Journal of Medical Cases最新文献

Cholangiopathy in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is being less frequently reported since antiretroviral therapy (ART) is available. It is associated with an advanced disease and seen in situations with poor access or non-compliance with ART. Liver biopsy is thought to have low yield in cases of AIDS cholangiopathy, but it can be an important tool in diagnosis, especially early in the course of the disease. The prognosis of AIDS cholangiopathy is generally not favorable, the therapy for opportunistic infections is mostly ineffective and restoration of immune system with ART remains the therapy of choice. We are sharing our experience of diagnosing and managing three cases of AIDS cholangiopathy.

Rhizobium radiobacter (R. radiobacter) is a gram-negative bacterium, primarily a soil contaminant and rarely pathogenic to humans. Only a few cases of peritonitis secondary to R. radiobacter have been reported worldwide. A 66-year-old male with end-stage renal disease who was on peritoneal dialysis (PD) developed R. radiobacter-induced peritonitis. We have treated the infection successfully with intraperitoneal antibiotics and managed to keep his PD catheter intact without interruption in PD treatment. More prolonged antibiotic therapy and frequent clinical follow-up is required to treat this infection. Better clinician awareness is needed to prevent this rare infection.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs in a large percentage of surgical trauma patients and is one of the leading causes of death amongst young teens and adults. Furthermore, individuals with TBIs often require mechanical ventilation and admission to the intensive care unit. As a result of their TBIs, these patients can develop central alveolar hypoventilation (CAH) secondary to disruptions in neuromodulatory respiratory brainstem control and neural signal initiation and integration. Prior studies have primarily focused their attention on treatment of congenital disorders of CAH, and limited research is available on intubated trauma patients who have signs of ventilator dyssynchrony. Current case reports and animal studies have suggested that noradrenergic and specific serotonergic medications are able to target specific neurologic pathways in the respiratory circuit and induce ventilator synchrony. This case series describes the clinical course of TBI patients treated for ventilator dyssynchrony secondary to CAH with a daily scheduled 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonist. All patients were ultimately extubated and discharged from the hospital.

Burn injuries carry an increased risk of intra-abdominal hypertension and are an independent risk factor for abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). ACS is most commonly due to large volume resuscitation. The added concern of ACS can complicate resuscitative efforts. Early monitoring for ACS (intra-abdominal pressure > 20 mm Hg with associated new-onset organ dysfunction) and performing prudent decompressive laparotomies are important factors to keep in mind when treating large surface area burn patients. This case report describes the hospitalization of a 60-year-old male who presented with 45% full-thickness (FT) total body surface area (TBSA) and inhalation injury. On arrival to the emergency department (ED), he had received a total of 6 L of intravenous lactate Ringers, and vasopressors were initiated due to hypotension. During the tertiary examination it was noted that there was increased difficulty ventilating the patient, and his abdomen was becoming increasingly distended and tense. His intra-abdominal pressure was measured in the ED and found to be elevated at 32 mm Hg. The findings were suggestive of ACS and a decompressive laparotomy was performed in the ED. Upon entering the abdominal cavity, the abdominal contents extruded through the incision and diffuse venous congestion and gastric distention were noted. Items commonly found in operating rooms (Top-Draper^® warmer drape, Kerlix rolls, Jackson-Pratt suction drains, and 3M^® Ioban sterile antimicrobial incise drape) were utilized to maintain an open abdomen where abdominal contents could easily be observed and to prevent delay in performing a decompressive laparotomy. Here we describe a patient with 45% FT TBSA and inhalation injuries requiring an emergent decompressive laparotomy for ACS after only 6 L of lactate Ringers were administered. This highlights the importance of early monitoring for ACS and the ease of performing a decompressive laparotomy with commonly found items in the ED and operating rooms.

A case report is presented, in which a tooth with a chronic apical abscess that has caused a maxillary sinusitis was treated with an endodontic microsurgery. A 65-year-old female patient reported discomfort in a maxillary tooth gingiva. Clinically, a dental metal-ceramic bridge with adequate marginal adaptation, involving teeth from maxillary right canine to maxillary right second molar, was observed. The periapical radiograph showed the adequate adaptation of the crown and post in the maxillary right first premolar, an apical lesion, and the heavy thickening of the maxillary sinus floor mucosa. The diagnosis established in the maxillary right first premolar was of a previously treated tooth and a chronic apical abscess. Considering the accurate fixed prosthesis adaptation and the impossibility of disassembling the five-piece-metal-ceramic bridge to perform a new endodontic treatment and the prosthetic restoration, an endodontic microsurgery of this tooth was performed. The post-treatment follow-up of 12-month recall showed a normal thickness sinus membrane and a regenerating cortical bone. The proposed microsurgery has enabled the maintenance of the existing prosthetic rehabilitation of the tooth that caused the sinus pathosis.

Acute mesenteric vein thrombosis (MVT) is an uncommon cause of mesenteric ischemia and portal hypertension. The common risk factors for the development of MVT include surgery, acute-intraabdominal inflammatory disorders, malignancies, and other prothrombotic states. However, MVT can occur in the absence of these risk factors. We describe the case of a 40-year-old man with a new diagnosis of hemoglobin E thalassemia and MVT and discuss the relationship between the hemoglobinopathy and thrombosis based on evidence from existing literature. The case emphasizes the importance of a high index of suspicion in the diagnosis of MVT in other to reduce complications and improve overall outcomes.

Adenosarcomas are biphasic neoplasms that usually originate in the uterine corpus and comprise a benign epithelial component and a malignant stromal component. Uterine adenosarcomas typically present with abnormal genital bleeding, an enlarged uterus, and a tumor that protrudes into the endometrial cavity. These tumors rarely protrude through the cervical os and are often misdiagnosed as cervical polyps. We present the case of a patient with cervical adenosarcoma with characteristics different from those reported in previous cases. This tumor showed endophytic growth, which is rare in cervical adenosarcomas. No watery discharge or obvious genital bleeding was noted. Although the tumor measured 4 cm, vaginal bleeding was noted only once at 6 months before diagnosis and was in the form of faint brown discharge.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emerged as a world crisis in 2019 and started a global search for optimal therapeutic regimen including vaccines, antiviral agents, and recently monoclonal antibody therapy. Clinical trials are currently underway for the efficacy of several neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against COVID-19. The evolution of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants with immune evasion capacity has created a challenge for the healthcare workers with urgent need for prospective studies to determine functionality of monoclonal antibody therapy and their role in the reduction of hospitalization for disease severity. Herein, we report three cases of COVID-19 during the beginning of the spread of Omicron variants that were hospitalized after treatment with monoclonal antibody therapy in the emergency department. All the patients showed progression of the disease on imaging and were treated with dexamethasone, remdesivir and anticoagulation based on the symptoms and contraindications. Two of the patients recovered and were discharged with out-patient follow-up; however, one patient expired in the hospital. Monoclonal antibody therapy is a promising treatment to limit the progression of COVID-19 and reduce the hospital strain specifically in small community hospitals. Limited information is available about their efficacy in the new viral variants. These cases emphasize the need of future prospective study and randomized controlled trials to illustrate the utilization of monoclonal antibodies as a therapeutic modality in patients infected with the variants of SARS-CoV-2.

Tricuspid stenosis (TS) is a rare valvular abnormality and generally associated with mitral stenosis in cases of rheumatic heart disease. TS is now frequently being described in the setting of permanent pacemaker leads, either with or without the presence of infective endocarditis. We describe a case of a female with TS secondary to permanent pacemaker leads in the absence of infective endocarditis being managed during the pre-conception period. She initially had a balloon valvuloplasty done for moderate to severe TS and subsequently conceived and delivered without complications. However, upon being evaluated before her second pregnancy, she was again found to have severe TS. We hypothesize that the presence of permanent pacemaker lead contributed to the development of early restenosis after the first procedure. A repeat balloon valvuloplasty was unsuccessful and she ultimately underwent successful tricuspid valve replacement with no echocardiographic or clinical signs of restenosis years later. The options for management of TS secondary to permanent pacemaker lead include medical management, balloon valvuloplasty (with or without removal of pacemaker lead), or tricuspid valve replacement. Overall, there is a scarcity of data on long-term outcomes of either option making the management challenging.

Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (anti-MDA5) associated clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM) is a rare entity that is frequently associated with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease. The disease is characterized by its association with a distinct myositis specific antibody, the lack of muscle involvement seen with other inflammatory myopathies, and a strong correlation with the development of rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease. Diagnosis is based on clinical findings and the presence of autoantibodies. Management generally involves combination immunosuppression therapy. However, the disease course is often aggressive and lends a poor prognosis. We report a case of a healthy 55-year-old male who presented with dyspnea, dry cough, and joint pain for 1 month. The patient was diagnosed with anti-MDA5 associated CADM with interstitial lung disease after a complete rheumatological workup found elevated titers of MDA5 antibodies and computed tomography of the chest without contrast revealed radiographic evidence of interstitial lung involvement. Disease course was complicated by the development of Pneumocystis pneumonia as a result of profound immunosuppression from combination immunosuppressant therapy. Our patient eventually succumbed to his illness approximately 10 weeks following initial symptom onset. This case highlights the aggressive nature of the disease and the challenges in management. Further research is warranted to establish more effective therapeutic options.