Traumatic lumbar hernia: case report and literature review.

Lumbar hernia is an uncommon abdominal wall hernia. Acute abdominal wall hernias, particularly lumbar hernias, are a rare complication of trauma. We present a case of acute lumbar hernia as a direct effect of blunt abdominal trauma.

The clinical challenge of multiple pancreatic pseudocysts.

To evaluate the frequency of multiple pancreatic cysts, the likelihood of preoperative diagnosis, and therapeutic outcome, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 157 patients who underwent operation for pancreatic pseudocysts at 2 institutions between 1970 and 1992. Multiple pseudocysts were found in 29 (18.5%).

Increased incidence of thyroid cancer in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism: a continuing dilemma.

A number of previous studies have reported a greater incidence of thyroid disease in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) than in normal patients. However, few of these studies utilized controls, and most have dealt only with gross thyroid nodules and not with total histologic abnormalities. In order to clarify this problem, thyroid pathology was determined in each of 100 consecutive patients operated upon for HPT.

Plasmid labeling confirms bacterial translocation in pancreatitis.

To examine whether the gut is a source of infection in acute pancreatitis, bacterial translocation and alterations of intestinal microecology and morphology were studied in 16 dogs. Dogs were colonized with a strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli 6938K) bearing the plasmid pUC4K, which confers kanamycin resistance.

Effect of failed computed tomography-guided and endoscopic drainage on pancreatic pseudocyst management.

Background: Computed tomography and endoscopic drainage are used increasingly to treat pancreatic pseudocysts (PP). We reviewed our experience with PP to compare the outcomes of patients operated on initially (group 1) with those whose nonoperative treatment failed (computed tomography-guided or endoscopic drainage) before operation (group 2).

Methods: The records of 70 consecutive patients operated on for PP were reviewed.