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Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) is a rare malignant neoplasm of the breast which is highly aggressive and is known for its early recurrence and poor prognosis. Concurrent detection of a MBC and tuberculosis of the axillary lymph node is a rarity. To the best of our knowledge, there is no such case report in the literature. A 35-year-old premenopausal woman was diagnosed as a case of left carcinoma breast with a left axillary lymph node. Core-needle biopsy of the breast was suggestive of squamous cell carcinoma. The patient underwent modified radical mastectomy with a latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap. The postoperative biopsy of the breast and axilla revealed MBC and tuberculous lymphadenitis of the axillary lymph node. The patient received antitubercular therapy and radiotherapy, followed by chemotherapy and had no recurrence on follow-up. This case report emphasizes that metaplastic carcinoma breast can coexist with tuberculous axillary lymphadenopathy.

Background: The major determinant of the results of surgical resection for liver tumors is the volume and quality of the future liver remnant. The hepatopathy of the non-tumoral liver not only limits the type of surgery but also the risk of recurrence in primary liver tumors. With respect to liver metastasis, pre-operative chemotherapy is the usual treatment strategy and the hepatotoxicity of prolonged chemotherapy is an important risk factor for post-operative morbi-mortality. In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) waiting for liver transplantation (LT), clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) is a risk for tumor progression and dropout of the waiting list for LT. Overall, degree of liver fibrosis and portal hypertension in the non-tumoral liver are important factors in the management of patients with liver tumors as they determine the prognosis of patients after hepatectomy. FibroScan®, which estimate the degree of liver fibrosis and steatosis, could utilized to evaluate the non-tumoral liver and predict the post-operative outcomes and the risk of dropout from the list of LT in HCC patients waiting for LT. Methods: Consecutive patients programmed to undergo hepatectomy or LT were included in the present study prospectively after an informed consent. Liver stiffness (LS) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) were measured pre-operatively by transient elastography using FibroScan® 502 Touch Standard device with M or XL probes. Results: LS-based nomograms that were developed and valided in this study were accurate to predict 90-day severe morbidity and 90-day mortality after hepatectomy for various hepatobiliary diseases. In patients with HCC undergoing hepatectomy, elevated LS ≥22 kPa was a risk factor for persistent hepatic decompensation beyond the 90-day post-operative period. Moreover, LS ≥30 kPa and CAP 95% of the patients with chronic liver disease and would avoid further unnecessary investigations. Conclusion: Pre-operative evaluation of patients with transient elastography would enable surgeons to predict major complications and mortality after hepatectomy with LS-based nomograms. In patients with HCC, LS ≥30 kPa was an important risk factor of incomplete surgical resection, early recurrence after hepatectomy and for tumor progression and dropout while waiting for LT. Therefore, LT must be the primary treatment in HCC patients with LS ≥30 kPa.; Contexte: Les limites du traitement chirurgical des tumeurs du foie sont définies par la réserve hépatique fonctionnelle qui est déterminée par le volume et la qualité du foie non tumoral restant. L’hépatopathie sous-jacente détermine non seulement la place de la chirurgie mais aussi le risque de récidive pour les tumeurs hépatiques primitives. Dans les cas des métastases hépatiques, la chimiothérapie précède très souvent la chirurgie et l’hépatotoxicité de cette chimiothérapie est un risque important des complications post opératoires. Dans le contexte particulier de la transplantation hépatique (TH) pour le carcinome hépatocellulaire (CHC), l’hypertension portale est un risque de progression tumorale pendant la période d’attente et la sortie de la liste. Le foie non tumoral est donc est un facteur important dans la prise en charge des patients avec des tumeurs du foie. FibroScan® qui mesure l'élasticité du foie pourrait être utilisé pour évaluer le foie et prédire les suites post opératoires et la risque de progression de CHC dans la liste de TH. Méthodes: Les patients consécutifs qui ont été programmés pour subir une hépatectomie ou une transplantation ont été inclus dans l'étude après un consentement éclairé. L'élastométrie (LS) et le paramètre d'atténuation contrôlée (CAP) du foie non tumorale ont été estimés en pré opératoire par l’élastographie transitoire avec le dispositif FibroScan® 502 Touch en utilisant des sondes M ou XL. Résultats: Les nomogrammes basés sur LS qui ont été développés et validés dans cette étude ont pu hépatectomie pour les maladies hépatobiliaires. Chez les patients atteints de CHC, LS a joué un rôle plus important car il prédit non seulement les résultats de 90 jours, mais aussi la décompensation hépatique persistante au-delà de la période post-opératoire. En plus, LS ≥30 kPa et CAP 95% des patients et éviter des investigations supplémentaires et inutiles. Conclusion: L'exploration des patients prévus pour l'hépatectomie permet d'prévoir des complications sévères et la mortalité après l’hépatectomie. LS ≥30 kPa élevé est un facteur de risque important la récidive après la résection et de progression de CHC en attente de TH. Par conséquent, TH devrait être le traitement en première intention avec les patients avec LS ≥30 kPa.

This prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the safety, tolerability and outcome of early oral feeding vs. traditional feeding in patients undergoing elective open bowel surgery. A total of 120 consecutive patients who underwent elective open bowel surgeries were randomized into either early feeding (n = 60) or traditional feeding group (n = 60). Patients in the early feeding group were started on oral fluids on post-operative day 1, while those in the traditional feeding group were started orals after the resolution of ileus. Patient characteristics, surgical procedures, co-morbidity, first flatus, first defecation, time of starting solid diet, complications and length of hospitalization were assessed between the two groups. The two groups were similar in demographic and baseline data. The number of days to first flatus (p

Gastrointestinal tuberculosis accounts for 3% of the extrapulmonary tuberculosis with ileocaecal region being the common site of involvement up to 75%. Primary involvement of appendix is very rare and accounts for only 0.6% to 2.9% of gastrointestinal tuberculosis in the absence tubercular focus elsewhere. The pre-operative investigations usually give non-specific results. The diagnosis in most instances made only after histopathology. Here we report a case of primary appendicular tuberculosis in a patient presented with caecal perforation.

Jejunogastric intussusception is a rare long term complication of Billroth II gastrectomy. The case reported here is a 50 year old man with history of a Billroth II gastrectomy and Braun’s side-to-side jejunojejunal anastomosis who presented with hematemesis. On abdominal examination, there was a mass in the left iliac fossa. Computed tomography scan showed a retrograde jejunogastric intussusception across the gastrojejunostomy. On laparotomy, a retrograde intussusception of the distal jejunum through the jejunojejunal anastomosis and across the gastrojejunostomy with a gangrenous intussusceptum was found. The jejunojejunal anastomosis was taken down, the gangrenous segment was resected and bowel continuity was restored with two jejunojejunal anastomoses, proximal and distal to the gastrojejunostomy. The gastrojejunostomy was preserved. This case brings out an unusual type of retrograde gangrenous intussusception which occurred at two points of a previous anastomosis, i.e., jejunojejunostomy and gastrojejunostomy simultaneously, which could be managed with jejunal resection.

Splenic artery aneurysms are the most common visceral aneurysm occuring predominantly in females. They are usually asymptomatic, and the symptomatic presentation includes chronic abdominal pain of varied severity or an acute rupture with hypotension. Splenic artery aneurysm causing extrahepatic portal hypertension is very rare and is due to splenic vein thrombosis that develops secondary to compression by the aneurysm. We report one such rare presentation of splenic artery aneurysms in a pregnant female with the features of EHPVO (variceal bleed, hypersplenism) treated by splenectomy along with excision of the aneurysm.

Anal fissures are associated with hypertonia of the internal anal sphincter and pain. We evaluated the efficacy of local application of a combination of minoxidil and lignocaine in healing anal fissures.In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, 90 patients with anal fissure were recruited. Patients received local applications of ointments containing 5% lignocaine (n=28), 0.5% minoxidil (n=36), or both (n=26). Healing of anal fissure at 6 weeks was used as the primary end-point.Rates of complete healing of fissure were similar in the three groups (lignocaine alone 8/27, minoxidil alone 10/34, combination 7/22; p=ns). Mean (SD) time taken for complete healing with combination treatment [1.9 (0.6) weeks] was significantly shorter than that with minoxidil alone (3.1 [1.7] weeks; p=0.001) or with lignocaine alone (3.3 [0.8] weeks; p=0.002). Rates of pain relief were similar in the three groups. Stoppage of bleeding occurred more often with combination treatment than with lignocaine alone. No patient had systemic or local side effects.Combination treatment with minoxidil and lignocaine helps in faster healing of anal fissures and provides better symptomatic relief than either drug alone.

Retrograde jejuno-gastric intussusception is a potentially fatal complication of a Billroth II gastrectomy [1, 2]. In all, there are just over 200 cases reported [2]. The condition may present with varied clinical presentations like abdominal pain, vomiting, haematemesis, gastric outlet obstruction, intestinal obstruction, and intestinal gangrene [1,3-6]. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reported cases of haematemesis presenting in a patient with retrograde jejuno- gastric intussusception through a Braun's jejuno-jejunostomy. We present a case that highlights an unusual type of retrograde gangrenous intussusception which occurred across two points of previous anastomosis i.e. jejuno-jejunostomy and gastro-jejunostomy simultaneously. Sri Lanka Journal of Surgery 2013; 31(3):64-65 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljs.v31i3.5191