904 ‘Excuse me, Sir?’ - A Case for Compassion and Non-discrimination in Surgery

Background The delivery of compassionate and non-discriminatory care to all patients in the hospital environment is vital. Yet, this striking surgical case report demonstrates that ignorance and prejudice against transgender patients still exists, resulting in poorer health outcomes. Case presentation A 64-year-old transgender woman presented with severe epigastric pain and left arm weakness. She became haemodynamically unstable as a result of Type A aortic dissection during thrombolysis for a presumed ischaemic stroke. The patient was addressed as ‘Sir’ on multiple occasions causing her visible distress; she confided in the team that she felt judged and that her concerns were not taken seriously. When the thoracic surgery registrar was informed that the patient was transgender and used female pronouns, their reply was that this information was ‘irrelevant’ and ‘unimportant’. Conclusions Barriers to health care for transgender individuals and a focus on compassion when treating the surgical patient are discussed. A lack of education, individual ignorance and the serious nature of this case led to psychological distress and may have contributed to a delay in diagnosis. There is an urgent need to raise awareness of transgender health disparities in medical and surgical training, to ensure that all patients are treated equally, and their dignity is maintained, even in challenging and stressful situations. Appropriate engagement and leadership from senior members of the surgical team will foster non-discriminatory practices and the creation of an inclusive environment, focusing on the use of correct pronouns and addressing patient concerns.

Palliative Treatment of Unresectable Pancreatic Carcinoma Presenting as Gastric Outlet Obstruction: What to Expect?

Gastric outlet obstruction is a surgical emergency that presents with epigastric pain and intractable non-bilious vomiting. As per a recent literature review, theleading cause of gastric outlet obstruction is malignancy. This report presents a patient with grade two pancreatic adenocarcinoma who presented with gastric outlet obstruction symptoms: apotentially life-threatening complication of disease progression.The patient experienced severe epigastric pain and intractable projectile non-bilious vomiting.Computed Tomography confirmed the cause of severe pain and vomiting as gastric outlet obstruction. The patient was successfully managed with laparoscopic palliative gastro-jejunostomy and jejuno-jejunostomy. Here is the first case reported in the kingdom of Bahrain, where a patient with pancreatic cancer presented with symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction.The case report aimed to increaseawareness amongst health practitioners regarding the presentation of pancreatic cancer. Keywords: Adenocarcinoma; Gastric Outlet Obstruction; Jejunostomy; Laparoscopy; Pancreatic Carcinoma

Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis following Colonoscopic Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Ulcerative Colitis

A 37-year-old man with corticosteroid-dependent ulcerative pancolitis was taken up for colonoscopic fecal microbiota transplant (FMT). Preparation for colonoscopy was done with 118 g polyethylene glycol (PEG) in 2 L water ingested over 2 hours, followed by clear fluids. 200 g of screened donor stool, blended with water was instilled into terminal ileum; cecum; and ascending, transverse, and descending colon. Eighteen hours following ingestion of PEG and 2 hours following FMT, he complained of severe epigastric pain with radiation to back. Serum lipase was 6,756 U/L. He was managed with intravenous (IV) fluids and symptomatic treatment with discontinuation of corticosteroids and 6-MP. Ultrasound did not reveal gall bladder stones or sludge. There was no history of alcohol intake. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan at 48 hours showed bulky pancreas with peripancreatic stranding. He recovered over a week with normalization of lipase. Three weeks later he again reported severe epigastric pain 14 hours following ingestion of PEG, this time prior to colonoscopic FMT. Serum lipase was 1,140 U/L; the procedure was deferred and he recovered with symptomatic treatment over 3 days. Maintenance colonoscopic FMT was performed 4 times over the following 2 years with sodium phosphate preparation with no recurrence of pain. MRCP showed no evidence of chronic pancreatitis. He remains in clinical and endoscopic steroid-free, thiopurine-free remission. PEG is a rare cause of acute pancreatitis and merits consideration in appropriate clinical setting.

Coronavirus Disease-19-associated Acute Pancreatitis: Report of Three Cases and Review of Case Reports

BACKGROUND: Reports on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated with acute pancreatitis continue to emerge. In this series, we present three cases of acute pancreatitis associated with COVID-19 with no obvious etiology. CASE REPORTS: The first case was a 47-year-old man who presented with severe abdominal periumbilical pain, preceded by fever and dry cough. Based on a positive COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and elevated serum amylase and lipase >3 times the upper normal limit, the diagnosis of COVID-19 and acute pancreatitis were established. The next case was a 57-year-old man with confirmed COVID-19 who developed severe epigastric pain radiating to the back and was associated with nausea and vomiting. His serum amylase and lipase were elevated >3 times the upper normal limit confirming the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. The third case was a 31-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with a few hours of severe epigastric pain radiating to the back associated with nausea and vomiting. Two days before his presentation, he had a runny nose and fever. A combination of serum amylase and lipase elevation, >3 times the upper normal limits, and a positive COVID-19 PCR test were obtained concurrently, confirming the diagnosis of COVID-19 associated acute pancreatitis. All patients were admitted to the Mesaieed Hospital COVID-19 facility and received treatment for COVID-19 according to our local guidelines, while acute pancreatitis was treated conservatively. All three patients were discharged in good condition. CONCLUSION: This case series suggests a possible correlation between COVID-19 and acute pancreatitis.

Ectopic pancreas appearing as a giant gastric cyst mimicking gastric lymphangioma: a case report and a brief review

Background Ectopic pancreas (EP) is defined as pancreatic tissue that lacks anatomical or vascular communication with the normal body of the pancreas. Despite improvements in diagnostic endoscopy and imaging studies, differentiating ectopic pancreatic tissue from gastric submucosal diseases remains a challenge. Case presentation Here, we present a case of a 44-year-old woman with severe epigastric pain. Initially, gastric lymphangioma was highly suspected due to a well-demarcated protruding mass with a large size that occurred in the submucosal layer of the gastric antrum and appeared as a cystic lesion. The final correct diagnosis of gastric EP was made during surgery. Conclusion Gastric EP with serous oligocystic adenoma appearing as a giant gastric cyst is extremely rare. The difficulty of making an accurate diagnosis and differential diagnosis is highlighted, which may provide additional clinical experience for the diagnosis of EP with serous oligocystic adenoma in the stomach.

A rare case of COVID-19 related stomach gangrene after an abortion: a case report

A 25 year old female had presented with complaints of severe epigastric pain with abdominal distension and vomiting for 4 days. She had undergone medical termination of pregnancy for a missed abortion of 5 weeks of gestation 5 days prior. The patient's COVID-19 RT PCR was found to be positive. Her CECT showed covid related changes in bilateral lungs and pneumoperitoneum. Stomach was distended. Other small bowels appeared normal. Patient underwent emergency laparotomy. Two third of stomach appeared gangrenous with a perforation in the posterior wall of stomach so she underwent a subtotal gastrectomy. She had features of covid associated coagulopathy (CAC) with high D-dimer (520 ng/ml), thrombocytosis (up to 705,000/mcl), high activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) (up to 55.6 sec) and high prothrombin time (PT) (up to 27.9 sec and INR 2.11) for which low molecular heparin was given. Stomach is a highly vascular organ. Gangrene of the stomach has been very rarely reported. CAC is known to lead to both arterial thrombus and venous thromboembolism. COVID-19 related abortions have also been reported though the exact mechanism not certain but CAC could be one of them.

A143 ACUTE ESOPHAGEAL NECROSIS: A COMPLICATION OF DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS

Background Acute esophageal necrosis (AEN) is a rare entity associated with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The pathogenesis is thought to be linked to low volume state, microvascular disease, impaired gastric and esophageal motility increasing acid reflex, all rendering the esophagus prone to injury. Aims We report a case of AEN as a complication of DKA in a patient without any overt gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), along with a literature review. Methods Keywords “esophageal necrosis” and “diabetic ketoacidosis” were used in MEDLINE and BASE to retrieve English articles reporting cases of AEN in DKA. Results A 63 year old male with history of hypertension, dyslipidemia and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus presented to Emergency with 5 day history of severe epigastric pain, dysphagia to solids and liquids, nausea and vomiting (without any overt GIB). Most recent HbA1c was 8.4%. His diabetes was managed with metformin and semaglutide. Bloodwork revealed a hemoglobin of 165g/L and leukocytes of 17.9x109/L. Chemistries showed an anion gap of 25 with bicarbonate of 5mmol/L. Venous blood gas showed acidemia (pH=7.02). B-hydroxybutyrate level was 10.2mmol/L. Urinalysis was negative for leukocytes or nitrites. An abdominal CT ruled out bowel obstruction or intra-abdominal infection/abscess as the source of his discomfort but demonstrated circumferential wall thickening of the distal esophagus. No other triggers were found for this patient’s DKA except perhaps a recently started ketogenic diet. After resolution of DKA, he continued to experience severe epigastric pain, reflux symptoms, and dysphagia. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was performed, which showed AEN with circumferential black, necrotic inflammatory changes in the mid to distal esophagus. Erosions were seen in the body and antrum of the stomach, and multiple clean based ulcers were seen in the duodenum. Patient was started on an insulin regimen prior to discharge. Review of literature shows a total of 13 cases of AEN in DKA, with only one case where the patient did not present with any clinical bleeding. Risk factors for AEN include, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, malignancy, male gender, older age, chronic kidney disease, alcohol abuse and cardiovascular disease. While no medications have been linked to AEN, our patient was recently started on semiglutide, which has been implicated in impaired gastric emptying and increased GERD symptoms. This may further explain why the patient developed AEN. Conclusions AEN is a rare entity, especially in the context of DKA. Usually patients present with overt GIB; however, on occasion dysphagia, nausea, and vomiting can be the predominant symptoms. Hence, the threshold to perform EGD in patients with DKA should be low, given their low volume state and potentially impaired gastrointestinal motility due to microvascular disease or medications, putting them at higher risk for AEN. Funding Agencies None

Acute pancreatitis after the removal of a hyperplastic duodenal polyp: a case report

A 59-year-old patient underwent the duodenal endoscopic mucosal resection of a hyperplastic polyp. Four hours after the procedure she developed severe epigastric pain. Laboratory and imaging results were consistent with mild acute edematous pancreatitis. After several days of dietary therapy and intravenous crystalloid fluids the patient recovered, and 1 month later was asymptomatic and had no signs of pancreatic inflammation. This case illustrates a rare but clinically important complication of therapeutic upper endoscopy, which may be attributable to thermal injury of the duodenal wall and the adjacent pancreas. It also underscores the importance of the close follow up of patients who undergo invasive endoscopic procedures and the need for additional preventive measures to be taken when resecting duodenal lesions.

Bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide-induced acute pancreatitis: a case report

We report here the case of a 32-year-old male with recent diagnosis of HIV that, 45 days after starting a single tablet regimen co-formulated with bictegravir, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF), experienced severe epigastric pain radiating to the back, nausea, episodes of non-bloody non-bilious vomiting and anorexia. Laboratory examination showed a rise in lipase with no alterations in serum transaminases. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a non-homogeneous structure of the pancreatic parenchyma. A diagnosis of mild drug-related acute pancreatitis was made and BIC/FTC/TAF was immediately stopped. The association between the episode of acute pancreatitis and BIC/FTC/TAF was scored as probable according to the Naranjo causality scale.