scholarly journals Different types of bullae of limbs with necrotizing fasciitis predict different outcome: a prospective study

Infection ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsung-Yu Huang ◽  
Yao-Hung Tsai ◽  
Liang-Tseng Kuo ◽  
Wei-Hsiu Hsu ◽  
Cheng-Ting Hsiao ◽  
...  

Abstract Study objective Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is an uncommon life-threatening necrotizing skin and soft tissue infection. Bullae are special skin manifestations of NF. This study was conducted to analyze the differences between different types of bullae of limbs with NF for providing the information to emergency treatment. Methods From April 2015 to August 2018, patients were initially enrolled based on surgical confirmation of limbs with NF. According to the presence of different bullae types, patients were divided into no bullae group (Group N), serous-filled bullae group (Group S), and hemorrhagic bullae group (Group H). Data such as demographics, clinical outcomes, microbiological results, presenting symptoms/signs, and laboratory findings were compared among these groups. Results In total, 187 patients were collected, with 111 (59.4%) patients in Group N, 35 (18.7%) in Group S, and 41 (21.9%) in Group H. Group H had the highest incidence of amputation, required intensive care unit care, and most patients infected with Vibrio species. In Group N, more patients were infected with Staphylococcus spp. than Group H. In Group S, more patients were infected with β-hemolytic Streptococcus than Group H. Patients with bacteremia, shock, skin necrosis, anemia, and longer prothrombin time constituted higher proportions in Group H and S than in Group N. Conclusions In southern Taiwan, patients with NF accompanied by hemorrhagic bullae appear to have more bacteremia, Vibrio infection, septic shock, and risk for amputation. If the physicians at the emergency department can detect for the early signs of NF as soon as possible, and more patient’s life and limbs may be saved.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madan Goyal ◽  
R K Goel

Acute cholecystitis (AC) is a potentially life-threatening condition. LC was initially considered to be a relative contraindication for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), but with increase in general expertise, early LC was recommended in selected patients1. Aprospective study of LC in grade 1 and 2 AC patients with mild to moderate inflammatory changes in the gallbladder and no significant organ dysfunction, was performed during October 2016 to July 2019. A total of 78 patients, out of 408 cholecystectomies performed during this period, were included in this study. Criteria for diagnosing AC was, recent onset of pain in right hypochondrium, fever, leucocytosis, pericholecystic fluid collections, subserosal oedema on ultrasound, pyocele and other pathological evidence of AC. Patients presented and operated within 4 days of onset of symptoms showed better results as compared to those who could be operated after 4 days and within 14 days. Five patients required conversion to open cholecystectomy because of complex adhesions in 2, critical view of safety was unachievable in 2 and in 1 for troublesome bleeding.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuya Kato ◽  
Yoshikazu Ogawa ◽  
Teiji Tominaga

Abstract Background Pregnancy is a known risk factor for pituitary apoplexy, which is life threatening for both mother and child. However, very few clinical interventions have been proposed for managing pituitary apoplexy in pregnancy. Case presentation We describe the management of three cases of pituitary apoplexy during pregnancy and review available literature. Presenting symptoms in our case series were headache and/or visual disturbances, and the etiology in all cases was hemorrhage. Conservative therapy was followed until 34 weeks of gestation, after which babies were delivered by cesarean section with prophylactic bolus hydrocortisone supplementation. Tumor removal was only electively performed after delivery using the transsphenoidal approach. All three patients and their babies had a good clinical course, and postoperative pathological evaluation revealed that all tumors were functional and that they secreted prolactin. Conclusions Although the mechanism of pituitary apoplexy occurrence remains unknown, the most important treatment strategy for pituitary apoplexy in pregnancy remains adequate hydrocortisone supplementation and frequent hormonal investigation. Radiological follow-up should be performed only if clinical symptoms deteriorate, and optimal timing for surgical resection should be discussed by a multidisciplinary team that includes obstetricians and neonatologists.


Author(s):  
Hisako Hara ◽  
Makoto Mihara ◽  
Takeshi Todokoro

Lymphedema is a chronic edema that sometimes occurs after treatment of gynecologic cancer, and cellulitis often occurs concomitantly with lymphedema. On the other hand, necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a relatively rare, but life-threatening disease. The symptoms in cellulitis and NF are very similar. In this case report, we describe a case in which the diagnosis of NF in a lymphedematous limb was difficult. A 70-year-old woman had secondary lymphedema in bilateral legs and consulted our department. On the first day of lymphedema therapy, the patient complained of vomiting, diarrhea, and fever (37.7 °C) without local fever in the legs. She was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis. On the next day, swelling and pain in her left leg occurred and her blood pressure was 59/44 mmHg. She was diagnosed with cellulitis accompanied by lower limb lymphedema and septic shock. On the second day, blisters appeared on the left leg, and computed tomography showed NF. We performed debridement under general anesthesia and her vital signs improved postoperatively. Streptococcus agalactiae (B) was detected in blood culture, and we administered bixillin and clindamycin. Postoperatively, necrosis in the skin and fat around the left ankle gradually spread, and it took 5 months to complete epithelialization. The diagnosis was more difficult than usual NF because patients with lymphedema often experience cellulitis. Clinicians should always think of NF to avoid mortality due to delayed treatment. This case report was approved by the institutional ethics committee.


1999 ◽  
pp. 332-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
U Schiemann ◽  
R Gellner ◽  
B Riemann ◽  
G Schierbaum ◽  
J Menzel ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE: Graves' disease leads to thyroid enlargement and to reduction of tissue echogenicity. Our purpose was to correlate grey scale ultrasonography of the thyroid gland with clinical and laboratory findings in patients with Graves' disease. DESIGN: Fifty-three patients with Graves'disease were included in our study, 100 euthyroid volunteers served as control group. Free thyroxine (FT(4)), TSH and TRAb (TSH receptor antibodies) values were measured and correlated with sonographic echogenicity of the thyroid gland. METHODS: All patients and control persons underwent ultrasonographical histogram analyses under standardized conditions. Mean densities of the thyroid tissues were determined in grey scales (GWE). RESULTS: Compared with controls with homogeneous thyroid lobes of normal size (25.6 +/- 2.0GWE, mean +/- S.D.) echogenicity in patients with Graves' disease was significantly lower (21.3 +/- 3. 3GWE, mean +/- S.D., P < 0.0001). Among the patients with Graves' disease significant differences of thyroid echo levels were revealed for patients with suppressed (20.4 +/- 3.1 GWE, mean +/- S.D., n=34) and normalized TSH values (22.5 +/- 3.6GWE, mean +/- S.D., n=19, P < 0.02). Significantly lower echogenicities were also measured in cases of persistent elevated TRAb levels (19.9 +/- 2.9GWE, mean +/- S.D., n=31) in comparison with normal TRAb levels (22.9 +/- 3.5 GWE, mean +/- S.D., n=22, P < 0.0015). No correlation could be verified between echogenicity and either still elevated or already normalized FT(4) values or the thyroid volume. In coincidence of hyperthyroidism and Graves' ophthalmopathy (19.7 +/- 3.5GWE, mean +/- S.D., n=23) significantly lower echogenicity was measured than in the absence of ophthalmological symptoms (22.3 +/- 3.3GWE, mean +/- S.D., n=30, P < 0.016). Patients needing active antithyroid drug treatment revealed significantly lower thyroid echogenicity (20.3 +/- 3.1 GWE, mean +/- S.D., n=40) than patients in remission (23.7 +/- 3.4 GWE, mean +/- S.D., n=13, P < 0.001). Statistical evaluation was carried out using Student's t-test. CONCLUSIONS: Standardized grey scale histogram analysis allows for supplementary judgements of thyroid function and degree of autoimmune activity in Graves' disease. Whether these values help to estimate the risk of recurrence of hyperthyroidism after withdrawal of antithyroid medication should be evaluated in a prospective study.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. ???
Author(s):  
Xinying Xue ◽  
Xuelei Zang ◽  
Lifeng Wang ◽  
Dongliang Lin ◽  
Tianjiao Jiang ◽  
...  

Objective This study aimed to compare the clinical features of pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC) in patients with and without central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Methods We retrospectively reviewed demographics, presenting symptoms, radiographic features, and laboratory findings of patients diagnosed with PC in 28 hospitals from 2010 to 2019. Risk factors for CNS involvement were analyzed using logistic regression models. Result A total of 440 patients were included, and 36 (8.2%) had CNS involvement. Significant differences in fever, headache, and chills occurred between the two groups (overall and with/without CNS involvement) for fever (17.8% [78/440]; 52.8% vs. 14.6% of patients, respectively), headache (4.5% [20/440]; 55.6% vs. 0% of patients, respectively), and chills (4.3% [19/440]; 13.9% vs. 3.5% of patients, respectively). The common imaging manifestation was nodules (66.4%). Multivariate analysis showed that cavitation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.552), fever (AOR = 4.182), and headache were risk factors for CNS involvement. Routine blood tests showed no differences between the groups, whereas in cerebrospinal fluid the white blood cell count increased significantly and glucose decreased significantly. Conclusion In patients with PC, the risk of CNS involvement increases in patients with headache, fever, and cavitation; these unique clinical features may be helpful in the diagnosis.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inna Leybell ◽  
Liliya Abrukin

Bradyarrhythmias can present as an incidental electrocardiographic (ECG) finding or a life-threatening condition requiring immediate intervention. They are caused by sinus node disease or atrioventricular block. This review covers pathophysiology, stabilization and assessment, diagnosis and treatment options, and disposition and outcomes for patients with bradycardia. Figures in the review demonstrate characteristic ECG tracings. Tables list classifications of sinus node dysfunction as well as of sinoatrial and atrioventricular blocks, presenting symptoms, important information to elicit on history taking, various causes of bradycardia, and specific interventions for toxicologic etiologies. Key words: atrioventricular block, atropine, bradyarrhythmia, bradycardia, first-degree atrioventricular block, second-degree atrioventricular block, sinoatrial block, sinus bradycardia, sinus node disease, tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome, third-degree atrioventricular block This review contains 9 highly rendered figures, 7 tables, and 92 references.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-47
Author(s):  
Nazma Akter ◽  
Nazmul Kabir Qureshi

Adrenal insufficiency is caused by either primary adrenal failure or by hypothalamic-pituitary impairment of the corticotropic axis. Adrenal insufficiency, first codified in 1855 by Thomas Addison, remains relevant in 2014 because of its lethal nature. Though, it is a rare disease but is life threatening when overlooked. Main presenting symptoms such as fatigue, anorexia and weight loss are nonspecific, thus diagnosis is often delayed. The diagnostic work-up is well established but some pitfalls remain. The diagnosis is adequately established by the 250 ?g ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) stimulation test in most cases. Glucocorticoids provide life saving treatment but long-term quality of life is impaired, perhaps because therapy is not given in a physiologic way. Dehydroepiandrosterone-replacement therapy has been introduced that could help to restore quality of life. It may be useful in pubertal girls, but not in adults. Monitoring of glucocorticoid-replacement is difficult due to lack of objective methods of assessment and is therefore largely based on clinical grounds. Thus, long-term management of patients with adrenal insufficiency remains a challenge, requiring an experienced specialist. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/dmcj.v3i1.22238 Delta Med Col J. Jan 2015; 3(1): 36-47


2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 462
Author(s):  
Haytham Kamel ◽  
Mohamed Soliman Edris Awed ◽  
Ahmed Fouad Kotb

Necrotizing fasciitis is a progressive, rapidly spreading, inflammatory infection located in deep fascia. It may cause necrosis of skin and subcutaneous tissue and can even result in involvement of adjacent soft tissues such as muscles resulting in necrotizing myositis. We report the case of an adult male presenting with necrotizing myofasciitis secondary to left pyelonephritis. We also review the relevant literature.


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