Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) and intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) are increasingly recognized as potential complications in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. ACS and IAH affect all body systems, most notably the cardiac, respiratory, renal, and neurologic systems. ACS/IAH affects blood flow to various organs and plays a significant role in the prognosis of the patients. Recognition of ACS/IAH, its risk factors and clinical signs can reduce the morbidity and mortality associated. Moreover, knowledge of the pathophysiology may help rationalize the therapeutic approach. We start this article with a brief historic review on ACS/IAH. Then, we present the definitions concerning parameters necessary in understanding ACS/IAH. Finally, pathophysiology aspects of both phenomena are presented, prior to exploring the various facets of ACS/IAH management.

Endometriosis is the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus. Spontaneous abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE) is any ectopic endometrium found superficial to the peritoneum without the presence of any previous scar. Rarely, endometriosis represents a disease of specific interest to the general surgeon, on account of its extrapelvic localisations. We describe a case with spontaneous AWE presenting as a painful mass with cyclic symptoms. A 28-year-old woman presented to the day-surgery division of our department, suffering from a painful mass in the left lower abdominal quadrant. A mobile mass of 5 x 4 cm was identified. The initial diagnosis was lipoma and excision was planned. During the operation two masses were spotted, very close to one another, and were excised within healthy limits. Pathology revealed endometrial glands surrounded by a disintegrating mantle of endometrial stroma and fibrous scar tissue in which there was a scattering of leucocytes. The woman had no scars. She was discharged from hospital after 2 hours. Two years after the excision she is free of disease and no recurrence has been observed. Spontaneous AWE is rare, accounting for 20% of all AWEs. The triad ; mass, pain and cyclic symptomatology helps in the diagnosis, but unfortunately it is not present in all cases. Spontaneous endometriomas are usually diagnosed by pathology and the treatment of choice is surgical excision.

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Use of the Harmonic Scalpel in total thyroidectomy is more effective than the clamp-and-tie technique: the duration of surgery, intraoperative difficulty, postoperative pain, and hospitalization are reduced. Both techniques are equivalent concerning RLN injuries, postoperative vocal alterations, and blood loss.

The results suggest that the presence of E. vermicularis in the appendix might cause appendiceal pain (colic), but can rarely be associated with pathologic findings of acute appendicitis.

BackgroundSacrococcygeal pilonidal disease is a chronic, well-recognized entity, characterized by the recurrent formation of an abscess or draining sinus over the sacrococcygeal area. It is one of the most common surgical problems. Rarely, chronic inflammation and recurrent disease leads to malignant transformation, most commonly to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).Case presentationWe describe an extremely unusual case of SCC developing in a 60-year-old patient with a chronic pilonidal sinus complicated by an anal fistula. After wide surgical excision of the pilonidal sinus and fistulas and because of the poor healing process 6 months later, colonoscopy and a percutaneous fistulography were performed, revealing an anal canal-pilonidal fistula. Patient was treated with a more radical surgical resection with a prophylactic loop colostomy, but healing was not accelerated. Multiple biopsies were then taken from the surgical site at the time, which revealed the development of SCC. CT and MRI imaging techniques revealed SCC partial invasion of the coccyx and sacrum. As a result, aggressive surgical approach was decided. Histological examination revealed moderately to poorly differentiated SCC, and the patient was treated with adjuvant radiation therapy postoperatively. Nine months later, recurrence was found in the sacrum and para-aorta lymph nodes and the patient died shortly after. We discuss the clinical features, pathogenesis, treatment options, and prognosis of this rare malignant transformation.ConclusionsThe development of SCC in chronic pilonidal disease is a rare but serious complication. Symptoms are usually attributed to the sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease (SPD), and diagnosis is often made late by histological examination of biopsies. Malignant transformation should be suspected in chronic SPD with recurrent episodes of inflammation, repeated purulent discharge, poor healing, and chronic complex fistulas.

ObjectiveGraves’ disease (GD) is an autoimmune thyroid disorder characterized by hyperthyroidism. The incidence of thyroid cancer in patients with GD varies from 0.15% to 15%. There is conflicting evidence on the role of thyroid nodules as a risk factor for thyroid cancer in patients with GD.DesignThree electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus) as well as grey literature sources were searched, from inception until 25 February 2019, for observational studies about the prevalence of thyroid cancer in patients with GD.PatientsClinical and ultrasonographic examination was necessary preoperatively for all patients to be classified depending on the presence/absence of thyroid nodules.MeasurementsPrimary outcome was the incidence of thyroid cancer. The latter was determined after total or near‐total thyroidectomy by the histopathologic report. Statistical analysis was performed with revman 5.3 software.ResultsThe systematic review and meta‐analysis included 7 studies with 2582 patients overall. The prevalence of any thyroid cancer was 11.5%. The presence of at least one thyroid nodule in patients with GD was associated with higher risk for thyroid cancer (odds ratio [OR] 5.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4‐11.6, I2 83%). A subgroup analysis showed no difference in thyroid cancer risk in patients with GD according to the number of nodules (solitary versus multiple) (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.9‐2.3, I2 0%).ConclusionsThe presence of thyroid nodules is positively associated with the prevalence of thyroid cancer in surgically treated patients with GD. However, further prospective research is needed as the heterogeneity among the studies is high.

Two-point bilateral BSCPB has a major analgesic effect on patients after total thyroidectomy, with a statistically significant reduction in postoperative pain scores. However, no significant difference was noted in the proportion of patients that required additional analgesics.