scholarly journals Unusual case of a giant lung abscess initially misdiagnosed and treated as an empyema

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. e228849
Author(s):  
Joana Sofia Carvalho ◽  
Diogo Paixão Marques ◽  
Inês Oliveira ◽  
Ana Cláudia Vieira

We report the case of a 66-year-old man with dental infection who presented to our emergency department complaining of a 3-month medical history of chest pain and productive cough, in association with malaise, fever, weight loss and anaemia. His chest radiograph showed a nearly total opacification of the right hemithorax and chest ultrasound findings were suggestive of empyema, subsequently confirmed by a chest CT. The patient started appropriate treatment. A follow-up chest CT performed to rule out bronchopleural fistula revealed a large lung abscess. The patient had the final diagnosis of a giant lung abscess, which was initially thought to be an empyema because of the clinical and radiologic similarities with this entity. The initial misdiagnosis led to prompt percutaneous drainage of the lung abscess in addition to antibiotherapy and respiratory physiotherapy with a good final outcome, which suggests the efficacy of this approach in similar cases.

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. e000910
Author(s):  
Theophanes Liatis ◽  
Alberta De Stefani ◽  
Panagiotis Mantis ◽  
Giunio Bruto Cherubini

A 3-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat was referred with 1-month history of three generalised tonic-clonic epileptic seizures and left-sided thoracic limb knuckling. Nine months previously, the cat was bitten on the right upper palpebral region without manifesting neurological signs. On admission, physical and neurological examination revealed left-sided postural reaction deficits and absent menace response. Thus, a right-forebrain neurolocalisation was reached. Haematology, biochemistry, bile acid stimulation test, infectious diseases serology and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were unremarkable. Cerebral MRI revealed extension of brain and meninges into the right frontal sinus. Final diagnosis of a right-sided traumatic frontoethmoidal meningoencephalocele was made. The cat remained seizure free under phenobarbital treatment with residual left-sided postural reaction deficits at 9 months follow-up. This is the first report of presumptive traumatic meningoencephalocele in a cat, which emphasises the importance of complete neurological investigation and regular long-term follow-up checks in patients with historical head trauma despite the absence of initial neurological signs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 030006052093211
Author(s):  
Yu Cui ◽  
Zhong-Xi Yang ◽  
Chun-Mei Wang ◽  
Zhan-Peng Zhu

Microvascular decompression (MVD) is an effective and safe approach for treating hemifacial spasm (HFS). Postoperative complications may include facial nerve palsy, hearing loss, intracerebral haematoma, and brainstem infarction. The occurrence of intracranial cyst following MVD is extremely rare, with few cases documented in the literature. Herein, the cases of two patients with HFS who developed ipsilateral cerebellar cyst following MVD are reported. The first patient was a 50-year-old male presenting with a 6-year history of HFS on the right side of his face. MVD was performed, and 12 days postoperatively he developed dizziness and nausea. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a cyst in the ipsilateral cerebellum. Antibiotic treatment provided no benefit, and the cyst was drained. The second patient was a 44-year-old female presenting with a 4-year history of HFS on the right side of her face. MVD was performed, and 18 days following surgery, she developed dizziness and nausea. MRI showed an ipsilateral cerebellar cyst. Conservative treatment was applied and the cyst shrunk. At the 2-month follow-up appointment, symptoms were completely resolved in both patients. Cerebellar cyst is a rare complication following MVD. Timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment should be emphasized, and surgical treatment may be unnecessary.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. e237622
Author(s):  
Osama Mosalem ◽  
Anas Alsara ◽  
Fawzi Abu Rous ◽  
Borys Hrinczenko

A 57-year-old Southeast Asian woman with a remote history of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the right labium superius oris (upper lip) presented to the hospital with vague epigastric pain. On workup, she was found to have multiple pleural nodules. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic ACC. After 8 months of active surveillance, evidence of disease progression was found and the patient was started on pembrolizumab. Follow-up after starting pembrolizumab showed stable disease with no significant side effects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Dong ◽  
Chun-Li Wu ◽  
Yin-liang Sheng ◽  
Bin Wu ◽  
Guan-Chao Ye ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Catamenial pneumothorax is characterized by spontaneous recurring pneumothorax during menstruation, which is a common clinical manifestation of thoracic endometriosis syndrome. There are still controversies about its pathogenesis. Case presentation A 43-year-old woman with a history of endometriosis came to our hospital due to recurring pneumothorax during menstruation. Uniportal Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) exploration was performed on the eve of menstruating. We thoroughly explored the diaphragm, visceral and parietal pleura: The lung surface was scattered with yellowish-brown implants; no bullae were found; multiple diaphragmatic defects were found on the dome. And surprisingly, we caught a fascinating phenomenon: Bubbles were slipping into pleural cavity through diaphragmatic defects. We excised the diaphragmatic lesions and wedge resected the right upper lung lesion; cleared the deposits and flushed the thoracic cavity with pure iodophor. Diaphragmatic lesions confirmed the presence of endometriosis, and interestingly enough, microscopically, endometrial cells were shedding with impending menses. After a series of intraoperative operations and postoperative endocrine therapy, the disease did not recur after a period of follow-up. Conclusion We have witnessed the typical signs of catamenial pneumothorax at the accurate timing: Not only observed the process of gas migration macroscopically, but also obtained pathological evidence of diaphragmatic periodic perforation microscopically, which is especially precious and confirms the existing theory that retrograde menstruation leads to diaphragmatic endometriosis, and the diaphragmatic fenestration is obtained due to the periodic activities of ectopic endometrium.


2021 ◽  
pp. 112067212110104
Author(s):  
Mehmet Talay Koylu ◽  
Fatih Mehmet Mutlu ◽  
Alper Can Yilmaz

A 13-year-old female patient with refractory primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) in the right eye who had a history of multiple glaucoma operations underwent ab interno 180-degree trabeculectomy with the Kahook Dual Blade (KDB) targeting the nasal and inferior angles. On postoperative day 1, the intraocular pressure (IOP) of the right eye reduced from 43 to 15 mmHg while on medical therapy. The patient maintained this IOP level throughout the 6-month follow-up. Ab interno KDB trabeculectomy targeting both nasal and inferior angles may be an effective and safe procedure for the treatment of PCG even in eyes with a history of previously failed glaucoma procedures.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. e240029
Author(s):  
Anirban Dutta ◽  
Sujata Das ◽  
Himanshu Sekhara Behera ◽  
Ruchi Mittal

A 61-year-old man presented with a 1-month history of reduced vision, redness and pain in the right eye. Examination revealed a bandage contact lens (BCL) in situ with diffuse, pigmented deposits. On removal, the underlying cornea was found to be clear. He had been prescribed the BCL 6 months ago following a deep-seated corneal foreign body removal and was unable to follow-up subsequently.The BCL was sent for microbiological and histopathological evaluation. The culture revealed growth of Cladosporium spp, a dematiaceous fungi. Periodic acid–Schiff staining revealed infiltration of pigmented fungal filaments into the substance of the BCL.While contact lens deposits are a frequent finding, fungal deposits are seldom noted. Irregular follow-up and improper lens maintenance are significant risk factors for the same. Early identification and subsequent removal of the lens is vital to prevent infection of the underlying ocular structures.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Douglas Bretzing ◽  
Tasnim Lat ◽  
Andrew Shakespeare ◽  
Mary Lee ◽  
Salim Surani ◽  
...  

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an increased risk of inoculation with nontyphoid Salmonella compared to the general population. While nontyphoid Salmonella commonly manifests as gastroenteritis, Salmonella bacteremia can be seen in patients with HIV. We present a case of disseminated Salmonellosis in a patient with HIV complicated by bronchopleural fistula and secondary empyema. Case Presentation. A 40-year-old African American male with HIV noncompliant with HAART therapy presented with complaints of generalized weakness, weight loss, cough, night sweats, and nonbloody, watery diarrhea of four weeks’ duration. A computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a bilobed large, thick-walled cavitary lesion in the right upper lobe communicating with the pleural space to form a bronchopleural fistula. Thoracentesis yielded growth of nontyphi Salmonella species consistent with empyema; he was treated with intravenous Ceftriaxone and underwent placement of chest tube for drainage of empyema with instillation of alteplase/dornase twice daily for three days. Repeat CT chest showed a hydropneumothorax. The patient subsequently underwent video-assisted thoracoscopy with decortication. The patient continued to improve and follow-up CT chest demonstrated improved loculated right pneumothorax with resolution of the right bronchopleural fistula and resolution of the cavitary lesions. Discussion. We describe one of the few cases of development of bronchopulmonary fistula and the formation of empyema in the setting of disseminated Salmonella. Empyema complicated by bronchopulmonary fistula likely led to failure of intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy and the patient ultimately required decortication in addition to antibiotics. While Salmonella bacteremia can be seen in immunocompromised patients, extraintestinal manifestations of Salmonella infection such as empyema and bronchopleural fistulas are uncommon. Bronchopleural fistulas most commonly occur as a postoperative complication of pulmonary resection. Conclusions. This case highlights the unusual pulmonary manifestations that can occur due to disseminated Salmonella in an immunocompromised patient as well as complex management decisions related to these complications.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Skrebsky de Almeida ◽  
Roberta P Borges ◽  
Janeczko Laís ◽  
Giovana Caroline Marx Becker ◽  
Ticiana Costa Rodrigues ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: PPGLs are rare neuroendocrine tumors that arise from chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla or their neural crest progenitors, being able to secrete catecholamines. Its treatment is primarily surgical; however, for metastatic/inoperable tumors, effective treatments are lacking. The use of TMZ, an oral alkylating agent, has been scarcely reported with variable response rates. We report 2 patients with reasonable clinical, biochemical and structural responses. Case Reports: Case 1) A 14-year old girl presented with neck pain, sweating, hypertension and tachycardia. Urinary hormonal profile revealed metanephrines 80 (up to 320 ug/24h) and normetanephrines 2983 (up to 390 ug/24h). Abdominal MRI showed a 10x6x5 cm retroperitoneal lesion in close contact with celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, renal arteries, aorta, left renal vein and vertebral bodies of T10, T11 and T12. A chest CT revealed multiple lung metastases. After 11 months, both the primary abdominal lesion and lung metastases increased in size.. Due to disease severity, after excluding surgical possibilities and confirming diagnosis by lesion biopsy, rescue treatment with TMZ was started for 5 days on a 28-day cycle. After 11 cycles, lung and abdominal lesions decreased more than 30% in size, and urinary metanephrines decreased 53.4%. After 21 cycles, there is no evidence of disease progression. Case 2) A 44-year old female was first diagnosed at the age of 31 with a right adrenal mass invading the kidney and the inferior vena cava associated with hypertension, sweating, headaches and palpitations. She underwent right adrenalectomy and nephrectomy. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Seven years later, follow-up CT`s showed a 3 x 2 cm liver metastasis, which was resected, and two lung lesions, one located at the right inferior lobe (1.6 cm) and the other at the left superior lobe (0.9 cm), which initially were just followed-up. At this time, a 7-month sorafenib trial was performed but the drug was stopped due to intolerable side effects. After 3 years of follow-up, the lung lesions increased in size and the right lesion was resected, but the patient refused surgery for the remainder left lung lesion. After 1 year, left lung lesion increased to 2.4 cm and mediastinal and paratracheal lymphadenomegaly developed. TMZ in the same aforementioned schedule was prescribed and after 7 cycles a new chest CT revealed complete regression of the lung and lymph node metastases.. Urinary metanephrines were 2.1 times the upper limit of normal before TMZ and decreased to normal range. Conclusion: These cases highlight the promising role of a well-tolerated single drug chemotherapy regimen in severe cases of metastatic and inoperable PPGLs. TMZ could be considered an alternative strategy for the treatment of these cases and, if possible, should be tested in adequate clinical trials.


2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumit Thakar ◽  
Yasha T. Chickabasaviah ◽  
Alangar S. Hegde

Invasive craniocerebral aspergillosis, often encountered in an immunocompromised setting, is almost uniformly fatal despite radical surgical and medical management, and is frequently a necropsy finding. The authors report a unique, self-resolving clinical course of this aggressive infection in a 10-month-old infant. The infant was brought to the emergency services in altered sensorium with a 1-week history of left-sided hemiparesis, excessive irritability, and vomiting. An MRI study of the brain revealed multiple, heterogeneously enhancing lesions in the right cerebral hemisphere with mass effect. The largest lesion in the frontotemporal cortical and subcortical regions was decompressed on an emergent basis. Histopathological findings were suggestive of invasive aspergillosis, although there was no evidence of the infection in the lungs or paranasal sinuses. Computed tomography–guided aspiration of the remaining lesions and follow-up antifungal therapy were recommended. The parents, however, requested discharge without further treatment. The child was seen at a follow-up visit 3 years later without having received any antifungal treatment. Imaging showed resolution of the infection and features of Dyke-Davidoff-Masson syndrome (cerebral hemiatrophy). This report of invasive cerebral aspergillosis resolving without medical therapy is the first of its kind. Its clinicoradiological aspects are discussed in light of previously reported cases.


2017 ◽  
pp. 138-139
Author(s):  
Pedro André Kowacs ◽  
Paulo Sergio Faro Santos ◽  
Elcio Juliato Piovesan ◽  
Helio Afonso Ghizoni Teive

Background: The transcutaneous supraorbital nerve stimulation with the Cefaly® device has demonstrated safety and efficacy for the prevention of episodic migraine. However, there isn't description of its efficacy in other headaches. Case report: A 78-year-old man was seen because of a 55-year history of daily headache. His medical history revealed Parkinson's disease, dyslipidemia and mild cognitive impairment. Physical examination revealed bradykynesia and asymmetric resting tremor of both arms, the right more affected than the left. There was mild pain on palpation of both upper trapezius muscles adjacent to the occipital bone. Cervical spine X-ray, CT and MRI: no findings. Various therapeutic approaches were done, but without success, so it was decided to prescribe Cefaly®. At his three-month follow-up, he reported an improvement of about 80%. Conclusion: The case described here shows that Cefaly® may be effective in headaches other than migraine.


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