Procalcitonin as the biomarker of inflammation in diagnosis of appendicitis in pediatric patients and prevention of unnecessary appendectomies.

Numerous diseases mimic appendicitis, and it is often difficult to rule it out on the basis of clinical presentation. Concentration of procalcitonin selectively increases in inflammatory conditions and determination of its level can help in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. A prospective, single centre based observational study carried out at our tertiary care institute.

Spontaneous cutaneous rupture of a pyogenic liver abscess.

Spontaneous rupture of a pyogenic liver abscess is a rare entity reported. Spontaneous cutaneous rupture of a pyogenic liver abscess is even a rarer clinical entity not well documented in the literature. A patient having spontaneous cutaneous rupture of a pyogenic liver abscess is reported.

Transthoracic versus transhiatal esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma: experience from a single tertiary care institution.

Background: There is a lot of controversy about the best surgical treatment for esophageal carcinoma.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 382 patients with carcinoma of the mid-to-distal esophagus underwent transthoracic or transhiatal esophagectomy. Early morbidity and mortality were compared.

Clinical profile and surgical outcome for pulmonary aspergilloma: nine year retrospective observational study in a tertiary care hospital.

Background: The indications and the outcome of surgery for pulmonary aspergilloma remain highly controversial. This retrospective observational study was conducted to study the clinical profile, indications, post-operative complications and long term outcome of patients having pulmonary aspergilloma.

Methods: From January 2000 to October 2008, 52 patients underwent surgery for pulmonary aspergilloma at our tertiary care institute.

Hydatid embolism from a thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm presenting as gangrenous toes.

Cystic echinococcosis (hydatid cyst), caused by Echinococcus granulosus, has worldwide distribution and poses a health problem in endemic areas. Embolization of hydatid cysts into the vascular tree is an unusual manifestation of the disease. The hydatid embolism results from spontaneous or traumatic rupture of the cyst, and rare case reports of this kind are not well documented in the literature.