A high clinical sense of the surgeon is mandatory in unstable deteriorating patients. Usually, a definitive diagnosis through an urgent laparotomy for repair of transmesenteric hernia and resection of gangrenous bowel leads to a successful outcome.

Author contributions: Wael Mohialddin Doush was responsible for original manuscript writing, editing, supervision, and critical revision of contents. Wael Mohialddin Doush, Elfatih Yousif Abdelrahim, and Khatab M. Adam were responsible for data collection, data analysis, and manuscript design. Wael Mohialddin Doush and Muataz S. Abdelaziz were responsible for manuscript drafting and revision. All authors read and gave the final approval of the manuscript to be published. Financial support: No financial support or sponsorship was available for this study from any institution.

Background: The problem of difficult gallbladder is not clearly defined and associated with real missing of therapeutic approaches that decreased morbidity. Moreover, the difficult gallbladder was reported as a contributing risk factor for biliary injury due to raised difficulty in surgical dissection within Calot’s triangle. The aim of this study is to determine the surgical outcomes of the open fundus-first cholecystectomy in lowering the rate of lethal intraoperative risks. Subjects and Methods: Our prospective study conducted during the period of January 2019 to December 2022 at Ibn Sina specialized hospital, Khartoum, Sudan, for two hundred and fifty-three patients underwent elective open fundus-first cholecystectomy for intraoperative difficulties. Results: the majority of cases had long-standing cholelithiasis with intraoperative difficulties revealed by pre-operative TUS and MRCP which required open fundus-first cholecystectomy in 173 (68.4%) of patients, (P-value <0.05). The operative surgical time was 120 minutes in 103 patients (40.7%), (P-value <0.05). During open cholecystectomy, variable intraoperative difficulties were found in all patients, (P-value <0.05) and were divided into: (A) Contracted intra-hepatic gallbladder seen in 157 (62.1%) of cases; (B) Distorted anatomy within Calot's triangle seen in 135 (53.4%) of patients; and (C) Intraoperative bleeding from the liver bed was observed as bloody oozing form in 150 (59.3%) of cases. Our patients had minimal postoperative complications like mild wound infection in 8 (3.2%) of cases and mortality rate was zero.  Conclusions: There is a need for appropriate therapeutic and preventive strategies in healthcare systems for safe dealing with difficult cholecystectomy. Unclear anatomy due to severe inflammatory dense adhesions at Calot’s triangle and CBD stones needing difficult surgeries are the most important limiting factors for fundus-first laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Hence, we humbly recommend an open approach of fundus-first cholecystectomy as safe surgical option to reduce the incidence of bile duct injuries and intra-operative bleeding.

Ab

Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases, remains a serious public health problem in many developing countries in the tropics and subtropics and its pathogenesis depends on the parasite-host interaction. Periportal fibrosis of schistosomiasis complicated by portal hypertension results from increased intrahepatic vascular resistance and blood flow through the portal venous system. This leads to portosystemic collateral variceal veins formation which dilates until they finally rupture and bleed due to progressive rising in the portal venous pressure. The clinical impact of esophagogastric varices is critical due to the rebleeding rate of esophageal varices remains high within two years after cessation of acute bleeding from medium or large varices. In the present review, we will discuss hepatosplenic schistosomiasis and oesophagogastric varices pathophysiology and review the current surgical outcomes of distal splenorenal shunt or liver transplantation in schistosomal refractory variceal bleeding.

Background: Until recently, the knowledge of the anatomical variations in the relationship between the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and the inferior thyroid artery (ITA) combined with visual intraoperative RLN identification are essential for the protection of these life-important structures during surgical exposure and the mobilization of thyroid and parathyroid glands. This leads to the proper treatment of patients and improvement of the surgical techniques.Aim: To describe anatomical variations in the relationship of the recurrent laryngeal nerve to the inferior thyroid artery in the Sudanese population.Patients and methods: Following ethical committee approval, an observational descriptive prospective cross-sectional study in the period between March 2019 and February 2020, for anatomical variations in the relation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve to the inferior thyroid artery in seventy-two cervical sides of thirty-six well-dissected embalmed Sudanese cadavers. The RLN was investigated in three positions: posterior to the ITA main trunk, anterior to the ITA main trunk and between the ITA branches. Then, the results were analyzed according to the gender, age and dissection side.Results: We found that the anatomical variations were more frequent in males (97.2%) than females (2.8%). The age of these variations ranged between 31–45 years which represents (61.1%). On the right side of the neck, the commonest position of the RLN is posterior to the ITA (63.9%) followed by in decreasing order of frequency, the RLNs run between the ITA branches (30.6%) and anterior to the ITA (5.6%). On the left side of the neck, the commonest position of the RLN is posterior to the ITA (69.4%). It passed between the ITA branches in (30.6%) of specimens. There was no anterior location of the RLN to the ITA. Variations in a relationship of the RLN to the ITA on one side is significantly different from the opposite side.Conclusions: Although the risk of potential damage to the RLN during surgical neck procedures involving the thyroid gland and parathyroid glands is well recognized, pre-operative detailed surgeon’s knowledge for these frequent anatomical variations and the usage of the ITA as an anatomical landmark for intraoperative RLN recognition is important. This will lead to a reduction of iatrogenic RLN injury prevalence. Future studies are recommended to compare the findings on this cadaveric study with a larger sample size in the long-term period.

Background: Epidemiological observations suggest links between osteoporosis and the risk of acute cardiovascular events. Whether the two clinical conditions are linked by common pathogenic factors or atherosclerosis per se remains incompletely understood. The reduction of bone density and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women contributes to elevated lipid parameters and body mass index (BMI). Objective: To investigate the relationship between serum lipid profile, BMI and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods: A prospective analytical case control-study conducted in Khartoum north hospital at Khartoum city, capital of the Sudan from April 2017 to March 2018 after ethical approval obtained from the local Research Ethics Committee of Faculty of Medical Laboratories, Alzaeim Alazhary University on the committee meeting number (109) on Wednesday 15th February 2017. A written informed consent was obtained from all participants to participate in the study.Two hundred postmenopausal women were enrolled in the study. The age was studied in one hundred osteoporosis postmenopausal women as a case group and one hundred non-osteoporosis postmenopausal women as control group. The serum lipid profiles were estimated using spectrophotometers (Mandry) and BMI calculated using Quetelet index formula. The data were analysed using SPSS version 16. Results: The BMI, serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and LDL in case group respectively were (24.846±2.1647, 251.190±27.0135 mg/dl, 168.790 ±45.774 mg/dl, 50.620 ± 7.174 mg/dl, 166.868 ±28.978 mg/dl). While the BMI, serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and LDL in control group respectively were (25.378 ±3.8115, 187.990 ± 26.611 mg/dl, 139.360±20.290 mg/dl, 49.480 ±4.659 mg/dl, 111.667 ±28.0045 mg/dl). All serum lipid profiles significantly increased (p=0.000) in the case group compared to the controlgroup, except serum HDL was insignificant different between the case and control group and also BMI was insignificant different between the case and control group. There was a positive Pearson’s correlation between BMD and serum total cholesterol (r= 0.832, P<0.01), serum LDL (r = 0.782, P<0.01) and serum triglyceride (r = 0.72, P<0.01). Conclusions: Osteoporotic postmenopausal women had a significant increase in serum lipid profile and BMI. Moreover, we found a positive link between women with cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Keywords: Osteoporosis; Postmenopausal women; Serum lipid profile; Sudan.

Pre-operative CD4/CD8 ratio <1.4 is an independent poor prognostic indicator for underweight patients undergoing liver transplantation. Early intervention in replenishing the nutrient deficit and cautious use of immunosuppressive regimens are essential to prepare this high-risk population for a more successful liver transplantation.