Journal of Medical Cases最新文献

Patients presenting with chest pain to the emergency department constitute a diagnostic challenge as 77% of the patients' symptoms are not cardiac. Diagnostic uncertainty is a pervasive issue in primary care. A 56-year-old man presented with non-traumatic chest pain and chronic neck pain for 2 years, as well as numbness in his right third and fourth fingers for 6 months. It was not associated with palpitation, orthopnea or pedal edema. Except for hyperglycemia, no abnormal findings were found in diagnostic tests. At that time, he was being treated for type 2 diabetes using glucose-lowering drugs in order to lower his blood glucose and lessen his risk of heart disease. The cause of his chest pain remained unknown. Following a second opinion from an orthopedist, the patient was diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy and was treated with analgesics and physical therapy. Because the treatments had only provided temporary pain relief for the previous 6 months, he sought chiropractic care for pain relief. The patient's vital signs were stable and within normal limits during the assessment. A restricted neck movement, a positive Spurling test, and hypoesthesia in the right C7 dermatome were seen. Cervical radiographs revealed degenerative spondylosis with right C5/C6 neuroforaminal stenoses and bilateral C6/C7 neuroforaminal stenoses. A provisional diagnosis of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy associated with cervicogenic angina (CA) was made. Chiropractic procedures, including cervical manipulation, instrumented soft tissue mobilization, and motorized intermittent neck traction, were performed two to three times per week. After 3 months, the patient reported that the chest pain, neck pain, and radicular symptoms had completely resolved. Repeated radiographs taken during the 11th month follow-up revealed a comparable improvement in the increased spacing of the restricted neuroforamina, which could signify a beneficial alteration related to cervical function retrieval. CA is an angina-like chest pain caused by cervical spine disorders. This study adds to our understanding of the biomechanical impact of cervical radiculopathy on chest pain, which has largely been overlooked during diagnostic workups. Once cervical radiculopathy has been identified, CA symptoms can be eased by alleviating the noxious input stemming from the pinched nerve roots.

Extramedullary acute myeloid leukemia (EML), also known as myeloid sarcoma (MS), is an extramedullary solid mass derived from the proliferation of myeloblasts outside of the bone marrow. EML can present independently or concurrently with intramedullary acute myeloid leukemia (iAML). It can happen de novo or secondary to iAML, myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). We present a 57-year-old female with a history of Janus kinase 2 (JAK-2)-positive essential thrombocythemia (ET) evolving into EML in the setting of a persistent TP53 mutation. We discuss the essential diagnostic studies including tissue biopsy and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT) imaging. We also investigate the significance of cytogenetics and next-generation sequencing (NGS) along with the unique pathogenesis, treatment and prognostic implications.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare epithelial tumor that is found in the salivary glands. It is typically slow-growing and follows an indolent course. While it can hematogenously spread to the lungs, distant metastases are rarely reported. Primary ACC in the lung is not common and makes up only 0.04-0.2% of all primary lung tumors. In addition, metastasis of the ACC to liver and bilateral kidneys is not common frequently documented. In this case report, we present a patient with unusual metastases of ACC, as well as non-specific symptoms that warrant discussion for ACC as potential differentials in the appropriate clinical setting.

Neuropsychiatric disorders associated with coronavirus infections emerged with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We describe the clinical, laboratory and radiological features of a patient who presented, after recent COVID-19, two rare neuropsychiatric manifestations: a brief psychotic break followed by severe bilateral peripheral facial palsy.

We present herein the case of an elderly male patient, who was receiving immunotherapy for his urothelial cancer and who presented to our facility with lower extremity weakness. The patient was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, thyroiditis, myositis and myocarditis, which were considered as immune adverse events of pembrolizumab therapy. The patient received pyridostigmine, intravenous immunoglobulin, plasmapheresis, corticosteroids, and rituximab with mild improvement of his symptoms. The patient had some neurological recovery, was discharged to a nursing facility, however he was ventilator dependent. Of importance, our case is followed by review and discussion of the literature related to immunotherapy and its side effects.

Congenital absence of an internal carotid artery (ICA) is an extremely rare vascular anomaly. This case report presents an instance of right ICA agenesis to highlight the importance of early identification of this anomaly and its impact on disease presentation and complications. With transient ischemic attack (TIA), cerebrovascular accident (CVA), and cerebral aneurysms being among the chief presenting scenarios or course of the anomaly, it is important to have a high level of suspicion for these in patients with known ICA agenesis. Understanding the underlying development of this vasculature and its impact on cerebral circulation aids in identifying possible findings on imaging. This case report aims to delineate the pathophysiology of ICA agenesis, recognition of the vasculature that contributes to the anomaly, different presentations of the disease, complications, and obstacles in management.

Primary colorectal lymphoma is incredibly rare and cases of iatrogenic immunodeficiency associated lymphoproliferative disorder (IILPD) isolated to colorectal area are even more uncommon. Immunodeficiency associated lymphoproliferative disorders can occur in association with primary immune disorders such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) which are often treated with various immunomodulatory drugs. Of the immunomodulatory drugs, thiopurines, in particular, are known to have a significantly increased relative risk for development of IILPDs. Here we present the case of a 43-year-old Caucasian man with a 22-year history of IBD treated with longstanding immunomodulatory therapy who presented with severe rectal pain and drainage. He underwent an examination under anesthesia with rigid proctoscopy and biopsies were taken of a hard exophytic appearing tissue along the posterior wall of the rectosigmoid junction. Pathological investigation of the samples revealed IILPD. He underwent treatment with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone (R-CHOP) and achieved complete remission. Literature demonstrates that the use of immunomodulators such as azathioprine has been shown to significantly improve the quality of life in patients with IBD. However, while the absolute risk of lymphoma for any given patient remains quite low, the relative risk of lymphoma in patients who are actively treated with thiopurines is moderate. Therefore, the decision to proceed with thiopurine treatment, especially in the setting of long-term therapy, requires extensive discussion and patient education of the risks/benefits along with closer monitoring of new or uncharacteristic symptoms.

Remimazolam is a short-acting benzodiazepine that has recently received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for procedural sedation in adults. Similar to other benzodiazepines such as midazolam, remimazolam has sedative, anxiolytic, and amnestic properties. Rapid metabolism by plasma esterases results in a half-life of 5 - 10 min and a limited context sensitive half-life. Preliminary data from adult studies have demonstrated favorable hemodynamic stability, no pain on injection, and limited impact on ventilatory function. To date, its use as the primary agent for procedural sedation in pediatric-aged patients has been limited, as previous published reports of its use have detailed its administration as an adjunct to general anesthesia. We report anecdotal experience with the use of remimazolam for procedural sedation during an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in a 15-year-old adolescent with multiple drug and food allergies. The role of remimazolam in procedural sedation is discussed, previous reports of its use in pediatric-aged patients are reviewed, and dosing algorithms are presented.

Statins are the most frequently prescribed medications for primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The United States Preventative Services Task Force recommends that clinicians selectively offer a statin for the primary prevention of ASCVD for adults aged 40 - 75 years with one or more cardiovascular disease risk factors and an estimated 10-year risk of a cardiovascular event of 10% or greater. Despite their ubiquity, it is estimated that approximately 6-10% of patients remain intolerant due to muscle aches. Here, we present a case of a 71-year-old female that was taking atorvastatin for a year and presented to the emergency room with proximal muscle aches and weakness. Laboratory values were significant for an elevated creatinine kinase of 4,166 U/L (reference range, 20 - 180). Her magnetic resonance imaging was significant for edema in bilateral lower extremity proximal muscles. Serology revealed a high anti-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase antibody, confirming the diagnosis of statin-induced necrotizing autoimmune myositis. A muscle biopsy of the right vastus lateralis revealed necrotic muscle fibers. During her hospital course, she was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone, mycophenolate mofetil, and tacrolimus. Her symptoms gradually improved, and she was discharged after 14 days with a rheumatology follow-up. This is an exceedingly rare complication of statin use and has only recently received increasing attention. Here we present our experience with this disease.