We present the case of a 78-year-old female who presented to the emergency department with small bowel obstruction in a virgin abdomen. Although the patient did not have peritonism and biochemical investigations did not reveal alarming features of ischemia, an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan was suggestive of small bowel volvulus (SBV), and operative exploration was pursued. No obvious cause was identified aside from hard stools throughout the colon and a diagnosis of primary SBV was determined. She was subsequently discharged symptom-free on day seven post-operatively. She represented on day 10 post-operatively with a similar history, examination, and abdominal CT findings suggestive of SBV recurrence. Her volvulus slowly resolved post administration of rectal enemas and did not require any further operative intervention; she was discharged on day eight of re-admission (day 19 post-operatively) with no recurrence of her symptoms on a regular diet. In this article, we discuss the management of SBV.
Haemorrhagic cholecystitis (HC) is a rare cause of cholecystitis that can be fatal if management is delayed. HC could present in the setting of trauma, malignancy and bleeding diathesis, such as renal failure, cirrhosis and anticoagulation. Its symptoms are easily confused with acute calculous or acalculous cholecystitis and might include haemobilia or hematemesis as blood drains from the gallbladder into the gastrointestinal tract. Imaging of HC can be misleading unless the possibility of this diagnosis is considered. In this report, we present an interesting case of HC in a patient with none of the above comorbidities and the patient who was not on anticoagulation neither anti platelets. The case includes relevant imaging and a review of the literature on this rare subject.
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