department due to gastrointestinal symptoms, between January 2007 and January 2012. The study was carried out in patients who developed colonic complications, all of them with clinical, histopathological or laboratory diagnosis. Results The study group was constituted by 77 patients, 43 male and 34 female patients. We identified colonic complications in 30 patients (38.9%); five patients developed intestinal toxicity due to pretransplant chemotherapy (6.4%); graft vs. host disease was present in 16 patients (20%); 13 patients (16.8%) developed acute colonic GVHD, and 3 (3.8%) chronic GVHD. Infection was identified in 9 patients (11.6%). Conclusions The three principal colonic complications are the chemotherapy toxicity, GVHD, and superinfection; the onset of symptoms could help to suspect the type of complication (0–20 day chemotherapy toxicity, 20 and more GVHD), and infection could appear in any time of transplantation.