scholarly journals Multiple brain abscesses: A case report

2004 ◽  
Vol 57 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 498-500
Author(s):  
Sofija Banic-Horvat ◽  
Milan Cvijanovic ◽  
Miroslav Ilin ◽  
Aleksandar Kopitovic ◽  
Svetlana Simic ◽  
...  

Case Report 10 days before admission a 45-year old female experienced general weakness, and T 38oC. During that period she had no cardio-respiratory nor neurological complaints, and the temperature varied between 37.5oC and 38oC. Her medical history was unremarkable, without immunodeficiency. The day before admission she presented with left arm paresis and during the next day it progressed to paralysis. She had no headache. On admission the following diagnostic procedures were performed: the cranial CT scan showed two lesions (possibly meta lesions). Chest X-ray was normal. WBC=15x109/L, ESR= 90/120. On the second day following admission brain MRI showed multiple abscesses in both hemispheres, mostly in the gray/white junction. High doses of IV metronidasol, cephtriaxon and cipfloxacin were administered without obtaining specimens for micro- biological diagnosis. In next two days she developed coma, respiratory insufficiency and septic temperature. Brain surgery was not performed due to severe involvement of the brain with multiple abscesses. Repeated chest X-ray revealed bilateral pneumonia. A lethal outcome occurred on the third day, regardless of all efforts. Autopsy showed multiple brain abscesses as well as on the lungs and liver. A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection was established. Conclusions Prevention includes treatment of the infection source. The classic triad of headache, fever and focal deficit occur in less than 50% of patients. Even in such cases brain abscess must be reconsidered. CT appearance of brain abscess is similar to that of neoplastic and other infectious and non infectious deseases - especially in the stage of early cerebritis. If the CT findings are not clear, MRI should be performed.

Author(s):  
Guilherme Finger ◽  
Maria Eduarda Conte Gripa ◽  
Tiago Paczko Bozko Cecchini ◽  
Tobias Ludwig do Nascimento

AbstractNocardia brain abscess is a rare clinical entity, accounting for 2% of all brain abscesses, associated with high morbidity and a mortality rate 3 times higher than brain abscesses caused by other bacteria. Proper investigation and treatment, characterized by a long-term antibiotic therapy, play an important role on the outcome of the patient. The authors describe a case of a patient without neurological comorbidities who developed clinical signs of right occipital lobe impairment and seizures, whose investigation demonstrated brain abscess caused by Nocardia spp. The patient was treated surgically followed by antibiotic therapy with a great outcome after 1 year of follow-up.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumin Jo ◽  
Jagyung Hwang ◽  
Jieun Lee ◽  
Hansol Kang ◽  
Boohwi Hong

Abstract Background Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a rare, life-threatening condition that can present as a spectrum of nonspecific symptoms, ranging from cough, dyspnea, and hemoptysis to severe hypoxemic respiratory failure. Perioperative DAH is frequently caused by negative pressure pulmonary edema resulting from acute airway obstruction, such as laryngospasm, although hemorrhage itself is rare. Case presentation This case report describes an unexpected hemoptysis following monitored anesthesia care for vertebroplasty. A 68-year-old Asian woman, with a compression fracture of the third lumbar vertebra was admitted for vertebroplasty. There were no noticeable events during the procedure. After the procedure, the patient was transferred to the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), at which sudden hemoptysis occurred. The suspected airway obstruction may have developed during transfer or immediate arrive in PACU. In postoperative chest x-ray, newly formed perihilar consolidation observed in both lung fields. The patients was transferred to a tertiary medical institution for further evaluation. She diagnosed with DAH for hemoptysis, new pulmonary infiltrates on chest x-ray and anemia. The patient received supportive care and discharged without further events. Conclusions Short duration of airway obstruction may cause DAH, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of postoperative hemoptysis of unknown etiology.


2001 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-112
Author(s):  
Jon Matthews ◽  
Giles W Beck ◽  
Douglas M G Bowley ◽  
Andrew N Kingsnorth

AbstractThe case of a 31 year old male presenting as an emergency with a recurrent colonic volvulus is described. A chest X-ray on admission to hospital showed the presence of hepato-diaphragmatic interposition of the colon, Chilaiditi’s Sign, which is known to be a risk factor for colonic volvulus. This is only the fourth reported case of colonic volvulus in association with Chilaiditi’s Syndrome and the first with recurrent colonic volvulus. The optimal treatment for recurrent volvulus in patients with risk factors such as Chilaiditi’s Syndrome or megacolon is also discussed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory Mansella ◽  
Roland Bingisser ◽  
Christian H. Nickel

Blunt trauma is the most common mechanism of injury in patients with pneumomediastinum and may occur in up to 10% of patients with severe blunt thoracic and cervical trauma. In this case report we present a 24-year-old man with pneumomediastinum due to blunt chest trauma after jumping from a bridge into a river. He complained of persistent retrosternal pain with exacerbation during deep inspiration. Physical examination showed only a slight tenderness of the sternum and the extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (e-FAST) was normal. Pneumomediastinum was suspected by chest X-ray and confirmed by computed tomography, which showed a lung contusion as probable cause of the pneumomediastinum due to the “Mackling effect.” Sonographic findings consistent with pneumomediastinum, like the “air gap” sign, are helpful for quick bedside diagnosis, but the diagnostic criteria are not yet as well established as for pneumothorax. This present case shows that despite minimal findings in physical examination and a normal e-FAST a pneumomediastinum is still possible in a patient with chest pain after blunt chest trauma. Therefore, pneumomediastinum should always be considered to prevent missing major aerodigestive injuries, which can be associated with a high mortality rate.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-183
Author(s):  
Lucio Brugioni ◽  
Francesca De Niederhausern ◽  
Chiara Gozzi ◽  
Pietro Martella ◽  
Elisa Romagnoli ◽  
...  

Pericarditis and spontaneous pneumomediastinum are among the pathologies that are in differential diagnoses when a patient describes dorsal irradiated chest pain: if the patient is young, male, and long-limbed, it is necessary to exclude an acute aortic syndrome firstly. We present the case of a young man who arrived at the Emergency Department for chest pain: an echocardiogram performed an immediate diagnosis of pericarditis. However, if the patient had performed a chest X-ray, this would have enabled the observation of pneumomediastinum, allowing a correct diagnosis of pneumomediastinum and treatment. The purpose of this report is to highlight the importance of the diagnostic process.


Case reports ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-69
Author(s):  
María Fernanda Ochoa-Ariza ◽  
Jorge Luis Trejos-Caballero ◽  
Cristian Mauricio Parra-Gelves ◽  
Marly Esperanza Camargo-Lozada ◽  
Marlon Adrián Laguado-Nieto

Introduction: Pneumomediastinum is defined as the presence of air in the mediastinal cavity. This is a rare disease caused by surgical procedures, trauma or spontaneous scape of air from the lungs; asthma is a frequently associated factor. It has extensive differential diagnoses due to its symptoms and clinical signs.Case presentation: A 17-year-old female patient presented with respiratory symptoms for 2 days, dyspnea, chest pain radiated to the neck and shoulders, right supraclavicular subcutaneous emphysema, wheezing in both lung fields, tachycardia and tachypnea. On admission, laboratory tests revealed leukocytosis and neutrophilia, and chest X-ray showed subcutaneous emphysema in the right supraclavicular region. Diagnosis of pneumomediastinum was confirmed through a CT scan of the chest. The patient was admitted for treatment with satisfactory evolution.Discussion: Pneumomediastinum occurs mainly in young patients with asthma, and is associated with its exacerbation. This condition can cause other complications such as pneumopericardium, as in this case. The course of the disease is usually benign and has a good prognosis.Conclusion: Because of its presentation, pneumomediastinum requires clinical suspicion to guide the diagnosis and treatment. In this context, imaging is fundamental.


2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-54
Author(s):  
SM Kamal ◽  
Md Abu Bakar ◽  
MA Ahad

A 65 years old farmer was admitted in Medicine ward with the complaints of progressive exertional breathlessness, non-productive cough and recurrent episodes of fever. The patient had clubbing and chest examination revealed end inspiratory crackles. Chest x-ray, CT scan of chest and spirometry revealed the features of interstitial lung disease (ILD). So we diagnosed the case as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis variety of ILD. We reported this rare case for developing awareness among the clinicians. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/medtoday.v24i1.14118 Medicine TODAY Vol.24(1) 2012 pp.52-54


2013 ◽  
Vol 154 (45) ◽  
pp. 1798-1801
Author(s):  
Zsuzsanna Szepessy

This case report demonstrates signs of uveitis and difficulties of the differential diagnosis of sarcoidosis as the cause of uveitis. A 57-year-old woman, who had visual loss in her both eyes, developed bilateral panuveitis: bilateral precipitates on the cornea with posterior synechia and infiltrates in the vitreous, and multifocal, peripheral retinochoroiditis. Chest X-ray revealed an infiltrate and numerous smaller granulomas in both lungs. The presumptive diagnosis was tuberculosis, however, biopsy of the pulmonal lesion showed sarcoidosis. Pulmonary and ophthalmologic findings rapidly disappeared with corticosteroid therapy. The author concludes that sarcoidosis may present with different signs of uveitis. Histopathology is of great importance for the differentiation between sarcoidosis and tuberculosis, which is very important for the therapy. Orv. Hetil., 154(45), 1798–1801.


Perfusion ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Binnema ◽  
A van der Wal ◽  
C Visser ◽  
R Schepp ◽  
L Jekel ◽  
...  

This case report describes the successful treatment of severe accidental hypothermia of a 40-year-old woman. At arrival in the operating theatre her rectal temperature was 23°C, her nasal temperature 21°C and her periferal temperature 14°C. The patient presented with a severe respiratory and metabolic acidosis which was corrected during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). She was rewarmed to obtain a rectal and nasal temperature of 34°C. After 272 minutes, the patient was weaned successfully from CPB. The patient remained at mild hypothermia (34°C) for 24 hours in the intensive care unit (ICU). The chest X-ray showed some signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in spite of normal blood gas values. This improved within a few days and, after five days, she was transferred to the nursing department. On the seventh day, the patient was discharged from hospital without physical or neurological complaints.


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