The incidence of CFBs is disproportionately higher in men. Various techniques for removal are available, including some that are minimally invasive. The appropriate technique will depend on the size and surface of the retained object and the presence of complications such as perforation or obstruction.

This study supports the use of laparoscopic surgery for the elective removal of migrated intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCD) from within the peritoneal cavity.

Background: Increased numbers of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are positively correlated with poor prognosis and reduced survivals of cancer patients. They play central roles in tumor immune evasion and tumor metastasis. However, limited data are available on phenotypic/transcriptomic characteristics of the different MDSCs subsets in cancer. These cells include immature (I-MDSCs), monocytic (M-MDSCs), and polymorphonuclear/ granulocytic (PMN-MDSCs). Methods: Phenotypic characterization of myeloid subsets from 27 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients was assessed by flow cytometric analyses. RNA-sequencing of sorted I-MDSCs, PMN-MDSCs, and antigen-presenting cells (APCs) was also performed. Results: We found that the levels of I-MDSCs and PMN-MDSCs were increased in tumor tissues (TT), compared with normal tissues (NT) in colorectal cancer. Our functional annotation analyses showed that genes associated with histone deacetylase (HDAC) activation-and DNA methylation-mediated transcriptional silencing were upregulated, and histone acetyl transferase (HAT)-related genes were downregulated in tumorinfiltrating I-MDSCs. Moreover, pathways implicated in cell trafficking and immune suppression, including Wnt, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, were upregulated in I-MDSCs. Notably, PMN-MDSCs showed downregulation in genes related to DNA methylation and HDAC binding. Using an ex vivo model, we found that inhibition of HDAC activation or neutralization of IL-6 in CRC tumor tissues downregulates the expression of genes associated with immunosuppression and myeloid cell chemotaxis, confirming the importance of HDAC activation and IL-6 signaling pathway in MDSC function and chemotaxis. Conclusions: This study provides novel insights into the epigenetic regulations and other molecular pathways in different myeloid cell subsets within the CRC tumor microenvironment (TME), giving opportunities to potential targets for therapeutic benefits.

Inflammation of a solitary caecal diverticulum is an uncommon pathological condition. Preoperatively the condition is almost indistinguishable from appendicitis, and is often confused with carcinoma of the caecum during operation. The typical patient with this condition is male, Asian, and in the fourth decade of life. This case is unusual in that the patient was a 26-year-old Caucasian man. Case presentationA 26-year-old white man was admitted to our hospital with a three day history of constant abdominal pain, which started centrally and shifted to the right lower quadrant. He had had recurrent episodes of abdominal pain for six months prior to his presentation. He had no vomiting or change of bowel habit, and no urinary symptoms. Physical examination revealed a temperature of 37.9°C, pulse 90 beats/min, and BP 130/80 mmHg. Marked right iliac fossa tenderness with rebound was the only significant physical finding. Digital rectal examination was normal. Apart from a raised WCC of 12.9 and CRP of 42, other initial investigations including urinalysis where within normal limits.A presumptive diagnosis of appendicitis was made. Laparotomy revealed a right iliac fossa mass. There was a small amount of clear free fluid. The appendix was normal, as was the terminal ileum. There was a solitary diverticulum projecting from the medial aspect of the caecum and forming an inflammatory mass with the omentum. A limited right hemicolectomy was performed. The patient's recovery was uneventful. Examination of the resected specimen showed solitary caecal diverticulitis with perforation.

Abdominal intercostal herniation occurs rarely, with only 27 previous cases reported in the literature. An 84-year-old man presented with a painful large thoraco-abdominal mass. He had no history of trauma or surgery to the chest or abdomen. A thoraco-abdominal computerized tomography scan revealed a protrusion of intra-abdominal omental fat into a sac between the left eighth and ninth ribs. We present a novel technique for the repair of this uncommon condition. There were no peri-operative complications and the patient was asymptomatic on review 9 months later. We suggest that a laparoscopic approach may be used for treatment of an uncomplicated abdominal intercostal hernia.