Palliative treatment of an enterorectal fistula with a covered metallic stent.

In patients with recurrent colorectal cancer, the development of fistulae presents a difficult therapeutic problem. The traditional surgical approach of resection and intestinal diversion may not always be appropriate in those with disseminated or terminal disease. We present the successful use of a covered esophageal stent to occlude an enterorectal rectal fistula in a patient with recurrent inoperable colonic carcinoma.

Prospective evaluation of ultrasound in distal ileal and colonic obstruction.

Aim: To evaluate prospectively the usefulness of ultrasound in determining the site and cause of distal small bowel and colonic obstruction.

Materials And Methods: Ultrasound findings in 60 consecutive patients with suspected distal ileal or colonic obstruction were correlated with final surgical and radiological diagnoses. The diagnostic value of ultrasound was compared with plain abdominal radiography (AXR) for the presence and level of obstruction.

Case report: gas within a cervical vertebral body.

We describe an unusual case of intraosseous gas within the vertebral body of C5. The differential diagnosis and likely aetiology is discussed.