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The small bowel is a long coiled hollow tube, called a tract, that is approximately twenty-five feet long. It includes the duodenum, jejunum and ileum.  A small bowel obstruction, also known as a small intestinal obstruction, is a mechanical or functional (paralytic) blockage of the intestinal tract, which prevents the normal transit of digestive products. It can occur at any level throughout the jejunum and ileum, and is considered a medical emergency when it occurs. The condition is often treated conservatively…

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Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS) in infants is a narrowing of the pylorus, the lower part of the stomach through which food and other stomach contents pass to enter the small intestine. When an infant has HPS, the muscles in the pylorus have enlarged resulting in narrowing within the pyloric channel preventing food from emptying out of the stomach.

HPS is a form of gastric outlet obstruction, which means a blockage from the stomach to the intestines. It affects three…

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Wilson’s disease is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, where copper accumulates in the body’s tissues and organs, specifically the liver, brain, and eyes. The body acquires and stores too much copper. Copper deposition causes damage, death, and scarring of tissues leading to dysfunction of organs. 

The incidence of Wilson’s disease is 1:300,000. If both parents possess an abnormal gene for Wilson’s disease, there is a 25% chance their child will have the disorder. The gene responsible for Wilson’s disease is…

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Deep venous thrombosis is the development of a blood clot in the large, deep veins of the lower leg and thigh. Thrombi can cause tissue injury due to vascular occlusion or distal embolization. However, venous obstruction can be offset by collateral blood vessels. Thrombi can also cause local pain and edema due to the blockage of blood flow. If the clot breaks off and travels through the blood, it is referred to as an embolism. An embolism can become trapped…

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Meningitis is inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. It is commonly caused by infection, but other causes include chemical irritants, drug allergies, fungi, and tumors. Based on the clinical evolution of the illness and the type of inflammatory exudate present in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), infectious meningitis is categorized into acute pyogenic (usually bacterial), aseptic (usually viral), and chronic (usually tuberculosis, spirochetal, cryptococcal).

Early diagnosis is essential for bacterial meningitis because it…

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Oral cancer is the uncontrollable growth of cells that invade and inflict damage in areas involving the lips, tongue, cheek lining, floor of the mouth, gingiva, and palate. Men are twice as likely to have oral cancer, specifically men over the age of 40. Risk factors include smoking/tobacco use; heavy alcohol use; chronic irritation from rough teeth, dentures, or fillings; human papilloma virus infection; family history; excessive sun exposure; taking immunosuppressants that weaken the immune system; and poor oral hygiene.

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One of the first steps in evaluating brain injury is diagnostic imaging. Imaging refers to various methods of viewing the structures and processes residing in the brain. Some of the more familiar modalities are CT (or CAT) scans, which use X-rays to evaluate intracranial structures. MRI, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, uses magnetic fields to illustrate the brain. However, in cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI), more advanced methods may be needed for proper diagnosis.

An MRI machine can use special software…

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Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life threatening condition that affects over 600,000 people per year in the United States. Through the use of modern diagnostic tools such as multislice spiral CT and advancements in treatment, the mortality rate of PE has been reduced in recent years.

PE involves a blockage of an artery in the lungs from a clot that has traveled through the bloodstream from another part of the body. Usually the clot begins in the deep veins of…

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The brain is responsible for higher motor and sensory functions. It requires a constant source of oxygen in order to continue its vital functions. When the flow of oxygen is interrupted, the consequences can be devastating.  Severe injury can occur when the brain lacks the oxygen needed to continue functioning. A total lack of oxygen can be referred to as “anoxic” injury whereas a partial lack of flow can be referred to as “hypoxic” injury.

Brain injury can occur…

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Stomach cancer is referred to as gastric cancer. The most common type of gastric cancer is called adenocarcinoma. This starts in the glandular tissue that composes the lining of the stomach and accounts for 90% to 95% of all gastric cancers. Other forms of gastric cancer include lymphomas, which involve the lymphatic system and sarcomas, which involve the connective tissue (such as muscle, fat, or blood vessels).

Generally, the best chance for cure of gastric cancer is when it is…

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