The current rate of bile duct injury (BDI) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy is 0.4%, which is an unacceptable outcome. Several surgical approaches have been suggested to mitigate the occurrence of this dreaded complication. We propose a standardized approach, using Calot's node as a critical anatomical landmark to guide gallbladder dissection and avoid BDI. We retrospectively analyzed a prospectively gathered database of 907 laparoscopic cholecystectomies using this standardized approach in our practice over a 5-year period. To date we have had no BDI and no cystic duct leak. Therefore, we suggest identification of Calot's node as an additional method to avoid BDI during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Duplication of the appendix is a rare congenital anomaly that, in adults, is most often found incidentally during surgery for other reasons. Appendicitis in the duplicated appendix is very rare and has been reported less than 10 times in the medical literature. We describe a 33-year-old woman with worsening periumbilical pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Physical examination showed localized peritonitis in the right lower quadrant. She had an elevated white blood cell count with neutrophilia. Computed tomography showed acute ruptured appendicitis. Diagnostic laparoscopy showed 2 appendices attached via separate bases to a single cecum with no other concurrent anomalies. Both appendices were removed laparoscopically. Histopathology confirmed normal appendiceal tissue in one and severe acute transmural appendicitis in the other. Awareness of appendiceal duplication and a thorough intraoperative inspection are critical to assess the presence of significant associated anomalies and avoid life-threatening complications.

Intestinal obstruction due to midgut malrotation in neonates is well known. The incidence of malrotation in newborns is around 1:500 and the symptomatic incidence is 1:6000 births. Duodenal web as a cause of intestinal obstruction is less common and is reported to be 1:10 000–1:40 000. Malrotation is known to be associated with other congenital obstructive anomalies including duodenal atresia, stenosis and duodenal web. But, intestinal obstruction due to malrotation associated with duodenal web has been reported only rarely with a few published cases in our literature review. We present a case of intestinal obstruction diagnosed in the prenatal period via sonogram. A plain X-ray of the abdomen after birth showed a distended duodenum with paucity of air distally suggesting duodenal obstruction. An exploratory laparotomy showed a duodenal web proximal to the sphincter of oddi. The patient also had an associated malrotation and underwent Ladd's procedure and appendectomy. The post-operative period was uneventful.

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Background Leiomyosarcomas of breast are very rare tumors, with only 54 cases reported in the literature to date. Methods We report a case of leiomyosarcoma in a 52-year-old woman who presented with a painless left breast mass in the upper outer quadrant of her left breast. It measured about 6 cm in diameter and was located within the breast parenchyma with no skin involvement. Mammogram was suggestive of BI-RADS IV lesion, and core biopsy of the lesion was inconclusive. Results Histopathology and immunohistochemistry of the excision biopsy of the mass confirmed the diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma approaching the specimen margins. The patient underwent simple mastectomy, which did not reveal any residual tumor or additional lesions. Follow-up for a year after her mastectomy did not show any local or systemic recurrence. Conclusions We reviewed the literature and summarize our findings as recommendations for management of leiomyosarcoma of breast.

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