Damjan Kovač

We describe an 81-year old man presenting with ileus and two rare, pathologically distinct entities: gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and Crohn's disease. Within Meckel's diverticulum a polypous tumor, 3 cm in diameter, with preserved lumen was found. In the area of the terminal ileum, coecum and colon ascendens inflamed bowel loops were fixed together with fibrous adhesions. Partial resection of the ileum with end-to-end anastomosis and right hemicolectomy with resection of the terminal ileum and end-to-end ileotransverse anastomosis were performed. Pathohistological and immunohistochemical examination revealed the polypous tumor as GIST. Changes in terminal ileum, coecum and colon ascendens were referred as Crohn's disease. Although adenocarcinoma is well known in chronic, long-standing inflammatory bowel disease, other primary intestinal tumors are rare in those patients. Furthermore, Crohn's disease can be a part of differential diagnosis of ileus, also in such an old man.

:  Calciphylaxis, also known as calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA), is a rare complication in patients with end‐stage renal disease as well as in patients after renal transplantation. It should be suspected in patients with typical painful violaceous skin lesions on the extremities or on the trunk. Active multidisciplinary management approach, with intensive local wound care, is vital in these patients. Controlling parathyroid hormone, hyperbaric oxygenation, sodium thiosulphate, bisphosphonates, cinacalcet and skin grafting could be effective. In our report, we describe a case of CUA in a 43‐year‐old patient two years after kidney transplantation. Despite intensive standard treatment, his wounds progressed; therefore, we decided to use iloprost, in combination with hyperbaric oxygenation. The clean wounds were then covered with cultivated autologous skin cells to enhance wound epithelialization. Seven months after finishing iloprost and hyperbaric oxygen treatment and the first application of skin substitute, the wounds healed completely and remained healed during the four‐yr follow‐up period. We conclude that in patients with severe CUA‐induced wounds, the combined treatment with iloprost, hyperbaric oxygen and autologous cultured fibrin‐based skin substitutes can be effective. A combination of different treatment modalities is vital in patients with CUA.