Meckel’s diverticulum is the commonest congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract. Its complications have an extensive variety of clinical and imaging manifestations, extending from benign and indolent findings to acute life-threatening conditions. Complicated Meckel’s diverticulum often constitutes a challenging diagnosis for both the clinician and the radiologist. Therefore, imaging techniques play an important role in this condition in evaluating its complications, determining decision making. We describe a case of a 49-year-old man suffering from right abdominal pain with fever and constipation, during the past 5 days. Laboratory data revealed C-reactive protein of 306 mg/L and leukocytosis. Contrast-enhanced CT features were highly suggestive of perforated Meckel’s diverticulum. The purpose of this article is to emphasize that besides its rarity, Meckel’s diverticulum complications can occur in adult patients.
Objectives Portal vein embolization (PVE) stimulates hypertrophy of the future liver remnant (FLR) and improves the safety of extended hepatectomy. This study evaluated the efficacy of PVE, performed with PVA and coils, in relation to its effect on FLR volume and ratio. Secondary endpoints were the assessment of PVE complications, accomplishment of liver surgery, and patient outcome after hepatectomy. Materials and Methods All patients who underwent PVE before planned major hepatectomy between 2013 and 2017 were retrospectively analyzed, comprising a total of 64 patients. Baseline patient clinical characteristics, imaging records, liver volumetric changes, complications, and outcomes were analyzed. Results There were 45 men and 19 women with a mean age of 64 years. Colorectal liver metastasis was the most frequent liver tumor. The majority of patients (n = 53) had a right PVE. FLR increased from a mean value of 484 ml ± 242 to 654 ml ± 287 (p < 0.001) after PVE. Two major complications were experienced after PVE: 1 case of left hepatic artery branch laceration and 1 case of hemoperitoneum and hemothorax. A total of 44 (69%) patients underwent liver surgery. Twenty-one patients were not taken to surgery due to disease progression (n = 18), liver insufficiency (n = 1), and insufficient FLR volume (n = 1), and one patient declined surgery (n = 1). Conclusions PVE with PVA and coils was accomplished safely and promoted a high FLR hypertrophy yield, enabling most of our patients to be submitted to the potentially curative treatment of liver tumor resection.
Background Ectopic thyroid tissue is a rare embryological aberration described by the occurrence of thyroid tissue at a site other than in its normal pretracheal location. Depending on the time of the disruption during embryogenesis, ectopic thyroid may occur at several positions from the base of the tongue to the thyroglossal duct. Ectopic mediastinal thyroid tissue is normally asymptomatic, but particularly after orthotopic thyroidectomy, it might turn out to be symptomatic. Symptoms are normally due to compression of adjacent structures. Case presentation We present a case of a 66-year-old male submitted to a total thyroidectomy 3 years ago, due to multinodular goiter (pathological results revealed nodular hyperplasia and no evidence of malignancy), under thyroid replacement therapy. Over the last year, he developed hoarseness, choking sensation in the chest, and shortness of breath. Thyroid markers were unremarkable. He was submitted to neck and thoracic computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and radionuclide thyroid scan. Imaging results identified an anterior mediastinum solid lesion. A radionuclide thyroid scan confirmed the diagnosis of ectopic thyroid tissue. The patient refused surgery. Conclusions Ectopic thyroid tissue can occur either as the only detectable thyroid gland tissue or in addition to a normotopic thyroid gland. After a total thyroidectomy, thyroid-stimulating hormone can promote a compensatory volume growth of previously asymptomatic ectopic tissue. This can be particularly diagnosis challenging since ectopic tissue can arise as an ambiguous space-occupying lesion.
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