Case Reports in Surgery

Bochdalek hernias (BHs) are rare, and the presentation, diagnosis, and management of them can be complex. We present a 70-year-old man presenting with left flank pain who underwent a successful laparoscopic repair of BH with mesh placement.

Introduction. Inguinal herniation of the ureter is a rare entity that occurs either as a complication of renal transplantation or spontaneously. Patients may suffer from obstructive uropathy or groin pain due to the unusual ectopic course of the ureter. This case report highlights the importance of recognizing a ureteroinguinal hernia. Methods. In this case report, we present a 75-year-old man with a surgical history of a right inguinal hernia repair who was referred to our center with burning left inguinal pain that persisted for two weeks. The patient’s history and physical examination were consistent with an inguinal hernia. The suspected indirect inguinal hernia was found on preoperative imaging to be a tubular structure distinct from the intestine or adjacent organs. An open exploration of the inguinal canal was performed to prevent further hernia development. Results. The unusual structure in the inguinal canal turned out to be an ectopic ureter originating from the left upper pole moiety of the left duplex kidney (i.e., with duplicated ureters) and containing concentrated urine, as confirmed on a postoperative computerized tomography urogram. Conclusion. It is crucial to perform a thorough clinical examination and utilize adequate imaging modalities before surgical procedures when encountering unidentified structures.

Background. Intracholecystic papillary neoplasm (ICPN) is a rare tumor first classified by the World Health Organization in 2010. ICPN is a counterpart of the intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas and intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct. Previous reports on ICPN are limited; thus, the diagnosis, surgical intervention, and prognosis are controversial. Here, we report an extensively invasive gallbladder cancer arising in ICPN treated with pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD) and extended cholecystectomy. Case Presentation. A 75-year-old man presented to another hospital with jaundice for 1 month. Laboratory findings showed elevated total bilirubin, 10.6 mg/dL and carbohydrate antigen 19-9, 54.8 U/mL. Computed tomography showed a well-enhanced tumor located in the distal bile duct and dilated hepatic bile duct. The gallbladder wall was thickened and homogeneously enhanced. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed a filling defect in the distal common bile duct, and intraductal ultrasonography showed a papillary tumor in the common bile duct, indicating tumor invasion of the bile duct subserosa. Subsequent bile duct brush cytology revealed adenocarcinoma. The patient was referred to our hospital for surgical treatment and underwent an open PPPD. Intraoperative findings showed a thickened and indurated gallbladder wall, suggesting concurrent gallbladder cancer; thus, the patient subsequently underwent PPPD and extended cholecystectomy. Histopathological findings confirmed gallbladder carcinoma originating from ICPN, which extensively invaded the liver, common bile duct, and pancreas. The patient started adjuvant chemotherapy (tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil) 1 month after surgery and had no recurrence at follow-up after 1 year. Conclusions. Accurate preoperative diagnosis of ICPN, including the extent of tumor invasion is challenging. To ensure complete curability, the development of an optimal surgical strategy considering preoperative examinations and intraoperative findings is essential.

Carcinoma of the gallbladder is the most common biliary tract cancer. The majority of gallbladder cancers are adenocarcinomas, whereas clear-cell carcinoma of the gallbladder (CCG) is a rarely recorded variant. Usually, diagnosis is established incidentally after cholecystectomy, performed for another reason. Clinically, the different histological types of carcinomas are impossible to be recognized preoperatively, since they present with a wide and common range of symptoms. We present a male patient who underwent an emergency cholecystectomy due to suspected perforation. After an uneventful postoperative period, the histopathological report led to the diagnosis of CCG, but the surgical margins were infiltrated by the tumor. The patient decided not to proceed with any additional treatment and passed away 8 months after the operation. In conclusion, it is of great necessity to record such unusual cases and enriches global knowledge with information clinically and educationally noteworthy.

Background. A 19-year-old male requiring emergency surgery after presenting to the emergency department (ED) as a trauma activation status post-motor vehicle collision. Summary. The patient presented to the ED after a motor vehicle collision. He was taken emergently to the operating room after finding hemoperitoneum on computerized tomography scan without evidence of solid organ injury. Significant small and large bowel injuries were discovered requiring resection and anastomosis. The patient had an uneventful post-operative recovery and was discharged home. He was later re-admitted to the hospital with a large pelvic abscess and a left mid-ureteral stricture causing hydronephrosis. The abscess was treated with antibiotics, and the left ureteral injury was treated with a nephrostomy tube and stent placement. He made a full recovery after hospital re-admission and a delay in diagnosis of blunt ureteral injury. Conclusion. Patients involved in motor vehicle collisions are at risk of multi-system trauma including genito-urinary injuries. A small percentage of these patients may present with blunt ureteral injuries. A high index of suspicion is required to make an early diagnosis. Earlier diagnosis may help to prevent morbidity.

The case of vascular reconstruction of the superior mesenteric and portal vein confluence using a left renal vein (LRV) graft has been researched in this paper. The patient was a 66-year-old female who presented with features of biliary obstruction. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan revealed bile duct dilatation and a common bile duct tumor mass. Four years ago, she underwent stomach resection with subsequent Billroth II gastrojejunostomy due to gastric cancer. After surgical resection, on histopathological and immunohistochemistry examination, a recurrence of previously resected poorly cohesive gastric cancer was found.