Aims : To test the hypothesis that artefact caused by postmortem off-gassing is at least partly responsible for the presence of gas within the vascular system and tissues of the cadaver following death associated with compressed air diving. Methods : Controlled experiment sacrificing sheep after a period of simulated diving in a hyperbaric chamber and carrying out sequential postmortem computed tomography (CT) on the cadavers. Results: All the subject sheep developed significant quantities of gas in the vascular system within 24 hours, as demonstrated by CT and necropsy, while the control animals did not. Conclusions : The presence of gas in the vascular system of human cadavers following diving associated fatalities is to be expected, and is not necessarily connected with gas embolism following pulmonary barotrauma, as has previously been claimed.

A rare case of obturator hernia is presented in a patient with persistent small bowel obstruction. There was a paucity of specific signs and poor general health which caused a delay in diagnosis. Ultimately delayed films from a barium follow through showed barium-filled bowel in the region of the right obturator foramen: A computed tomography scan then confirmed the diagnosis by demonstrating the barium-filled small bowel herniating through the right obturator foramen. Other imaging modalities such as herniography, barium enemas and ultrasound have also been successfully employed to diagnose obturator hernias.

Wandering spleen is a condition that describes the movement of the spleen to an ectopic location inside the abdomen/ pelvis as a result of weakened peritoneal ligaments. Wandering spleens are rare, with a less than 0.2% incidence being reported. Diagnosing a wandering spleen can be challenging because of the wide range of findings and the oftentimes vagueness of the patient's symptoms. The most common ectopic location of the spleen is the left mid-abdomen. The most frequent treatment for wandering spleen includes splenopexy or splenectomy, depending on the complications associated with the condition.

Infantile abdominal aortic aneurysms are rare, usually detected incidentally, and associated with connective tissue disease or due to iatrogenic causes. The diagnosis should be considered when a large cystic mass (especially pulsatile) is found in a neonate and confirmed using color and duplex sonography. Undiagnosed aneurysms have a high mortality rate. Surgical treatment is warranted when the patient is stabilized and may result in a normal outcome, although future graft replacement may be necessary.