Bartonellosi e D-dimero

The paper reports the case of a 17-year-old immunocompetent boy with persistent fever and elevated D-dimer. The family referred contact with kitten and ingestion of homemade deer salami. Abdominal ultrasound scan and CT showed multiple hepatic and splenic abscesses. High levels of antibody title for Bartonella henselae confirmed the diagnosis of hepatosplenic bartonellosis.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Pregnant Women towards Obstetric Ultrasound at Mulago Hospital: A Cross-sectional Survey

Introduction: Obstetric ultrasonography in antenatal care (ANC) is globally recognized as one of the ways through which maternal mortality can be reduced. Pregnant women’s knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes are thought to influence their response towards obstetric ultrasonography. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pregnant women towards obstetric sonography at Mulago hospital.Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that involved 300 pregnant women who reported for obstetric sonography at Mulago hospital in Kampala, Uganda. Consecutive sampling technique was used to recruit participants into the study. The data was collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires and was analyzed quantitatively into descriptive statistical tables, percentages and graphs using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 25.0 software.Results: The study had a response rate of 100%. Most participants had good knowledge of obstetric ultrasound scan. However, there was a misconception that ultrasound has harmful effects. Generally, participants had a positive attitude but poor practices towards obstetric ultrasound scan. Long waiting time and lack of privacy were reported by most participants as leading factors that contributed to the poor practices. Conclusion: This study shows that the knowledge and attitude of pregnant women towards obstetric ultrasound in Mulago hospital were good. However, their practices were poor. The concerns that need to be addressed in order to improve their practices include patient’s privacy, waiting time and the misconception regarding the safety of ultrasound that it can cause cancer.

Umbilical artery thrombosis diagnosed at different gestational ages and fetal outcomes: a case series

Background Umbilical artery thrombosis is a rare complication of pregnancy strongly associated with poor fetal and perinatal outcomes, such as intrauterine asphyxia, fetal growth restriction, and stillbirth. Its pathogenesis remains unclear, and there is the added challenge of selecting an appropriate delivery time to achieve excellent neonatal outcomes. Methods Our Hospital is a critical maternal rescue center with approximately 7000 births annually. We present a series of 8 cases of umbilical artery thrombosis diagnosed at the hospital between Apr 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2020. We identified the cases through a keyword search of the maternity and pathology information management systems. Results Three patients were diagnosed with a transabdominal ultrasound scan and hypoxia on fetal heart monitoring. All three patients had emergency cesarean section delivery. Four patients were observed closely for 5 to 13 weeks from initial detection by an ultrasound scan to delivery. Only one patient was diagnosed after vaginal delivery by Hematoxylin-eosin staining of umbilical cord sections. Seven patients had deliveries by cesarean section, and one patient had a vaginal delivery. All infants were born alive. Conclusions Umbilical artery thrombosis is a challenging and rare condition that can occur at different gestational ages, especially when diagnosed in the third trimester and accompanied by fetal growth restriction. Consequently, these patients require close monitoring of umbilical blood flow and fetal growth and intervention at the appropriate time to achieve an optimal outcome.

Large Psoas Hematoma Complicating Anti-coagulant Therapy Poses a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge

Spontaneous psoas haematoma in patients on anti-coagulant therapy is a rare phenomenon. It poses a real diagnostic problem and a real therapeutic challenge. We report the case of a 51 year old patient, under anti-vitamin K (acenocoumarone) following a stenosante and tricuspid mitral plasty who presented with right lumbar pain radiating to the lower limb leading to functional impotence. Clinically, he was hemodynamically stable with a hematoma measuring 88x29 mm and extending to 161 mm. The ultrasound scan showed a large collection at the expense of the lumbar psoas muscle and the CT scan showed a swollen appearance of the right psoas muscle in its iliac portion. Management was conservative: discontinuation of anti-vitamin K, bed rest, antibiotic therapy, and monitoring (clinical, biological and radiological). The ultimate outcome was favourable.

Prenatal Diagnosis of Severe Fetal Hydronephrosis Due to Pyeloureteral Junction Syndrome with False Neonatal Resolution

A case of severe fetal hydronephrosis due to isolated bilateral stenosis of the pyelo-ureteral junction was diagnosed at our centre. Surprisingly, a negative renal ultrasound scan was performed on the 3rd postnatal day. An ultrasound follow-up showed severe bilateral pyelectasis a few weeks later. The infant underwent bilateral pyeloplasty at six months of age with an excellent outcome. Such a neonatal picture may be due to the reduction of urinary output secondary to excessive postnatal weight loss and dehydration. In this case, prenatal ultrasound result was more reliable than postnatal ultrasound, emphasizing the importance of postnatal urologic follow-up after prenatal indication.

Development and Validation of a Predictive Score and Application of Ultrasound for Difficult Caudal Epidural Blockade in Adult Patients：A Prospective Study

Background: We aimed to develop a predictive difficult caudal epidural blockade (pDCEB) model when ultrasound was not available and verify the role of ultrasound in difficult caudal epidural blockade(CEB).Methods: This study consisted of three phases. First, we prospectively enrolled 202 patients and assessed risk factors to develop the predictive scoring system. Second, we enrolled 87 patients to validate it. Third, we enrolled 68 patients with a high risk of difficult CEB (pDCEB score ≥ 3) and randomized them into ultrasound and landmark groups to verify the role of ultrasound. Result: The rate of difficult CEB was 14.98% overall 289 patients. We found a correlation of unclear palpation of the sacral hiatus (OR 9.688) and cornua (OR 4.725), number of the sacral hiatus by palpation ≥ 1 (OR 4.451), and history of difficult CEB (OR 39.282) with higher possibility of difficult CEB. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the pDCEB model involving the aforementioned factors was 0.889 (95% CI, 0.827-0.952) in the development cohort and 0.862 (95% CI, 0.747-0.977) in the validation cohort. For patients with a pDCEB score ≥ 3, pre-procedure ultrasound scan could reduce the incidence of difficult CEB. Conclusion: This novel pDCEB score, which takes into account palpation of the sacral hiatus/cornua, number of the sacral hiatus by palpation ≥ 1, and history of difficult CEB, showed a good predictive ability of difficult CEB. The findings suggested that performing an ultrasound scan is essential for patients with a pDCEB score ≥ 3. 4 Trial registration: No: ChiCTR1800018871, Site url: https://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=31875&htm=4

Conservative management of the colonic gallstone

A 74-year-old woman presents with a 7-day history of increasing lower abdominal pains and reduced bowel movements; resulting in absolute constipation.Twenty-four hours prior to admission she also had symptoms of nauseous and significant abdominal distention. Her past medical history included; diverticulitis, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, an ultrasound scan in 2005 confirming gallstones, but no previous abdominal surgery.She was initially treated for bowel obstruction and a CT arranged. CT showed a 4.5 cm gallstone in mid-sigmoid colon and a cholecystocolonic fistula. She was booked for colonoscopy±laparotomy, but on the morning of her planned procedure she repeatedly opened her bowels. Subsequent colonoscopy was negative and repeat CT confirmed the stone was no longer within the gastrointestinal tract.

Arteriovenous Malformation of the Uterus: A Review and Update.

Arteriovenous malformation of the uterus (AVMU) is a very rare and uncommon condition, because it has been documented that less than 100 cases of AVMU have been reported in the literature. AVMU is potentially a life-threatening condition with regard to the fact that some cases of AVMU could manifest with profuse bleeding from the uterus via the vagina. AVMU could either be congenital AVMU which is less common or acquired AVMU with pregnancy noted to have a role to play in the pathogenesis of AVMUs. The true incidence of AVMU is stated to be difficult to ascertain in view of the fact that some cases of bleeding that have been caused by AVMU do tend to conservative, medical management and many of these AVMUs could remain undiagnosed. The most common manifestations of AVMUs tend to be abnormal uterine bleeding that could be episodic, intermittent, continuous, mild or torrential which could lead to severe anaemia or shock. Some AVMUs could be found incidentally based upon radiology imaging for a different condition. Other symptoms of AVMUs do include: Metrorrhagia; Menorrhagia; Bleeding following a miscarriage; Bleeding following dilatation and curettage; Bleeding subsequently after hysterectomy; Bleeding associated with trophoblastic disease; Bleeding following caesarean section; Post-partum haemorrhage; Intermittent vaginal bleeding; Continuous vaginal bleeding; Post-menopausal bleeding; Acute abdominal pain with hemoperitoneum; Pallor; Dizziness; Weakness; Drowsiness; Being unwell following delivery of a baby; Bleeding following therapeutic abortion; Tachycardia; Supra-pubic pain at times; hypotension. Diagnosis of AVMU tends to be made based upon radiology imaging with utilization of ultrasound scan / Doppler scan of the uterus and pelvis, Contrast Computed Tomography scan, and Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan, as well as by selective angiography which tends to be ensued by treatment with embolization of the feeding vessels to the AVMU. The treatment of AVMUs these days has ranged between conservative and medical management that includes hormones for small AVMUs, Hysterectomy, which tends to be a definitive treatment that removes the AVMU but does leave the individual not being able to maintain her future fertility, as well as selective angiography and super-selective embolization of the uterine arterial branches feeding the AVMU, which does tend to maintain the future fertility of the patients and which has the advantage of being undertaken under local anaesthesia. Questions that should be on the minds of clinicians include should doppler ultrasound scan of the uterus be undertaken with regard to all women who develop persistent vaginal bleeding pursuant to or during management of miscarriage, considering that there are very few interventional radiologists in many hospitals. This means that selective angiography plus super-selective embolization cannot be undertaken in district hospitals should all women who have suspected AVMU that have severe bleeding that may require surgical operation be referred to a tertiary hospital so that they could possibly benefit from the undertaking of selective angiography and embolization of their AVMUs instead of hysterectomy to enable them to maintain their future fertility? It is also important for clinicians to be made aware of the existence of AVMUs so that they could appreciate the risk factors as well as the clinical manifestations who should be suspected of possibly having AVMUs. Clinicians also need to learn about various conservative and expectant methods of treating AVMUs including hormonal treatment. Clinicians also need to appreciate the future implications for future fertility of women who have AVMUs. Possible treatment options that have not been utilized for the treatment of AVMUs include: (a) Radiology image-guided cryotherapy of AVMU, (b) Radiology image-guided radiofrequency ablation of AVMU, and (c) Radiology Image-guided Irreversible electroporation of AVMU. There is a global need for the training of more interventional radiologists all over the world including in the developing countries as well as some of the developed countries to that they can undertake embolization of AVMUs as well as they can provide various interventional radiology treatment options for various other conditions.