Pre-operative evaluation of spontaneous portosystemic shunts as a predictor of post-hepatectomy liver failure in patients undergoing liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) can significantly compromise outcomes, especially in cirrhotic patients. The identification of accurate and non-invasive pre-operative predictors is of paramount importance to appropriately stratify patients according to their estimated risk and select the best treatment strategy.

Materials And Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing liver resection for HCC on cirrhosis between 1-2015 and 12-2020 at 10 international Institutions were enrolled and their pre-operative CT scans were evaluated for the presence of spontaneous portosystemic shunts (SPSS) to identify predictors of PHLF and develop a nomogram.

Enhanced recovery after surgery programs improve short-term outcomes after liver transplantation-A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review aimed to investigate the available quality of evidence (QOE) of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) for liver transplantation (LT) on short-term outcomes, grade recommendations, and identify relevant components for ERAS protocols. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on short-term outcomes after LT when applying comprehensive ERAS protocols (> 1 ERAS component) versus control groups (CRD42021210374), following the GRADE approach for grading QOE and strength of recommendations. Endpoints were morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and readmission rates after ERAS for LT.

Out of the Loop: The Value of a Preoperative Loopogram for Colostomy Reversal in Trauma.

Background: Stoma is occasionally fashioned during trauma surgery. A loopogram is routinely conducted in the surgical planning for stoma reversal. This is associated with medical and cost implications.

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis complicated by a cholecysto-colonic fistula and liver abscesses.

A 57-year-old male presented to the emergency department with right upper quadrant pain and constitutional symptoms. Initial investigation revealed biliary sepsis with features of chronic cholecystitis, multiple liver abscesses and a fistulous connection between the gallbladder and colon. He was subsequently diagnosed with a cholecysto-colonic fistula, an unusual complication of biliary pathology, with an incidence of 0.

Unusual case of a migrating spinal bullet: An opportunity for reflection.

The following case report documents the presentation of a 28 year old male who presented to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) trauma unit following a single gunshot wound to the spine. He presented walking, with no neurological dysfunction. On further investigation he was found to have a retained bullet at the L3 level of the spinal canal, which migrated within the canal from its initial point of entry.

Incidental gastric diverticulum in a young female with chronic gastritis: A case report.

Introduction: Gastrointestinal upset is a common presentation to surgical departments, often requiring investigation with endoscopy. Pathologies such as gastritis or ulcers are common culprits. Occasionally, rare or unusual pathologies, such as gastric diverticula as was seen in the case presented, are found.

Splenic artery aneurysm as a rare cause of an upper GIT bleed.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common life-threatening presentation in the emergency department. Causes are typically divided into variceal and non-variceal bleeds. Non-variceal pathologies typically include bleeding peptic ulcers, haemorrhagic gastritis and Mallory Weiss Tears.

Oesophageal tuberculosis with concomitant candidiasis: a rare cause of dysphagia.

We present a case of a 23-year-old woman with dysphagia. She was reportedly newly diagnosed with HIV and had been initiated on antiretroviral treatment and tuberculosis (TB) prophylaxis. Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed an irregular, ulcerative oesophageal lesion.