Rectal necrosis in the setting of critical illness and burn

The rectum is an anatomically protected and well vascularized structure. Injury to the rectum is usually the result of penetrating perineal mechanisms or reported scalding enemas. Here, we report a case of isolated rectal necrosis following a 72 % total body surface area burn that resulted from a motor vehicle crash. The patient's rectal injury was managed with open resection, left in discontinuity and ultimately expired. In presenting this case, we hope to share an unusual development in a patient with critical illness and guide future care.

Primary Aortoduodenal Fistula: A Case Report and Current Literature Review

Primary aortoduodenal fistula is a rare, life-threatening pathology that is difficult to diagnose and manage. We present the case of a 64-year-old male with a primary aortoduodenal fistula. Our patient initially underwent an endovascular aneurysm repair at an outside institution before being transferred to our tertiary care center, where he ultimately had definitive management with an extra-anatomic bypass, aortic ligation, duodenal resection with primary anastomosis, and gastrojejunostomy tube placement. His surgical cultures grew Candida albicans, and he was discharged with a 6-week course of intravenous antibiotics with subsequent antibiotic suppression for 1 year. He died 14 months postoperatively from tongue squamous cell carcinoma. We also review the current literature regarding epidemiology, pathology, diagnostics, management, and case reports from 2015 to present. Overall, timely diagnosis and treatment is imperative for reducing mortality from primary aortoduodenal fistula, and although formal consensus is lacking regarding most clinical aspects, an increasing number of case reports has helped describe options for management.