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Littre’s Hernia

 

Other Known Aliases – none

Definition – Hernia involving a Meckel’s diverticulum 

Clinical Significance – No real clinical significance other than it is an extremely rare type of hernia, but is always included in the typical pimping barrage of surgery students.  It should also be included in the “zebras” of differential diagnoses of RLQ pain.

Image result for littre's herniaImage result for littre's hernia

History – Named after Alexis Littrè (1654-1726), who was a distinguished physician and prolific surgeon at the historic Salpêtriére Teaching Hospital in Paris.  He was inducted into the famed Académie des Sciences in part to his ridiculous dissection of over 200 cadavers in 1684.  He first described an femoral hernia involving an intestinal diverticulum in 1700 in one of his cadaver dissections.

 

References

  1. Firkin BG and Whitwirth JA.  Dictionary of Medical Eponyms. 2nd ed.  New York, NY; Parthenon Publishing Group. 1996.
  2. Bartolucci S, Forbis P.  Stedman’s Medical Eponyms.  2nd ed.  Baltimore, MD; LWW.  2005.
  3. Yee AJ, Pfiffner P. (2012).  Medical Eponyms (Version 1.4.2) [Mobile Application Software].  Retrieved http://itunes.apple.com.
  4. Whonamedit – dictionary of medical eponyms. http://www.whonamedit.com
  5. Skandalakis PN, Zoras O, Skandalakis JE, Mirilas P. Littre hernia: surgical anatomy, embryology, and technique of repair. The American surgeon. 2006; 72(3):238-43. [pubmed]
  6. Sturdy DJ.  Science and Social Status: The Members of the Academie Des Sciences 1666-1750. 1995.  Boydell Press
  7. Malling B, Karlsen AA, Hern J.  Littre Hernia: A rare case of incacerated Meckel’s diverticulum.  Ultrasound Int Open.  2017;3(2):E91-92.

PAINE #PANCE Pearl – Gastrointestinal

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Question

 

There are many individual lab tests that encompass “liver function tests” or LFTs.  So for this week’s pearl:

  1. List out the tests that make up a liver panel
  2. Explain how they can be grouped together

 

Answer

 

  1. A typical liver panel is made of the following individual lab tests:
    1. Total bilirubin
      1. Indirect bilirubin + direct bilirubin
    2. Aspartate aminotransminase (AST)
    3. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
    4. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
    5. Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)
    6. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
    7. Albumin
    8. Total protein
  2. The easiest way to quickly interpret LFTs is group these tests into two broad categories:
    1. Hepatocellular (damage to the hepatocytes)
      1. AST
      2. ALT
      3. LDH
    2. Cholestatic (decreased post-hepatic drainage)
      1. Bilirubin
      2. GGT
      3. ALP

 

Now let me make this clear, there is MUCH MORE that goes into interpreting LFTs, but this is good, quick start when you get abnormal LFTs back on your patient.

 

Image result for hepatocellular vs cholestatic

References

  1. Giannini EG, Tesa R, Savarino V.  Liver enzyme alteration: a guide for clinicians.  CMAJ. 2005;172(3):367-379

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Meckel’s Diverticulum

 

Other Known Aliases – none

Definition – Vestigial remnant of the omphalomesenteric duct 

Clinical Significance – It is the most common malformation in the GI tract and is mainly asymptomatic.  When symptoms do occur, it commonly presents as painless, rectal bleeding in children.  The “Rule of 2s” will help you remember the facts of this pathology:

  • Effects 2% of the population
  • 2% of these will be symptomatic by age 2
  • 2 types of heterotopic tissue
  • Boy-to-girl ratio is 2:1
  • Usually 2″ in length
  • 2′ from the ileocecal valve

Image result for meckel's diverticulumImage result for meckel's diverticulum

History – Named after Johann Friedrich Meckel, the Younger (1781-1833), who was born into a prestigious medical family, with his father and grandfather already prolific physicians and professors of medicine in Halle, Prussia.  He made tremendous advancements in the area of anatomy and embryonic development with special attention to birth defects and abnormalities, where he pioneered the early study of teratology.  He first described the abnormality which bears his name in 1809.

Johann Friedrich Meckel.jpg

References

  1. Firkin BG and Whitwirth JA.  Dictionary of Medical Eponyms. 2nd ed.  New York, NY; Parthenon Publishing Group. 1996.
  2. Bartolucci S, Forbis P.  Stedman’s Medical Eponyms.  2nd ed.  Baltimore, MD; LWW.  2005.
  3. Yee AJ, Pfiffner P. (2012).  Medical Eponyms (Version 1.4.2) [Mobile Application Software].  Retrieved http://itunes.apple.com.
  4. Whonamedit – dictionary of medical eponyms. http://www.whonamedit.com
  5. Stallion A, Shuck JM.  Meckel’s Diverticulum.  Surgical Treatment: Evidence-Based and Problem-Oriented.  2001 [pubmed]
  6. Blackbourne LH.  Surgical Recall.  6th ed. 2012
  7. J. F. Meckel. Über die Divertikel am Darmkanal. Archiv für die Physiologie, Halle, 1809, 9: 421–453
  8. Klunker R, Göbbel L, Musil A, Tönnies H, Schultka R. Johann Friedrich Meckel the Younger (1781-1833) and modern teratology. Annals of Anatomy. 2002; 184(6):535-40. [pubmed]

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Grave’s Disease

 

Other Known Aliases – Autoimmune hyperthyroidism

Definition – Hyperthyrodism caused by antibodies that stimulate T3/T4 secretion.  The most common antibodies are thyroid-secreting hormone (TSH) and thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb). 

Clinical Significance – Classic clinical manifestations of hyperthyroidism include thyromegaly, ophthalmaopathy, resting tremor, palpitations, weight loss, heat intolerance.  For more in depth analysis of hyperthyroidism, see my 2017 talk at ASPA here.

History – Named after Robert James Graves (1796-1853), who was an prolific Irish physician, surgeon, and educator.  He was named Regius professor of the Institute of Medicine in Trinity College, founded the Dublin Journal of Medical and Chemical Sciences, and was a an early adopter of clinical bedside rounding and teaching with medical students. Dr. Graves wrote a routine clinical lecture series in the London Medical and Surgical Journal and first described a young female patient with ophthalmopathy and goiter in 1835.  Dr. Armand Trousseau then published the collection of these articles in 1864 entitled “Clinical Lectures on the Practice of Medicine” and gave him this eponym.  Another contribution of Dr. Graves was the creation of the second hand on watches to time pulses and the practice of providing food and water with patients with a fever, instead of the common practice of withholding nourishment.

Image result for robert james graves

 

References

  1. Firkin BG and Whitwirth JA.  Dictionary of Medical Eponyms. 2nd ed.  New York, NY; Parthenon Publishing Group. 1996.
  2. Bartolucci S, Forbis P.  Stedman’s Medical Eponyms.  2nd ed.  Baltimore, MD; LWW.  2005.
  3. Yee AJ, Pfiffner P. (2012).  Medical Eponyms (Version 1.4.2) [Mobile Application Software].  Retrieved http://itunes.apple.com.
  4. Whonamedit – dictionary of medical eponyms. http://www.whonamedit.com
  5. Graves RJ.  Newly Observed Affection of the Thyroid Gland. London Medical and Surgical Journal.  1835. Vol.7. Part 2. 512
  6. Graves RJ, Trousseau A.  Clinical Lectures on the Practice of Medicine.  1864.  Dublin.
  7. Smith TJ, Hegedüs L. Graves’ Disease. The New England journal of medicine. 2016; 375(16):1552-1565. [pubmed]

PAINE #PANCE Pearl – Endocrine

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  1. What the two main sub-types of diabetes insipidus and how do you differentiate between the two?
  2. What are the two lesser known sub-types?

Answer

 

  1. The two main types of diabetes insipidus (DI) are central and nephrogenic.  The hallmark of DI is deficiency of vasopressin and you can think of central DI as an ABSOLUTE deficiency and nephrogenic as a RELATIVE deficiency.  Meaning, in central DI there is a problem with secretion of vasopressin from the posterior pituitary.  The kidneys are fine, there just isn’t any vasopressin to make the kidneys hold onto water.  In nephrogenic DI, there is plenty of circulating vasopressin (due to feedback to a normally functioning pituitary), but the kidneys are not responding to this stimulus.  Central DI is most commonly caused by head trauma, post-neurosurgery, or autoimmune issues.  Nephrogenic DI is most commonly caused by genetic defects in children, or renal problems in adults.  A simple test to differentiate between central and nephrogenic DI is a desmopressin challenge.  You can give desmopressin IN or SQ and measure urine osmolarity and volume every 30 minutes for 2 hours.  In central DI, you should see a decrease in urine volume and increase in urine osmolarity.  In nephogenic DI, nothing will change.
  2. There are 2 other sub-types of DI that you need to be aware of as well.  Gestational DI, which is considered a form of nephrogenic DI, can occur in the second/third trimester of pregnancy.  This manifests as a transient ADH resistance due to increased vasopressinase from the placenta.  The other subtype of DI is dipsogenic DI, which is a result of either a defect in the thirst center of the hypothalamus, or due to mental illness, which causes near constant polydipsia and polyuria.  This basically overpowers the circulating ADH

 

References

  1. Robertson GL. Diabetes insipidus: Differential diagnosis and management. Best practice & research. Clinical endocrinology & metabolism. 2016; 30(2):205-18. [pubmed]
  2. Aleksandrov N, Audibert F, Bedard MJ, Mahone M, Goffinet F, Kadoch IJ. Gestational diabetes insipidus: a review of an underdiagnosed condition. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada. 2010; 32(3):225-31. [pubmed]
  3. Perkins RM, Yuan CM, Welch PG. Dipsogenic diabetes insipidus: report of a novel treatment strategy and literature review. Clinical and experimental nephrology. 2006; 10(1):63-7. [pubmed]

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Addison’s Disease

 

Other Known Aliases – primary adrenal insufficiency

Definition – autoimmune destruction of the adrenal cortex that produces cortisol

Clinical Significance – In times of physiologic stress, the adrenal glands are unable to produce and secrete cortisol, which is a key hormone in the “fight-or-flight” response.  If the stress is significant (trauma, surgery, hemorrhage, etc.), then the patient can not mount a compensatory response to this stress and can have life-threatening consequences

History – Named after Thomas Addison (1795-1860), an English physician, who first wrote about the condition in a short note in the London Medical Gazette called “Anaemia – Disease of the Suprarenal Capsules”.  This was then followed up by the more well known article “On the Constitutional and Local Effects of Disease of the Suprarenal Capsule” in 1855, which is largely considered the beginning of the study of the adrenal glands.  The disease eponym was original given to Dr. Addison by the French physician, Armand Trousseau, after fierce debate among experts as to whether the disease actually existed.

Image result for thomas addison

Image result for on the constitution and local effects of disease of the suprarenal capsules

https://library.sydney.edu.au/collections/rare-books/online-exhibitions/medicine/AddisonConstitutional1855plate8.jpg

References

  1. Firkin BG and Whitwirth JA.  Dictionary of Medical Eponyms. 2nd ed.  New York, NY; Parthenon Publishing Group. 1996.
  2. Bartolucci S, Forbis P.  Stedman’s Medical Eponyms.  2nd ed.  Baltimore, MD; LWW.  2005.
  3. Yee AJ, Pfiffner P. (2012).  Medical Eponyms (Version 1.4.2) [Mobile Application Software].  Retrieved http://itunes.apple.com.
  4. Whonamedit – dictionary of medical eponyms. http://www.whonamedit.com
  5. Addison T.  On the Constitutional and Local Effects of Disease of the Suprarenal Capsules.  1855.  London: Samuel Highley.