When all three of the features of Rigler's triad are present on an abdominal radiograph, the cause of a small-bowel obstruction can be identified.

Persistent omphalomesenteric duct as a cause of small-bowel obstruction is an exceptional finding. A neonate presented with occlusion due to intestinal prolapse through a persistent omphalomesenteric duct. Remnants of the duct were successfully resected, and the postoperative course was uneventful. We discuss the presentation of omphalomesenteric duct and its management.

Enterovesical fistula is a known complication of tuberculosis (TB) of the abdomen. We present a case of a young HIV-infected man who developed an enterovesical fistula due to reactivation of TB as part of the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS).

Cystic phaeochromocytoma is a rare neuro-endocrine tumour that is frequently asymptomatic and often diagnosed incidentally on imaging or intra-operatively. A pharmacobezoar is a rare complication of extended-release drug delivery systems. We present a case of a 70-year-old woman diagnosed intra-operatively with cystic phaeochromocytoma and antihypertensive pharmacobezoar.

Bilateral testicular tumours are rare, and 80% of bilateral tumours are metachronous. The incidence of testicular tumours is high in cryptorchidism. Synchronous bilateral testicular tumours are rare, and bilateral synchronous testicular tumours in bilateral cryptorchidism extremely rare, probably not reported previously.

Isolated pancreatic trauma with major pancreatic duct disruption is a rare finding; it can present with equivocal clinical signs. Serum amylase levels and diagnostic contrast-enhanced computed tomography can facilitate the diagnostic process.

Distinguishing diaphragmatic eventration from rupture in the trauma setting can be a considerable challenge. We present a case involving a man suffering from chest pain and with a raised left hemidiaphragm on the chest radiograph after a motor vehicle injury. A review of the literature discusses the use of imaging ...

Background. Peliosis is a rare condition characterised by multiple cyst-like, blood-filled cavities within the parenchyma of solid organs, most commonly affecting the liver. Isolated splenic peliosis is an even more unusual phenomenon. Patients with AIDS may develop peliosis in association with bacillary angiomatosis. This is due to secondary infection with ...

Eventration of the diaphragm with gastric volvulus is uncommon. Gastric perforation in these cases is rare and usually associated with acute gastric volvulus with strangulation. We describe a case of diaphragmatic eventration with chronic gastric volvulus with gastric perforation without strangulation in an elderly man.

A left-sided gallbladder is a rare biliary anomaly with a prevalence of 0.2%. Its identification is important because of the numerous and potentially hazardous associated biliary and vascular anomalies that may be encountered during surgery.

Objective. To investigate the possible reasons for repeated urethral dilatation or optical internal urethrotomy rather than urethroplasty in the treatment of male urethral strictures.

Objective. A new second-generation balloon dilatation device for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has been launched, promising to challenge the traditional Amplatz serial dilators (ASDs). This device allows for the polyurethane sheath to be deployed on balloon inflation. Our primary objective in this pilot study was to determine whether the use of ...

Introduction. Surgery is sometimes performed on patients with peau d'orange (dermal oedema) of the breast. This may be done to achieve local control of cancer after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy or in resectable locally advanced disease. Conventional practice is not to place excision lines through areas of peau d'orange for fear of ...

Diverticula of the oesophagus are rare. They can occur at any level, and are often defined by their anatomical location. Three categories are recognised, namely pharyngo-oesophageal, parabronchial and epiphrenic. Although these diverticula are often asymptomatic, patients can develop significant problems with dysphagia, regurgitation and aspiration. The causation of oesophageal diverticula ...

Background and aim. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is increasingly being used as the initial surgical approach in patients with acute cholecystitis (AC). We describe our experience with LC in the treatment of AC.

Background. Malignant biliary obstruction is often inoperable at presentation and has a poor prognosis. Percutaneously placed self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) have been widely used for palliation of malignant biliary obstruction as an alternative to major bypass surgery or when endoscopic drainage is not technically feasible. The success rate, procedural complications ...

A patient with the 'whirl sign' on computed tomography is 25.3 times as likely as a patient without the sign to have small-bowel obstruction (SBO) necessitating surgery. The 'whirl sign' therefore has an important role in the assessment of patients with clinical and radiological signs of SBO.

The pedicled buccal fat pad is a reliable flap for the repair of small oral defects. It is durable, easy to harvest, and should be considered in settings where access to free flaps is limited and in cases where previous flaps have failed. We discuss a case in which this ...

Gastrointestinal duplications are uncommon congenital lesions that can occur anywhere along the alimentary tract, and the symptoms of which generally develop during infancy or childhood. Completely isolated duplication cysts are an extremely rare variant of duplication, where no communication between the cyst and the adjacent bowel segment is present. We ...

Intussusception is usually a disease of children aged between 6 months and 4 years, in which a part of a bowel telescopes into another part of the bowel. We report a case in a 60-year-old man who required resection and anastomosis. Although intussception is unusual in adults, awareness of the ...

Background. The association of serum free testosterone (FT) with prostate cancer is not fully understood. Studies on the results of the relationship between serum testosterone level and prostate cancer are conflicting. However, there is a reported association between lower serum testosterone levels and high-grade prostate cancer.

Aim. The aim of this study was to present our experience in patients with intussusception (IN).

Objectives. Endovascular repair (EVAR) is accepted as effective treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and has become the standard of care in many instances. The standard bifurcated stentgraft (BFG) is often not possible in patients with unfavourable aneurysm morphology. The aorto-uni-iliac (AUI) graft configuration with femoro-femoral bypass (FFBP) is a ...

This report looks at the group of patients who required a laparotomy for blunt torso trauma at a busy metropolitan trauma service in South Africa.

Objectives. To evaluate the effects of ionising radiation and radiation limits, and measure radiation doses received by surgeons in theatre.

A young child presented with intermittent bowel obstruction. The abdominal X-ray was not closely examined, and a contrast study was performed that demonstrated multiple tubular filling defects indicative of worms. The patient was treated accordingly. Reviewing the abdominal X-ray demonstrated numerous serpigenous, tubular, soft-tissue densities in gas-filled bowel loops.

Background. Fournier's gangrene is a necrotising fasciitis of the genitalia and perineum, with associated polymicrobial infection and risk of organ failure or death. The purpose of this study was to determine the presentation, systemic and local predisposing factors, management challenges and outcome in south-eastern Nigeria.

Objective. Little has been published regarding long-term surgical outcome after the initial management of acute sigmoid colon volvulus.

Objective. To report the use of the pedicled superior gluteal artery perforator (SGAP) fasciocutaneous flap as a reliable surgical option for sacral pressure sore reconstruction.

Background. Well-organised and efficient prehospital transport is associated with an improved outcome in trauma patients. In Nigeria there is a paucity of information on prehospital transport of spinal cord-injured patients and its relation to mortality.

This brief literature review examines the causes of missed injury, the typical clinical pictures that are associated with missed injury and techniques and procedures to help avoid missing injury in the light of the recent literature, while highlighting the cost implications for clinicians.

A 27-year-old woman, gravida 1, was seen at our surgical emergency department with abdominal pain at 25 weeks' gestation. She had pain, nausea and vomiting, a temperature of 37[degrees]C and a blood pressure of 100/70 mmHg. The cervix was closed, and an ultrasound scan showed a normal single fetus. A ...

Introduction. Caring for trauma patients is a dynamic process, and it is often necessary to move the trauma patient around the hospital to different locations. This study attempted to document the quality of observations performed on acute trauma patients as they moved through the hospital during the first 24 hours ...

Background. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours (IMFTs) are rare tumours characterised by nosologic, histogenetic and aetiopathogenetic controversy and variable clinicopathological features. We report our experience with intestinal-IMFTs (I-IMFTs) that have been reported mainly as single case reports to date.

Purpose. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of laparoscopic total mesorectal excision in the treatment of advanced rectal cancer in a randomised population.

This study reports on the surgical anatomy and technique of perineal repair in a selected group of parous women with faecal incontinence and/or difficulty in evacuation. Anal sphincter muscle damage is usually attributed to childbirth, although most of these women present for the first time years later.