Isolated fractures of the first rib are uncommon. They are caused by major blunt trauma, a violent muscular pull, or fatigue. Diagnosis is usually made by chest radiography and computed tomography. Angiography is justified when certain criteria are met. Treatment is rest and mild analgesia. Early and late complications have been reported and are treated accordingly. The purpose of this article is to report a case of first rib stress fracture in a kick boxer and review the pertinent literature.

Taenia saginata infection is caused by the bovine tapeworm and can be the cause of emergency surgical conditions. We report one case of small bowel obstruction leading to necrosis and another case of large bowel obstruction and volvulus due to an impacted tapeworm. The diagnosis of these rare circumstances is usually made intraoperatively.

BackgroundThe presence of subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum and pneumoperitoneum simultaneously is a rare complication of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy that usually indicates free perforation to the peritoneal cavity or the retroperitoneal space.Case presentationWe report an unusual case of a self-limited subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum and pneumoperitoneum following an unsuccessful ERCP for removal of a common bile duct stone.ConclusionThere was no radiological evidence of peritoneal or retroperitoneal perforation. This complication is distinct from pneumomediastinum and pneumoperitoneum due to perforation, and must be recognized, because it is benign and needs no surgical or radiological intervention.

Interrupted aortic arch (IAA) is rare congenital cardiac defect defined as a complete loss of luminal and anatomical continuity between ascending and descending segments of the aorta. Usually it is detected in the perinatal period or during the first hours or days of infancy. If not treated surgically, it usually is lethal. Nevertheless, diagnosis can be made in adults but is a very rare entity. Extremely few cases in adults are reported in the pertinent medical literature. We present an asymptomatic 62-year-old patient who was found to have IAA after examination for hypertension. The patient underwent a successful anatomical repair, with an uneventful postoperative course, and follow-up examinations reveal regression of hypertension and excellent health condition.

Re-expansion pulmonary edema (REPE) is a rare complication of treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax or large pleural effusions. As a complication of spontaneous pneumothorax treatment, only few cases are documented, and even fewer document the role of non-invasive continuous positive airway pressure mechanical ventilation for treatment of this rare entity. We present a case of 23-year-old man who presented with left-sided pneumothorax, developed unilateral REPE and was treated with non-invasive continuous positive airway pressure.