Impact of Diet on Symptoms of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with its key features of abdominal pain and disturbed bowel habit, is thought by both patients and clinicians to be strongly influenced by diet. However, the complexities of diet have made identifying specific food intolerances difficult. Eating disorders can masquerade as IBS and may need specialist treatment. While typical food allergy is readily distinguished from IBS, the mechanisms of gut-specific adverse reactions to food are only just being defined. These may include gut-specific mast cell activation as well as non-specific activation by stressors and certain foods. Visceral hypersensitivity, in some cases mediated by mast cell activation, plays a key part in making otherwise innocuous gut stimuli painful. Rapidly fermented poorly absorbed carbohydrates produce gaseous distension as well as short-chain fatty acids and lowering of colonic pH which may cause symptoms in IBS patients. Limiting intake of these in low FODMAP and related diets has proven popular and apparently successful in many patients. Existing diet, colonic microbiota and their metabolic products may be helpful in predicting who will respond. Wheat intolerance may reflect the fact that wheat is often a major source of dietary FODMAPs. It may also be either a forme fruste of coeliac disease or non-specific immune activation. Wheat exclusion can be successful in some of these patients. More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms of food intolerances and how to best ameliorate them in a personalised medicine approach to diet in IBS.

Missed opportunity of deworming a Maasai boy from nomadic family leading to life threatening intestinal obstruction

Mass deworming against soil-transmitted helminthiasis, including Ascaris lumbricoides (AL), is one of the largest public health interventions in low- and middle-income countries. The prevalence of A. lumbricoides in Tanzania is 6.8%. We present a 3-year-old male of a known Tanzanian nomadic tribe (Masaai tribe) with history of missed deworming, who was brought to the emergency department with a 3-day history of constipation, nonprojectile, bilious vomiting, generalized abdominal distension and pain. He was diagnosed with intestinal obstruction by the use of a plain abdominal X-ray, which revealed marked gaseous distension of the stomach and bowels without significant air-fluid levels. He was initially treated with intravenous ceftriaxone 50 mg/kg, metronidazole 15 mg/kg and acetaminophen 15 mg/kg. An explorative laparotomy was then performed. Intraoperative findings demonstrated a dense collection of A. lumbricoides worms in the gangrenous proximal jejunum and duodenum. Thorough abdominal lavage was carried out and abdomen was closed.

A rare case of steroid cell tumor of ovary: case report

Steroid cell tumors of the ovary account for less than 0.1% of all ovarian tumors. These tumors may present at any age with presentations related to the hormonal activity and virilizing properties of tumor. A 61-year-old postmenopausal women presented with complaints of postmenopausal bleeding for 15 days. Parity score of P3L3, not tubectomised. Menopaused 16 years back. History of weight loss noted. She is a known case of diabetes mellitus for 6 years not on any treatment and a known case of depressive disorder for 35 years on treatment on trihexphenidyl lurasidone. Had undergone sigmoid colon polyp removal in June 2018. On examination, P/A- mild gaseous distension (+). P/S- cervix flushed with vagina, pulled up cervix. P/V- uterus size and position couldn’t be made out, anterior fornix fullness (+). Ultrasonography showed bulky uterus with fibroid 4x4cm, endometrial thickness- 9 mm? Krukenberg tumor and posterior mediastinal lymph nodes. Patient underwent Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with frozen section on 01/07/19. Frozen section: 1. Ovaries: right ovary - fibrothecoma, left ovary- simple cyst. 2. Uterus- endometrial hyperplasia with atypia. 3. Myometrium- leiomyoma and adenomyosis. Postoperative period was uneventful. On microscopic examination, impression: right ovary- steroid cell tumor, uterus-endometrial hyperplasia with cytological atypia. Ovarian steroid cell tumors are grouped under sex chord stromal tumors and are usually benign, unilateral and characterized by a steroid cell proliferation. Steroid cell tumors are associated with androgenic changes with variable frequency, ranging from 12% to over 50% respectively. The primary treatment is surgical extirpation of the primary lesion and there are no reports of effective radiation or chemotherapy. In a young patient with stage IA disease, a unilateral salpingo oophorectomy is adequate.

Fatal Aspergillus flavus rhinitis with gastrointestinal gaseous distension in a Cape porcupine

An adult female Cape porcupine ( Hystrix africaeaustralis) was presented because of marked abdominal distension, acute dyspnea, and lethargy. Physical examination and standard radiographs revealed marked and diffuse gaseous dilation of the stomach and intestines of undetermined origin. The porcupine died despite medical therapy and surgical intervention. Postmortem examination revealed chronic fungal ( Aspergillus flavus) rhinitis. Given that rodents are obligate nasal breathers, the rhinitis likely resulted in substantial upper airway obstruction leading to aerophagia.

A Unique Case of Mycophenolate Induced Colitis after 10 Years of Use

A 31-year-old female with a history of lupus nephritis on Hydroxychloroquine, Prednisone, and Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) for 10 years presented to the hospital for ankle swelling. On day four, she started to have severe, nonbloody, watery diarrhea with abdominal distension and tenderness. Stool PCR was negative forC. difficile.CT abdomen/pelvis showed gaseous distension of the colon without any obstruction. Flexible sigmoidoscopy revealed a normal looking mucosa. Histopathology showed crypt atrophy and increased crypt apoptosis, consistent with MMF colitis. The diarrhea resolved three days after stopping MMF. Although generally well tolerated, diarrhea is a common side effect of MMF. Most cases occur in the first six months of starting MMF. This case is unique because it describes MMF colitis in lupus after more than 10 years. Thus, MMF colitis should be considered as a differential in patients taking it, regardless of the duration of use.

Acute Dilatation, Ischemia, and Necrosis of Stomach without Perforation

Acute gastric dilatation can have multiple etiologies which may lead to ischemia of the stomach. Without proper timely diagnosis and treatment, potentially fatal events such as gastric perforation, haemorrhage, and other serious complications can occur. Here we present a 36-year-old man who came to the casualty with pain abdomen and distension for 2 days. Clinically, abdomen was asymmetrically distended more in the left hypochondrium and epigastrium region. Straight X-ray abdomen showed opacified left hypochondrium with nonspecific gaseous distension of bowel. Exploratory laparotomy revealed dilated stomach with patchy gangrene over lesser curvature and fundic area. About 4 litres of brownish fluid along with semisolid undigested food particles was sucked out (mainly undigested pieces of meat). Limited resection of gangrenous areas and primary repair were done along with feeding jejunostomy. Necrosis of the stomach was confirmed on histopathology. The patient recovered well and was discharged on the tenth postoperative day.