Surgical Relief Of Obstructive Jaundice And Persistent Epigastric Pain In A Patient With Huge Retroperitoneal Tumour: A Case Presentation

Abstract

A 40 year old trader presented with a 2 week history of colicky upper abdominal pain and later developed jaundice. Clinically the patient was acutely ill, febrile, dehydrated and in pain. Examination revealed an ill defined tender epigastric and central abdominal mass which with ultrasound and CAT scan was thought to be pancreatic. Persistent pain and rapidly developing jaundice compelled a diagnostic laparotomy which revealed diffuse large Beta cell Non Hodgkins lymphoma. The pain and jaundice rapidly resolved after surgery and the tumor responded well to chemotherapy. The case is reported to point attention to the diagnostic as well as the therapeutic benefit of laparotomy in the management of this kind of case.