Tibial Tubercle Avulsion Fractures in Adolescents: A Narrative Review & Case Report

Intro: Tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures are rare fracture patterns accounting for less than 1% of all pediatric fractures. These fractures occur when there is a sudden unbalancing of forces through the patellar tendon that separates the tibial tubercle from the anterior portion of the proximal tibia. These forces are commonly introduced in sporting activities and show a predominance for adolescent males. Treatment with open reduction internal fixation commonly results in favorable outcomes with minimal complications. In this presentation, we explore a case of a tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture and give an in-depth review of all aspects concerning this fracture pattern. Case Description: A 14-year-old male with no significant past medical history presented via emergency medical services after a ground level fall while playing basketball. Radiographs of the left knee and tibia revealed an Ogden Type III, distracted avulsion fracture of the tibial tuberosity with suprapatellar effusion. Surgical intervention was achieved through open reduction internal fixation of the left tibial tubercle. Discussion: Although a relatively rare fracture pattern, this case demonstrates a classic presentation and treatment of a tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture. This case serves as a reminder that despite the rarity of the injury, a clinician with an appropriate index of suspicion can accurately diagnose and treat this fracture and achieve positive outcomes in returning the patient to pre-injury activities. For those reasons, we provide a comprehensive overview of all aspects regarding this fracture pattern including the anatomy, embryology, mechanism of action, predisposing conditions, treatment considerations, complications and associated injuries.

Rapidly Fatal COVID-19-associated Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy in a Previously Healthy 26-year-old Man

No abstract available. Article truncated after 150 words. A 26-year-old man presented to our Emergency Department at 0200 on the day of admission with chief complaints of subjective fever, leg myalgias, and progressive dyspnea of one week duration. An oropharyngeal swab PCR had revealed SARS-CoV-2 RNA three days previously. He had not received a SARS CoV-2 vaccination, but had made an appointment to receive it just a few days prior to the onset of his symptoms. The patient had no significant past medical history, was taking no medications except for ibuprofen and acetaminophen over the past week, and did not take recreational drugs. He specifically denied headache and had no prior history of seizure. On admission, his HR was 150 bpm (sinus), RR 22, BP 105/46 mmHg, temp 40.2° C. and SpO2 92% on room air. He was ill-appearing, but alert and oriented, his neck was supple and lung auscultation revealed bilateral rhonchi, but physical examination was otherwise …

INNV-11. COMPLETE RESPONSE TO SELPERCATINIB IN A PATIENT WITH RECURRENT GLIOBLASTOMA AND RET AMPLIFICATION

BACKGROUND Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant central nervous system tumor that remains largely incurable. Limited treatment options currently exist after disease progression on the standard of care first-line therapy. However, repurposing the use of approved therapies in patients with potentially targetable genomic alterations continues to be an emerging area of interest. Here, we present the first reported case of a patient with isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type GBM with an underlying RET amplification who demonstrated a near-complete response (CR) while receiving therapy with the targeted RET inhibitor, selpercatinib. CLINICAL PRESENTATION A 48-year-old male with no significant past medical history presented with sudden onset of dizziness and confusion. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed two rim enhancing lesions in the right parietal lobe and the patient underwent surgical resection with subsequent pathology revealing a GBM. Genomic analysis identified a RET amplification. After standard adjuvant therapy, the patient was treated with selpercatinib 160 mg twice daily as a continuous regimen with near CR on MRI after six weeks of treatment. The patient was continued on therapy for a total of eight months before having disease progression requiring discontinuation of selpercatinib and was then transitioned to the next line of therapy for disease stabilization. To better characterize the response, further whole-exome sequencing and analysis were performed on the original specimen. CONCLUSION Although selpercatinib is approved in RET-fusion positive lung and thyroid cancer, we present a remarkable case of a recurrent, RET-amplified GBM having a CR to selpercatinib. The case highlights the excellent blood-brain barrier penetration of selpercatinib, as well as its potential role in RET-amplified GBM. Larger biomarker-enriched studies are needed to confirm the results of this case report. However, given the rare incidence of RET alterations in GBM, findings from this report can help guide and support optimal treatment strategies for patients with RET-altered GBM.

Sinoorbital Mucormycosis Associated with Corticosteroid Therapy in COVID-19 Infection

Background. Mucormycosis is a rare and invasive fungal infection, affecting almost exclusively immunocompromised individuals. Immunosuppressive effects of corticosteroids which are widely prescribed in COVID-19 patients might be a predisposing factor for opportunistic infections even though the other factors should also be considered. Case Presentation. A middle-aged man without any significant past medical history was admitted to the hospital due to a severe COVID-19 infection. He received a high dose of corticosteroids as a part of the treatment. Five days after discharge, he presents with a headache and fever. Eventually, orbital mucormycosis was diagnosed for him and he was treated with antifungal medications. Conclusion. Opportunistic infections should be considered during the current pandemic of COVID-19, during which corticosteroids are widely prescribed.

Successful recovery from COVID-19 pneumonia with awake early self-proning

Background Since COVID-19 global pandemic, “early awake proning in non-intubated patients with COVID-19” has been suggested as anecdotal evidence. Hereby, we report an awake and non-intubated patient with COVID-19 pneumonia who was successfully managed with early self-proning. Case presentation A 68-year-old male presented to the emergency department with a respiratory distress. He was non-smoker and denied any significant past medical history. His chest computed tomography scan showed “ground glass opacities” and “consolidation areas” located especially in the peripheral sites of both lungs which were consistent with a coronavirus pneumonia and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction amplification by a nasopharyngeal swab sample for SARS-Cov-2 was also positive. His initial therapy with hdroxychloroquine and favipiravir was started. Due to deterioration of the patient’s oxygenation, he was transferred to the intensive care unit for further treatment with non-invasive mechanical ventilation on supine position and intermittent “awake early self-proning positioning” was applied. Additionally, antibiotherapy, anticoagulant therapy, and convalescent plasma therapy were also administered to the patient. On the 17th day of the ICU admission, he was transferred back to the ward. And the patient was discharged from the hospital on the 19th day of his initial admission. Conclusions Although some case reports and small case series initially noted potential improvement in oxygenation by awake proning, further research is required to evaluate the exact benefits and proper applications of prone positioning in awake patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

An Uncommon Presentation of Cryptococcal Meningitis in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Case Report

Introduction: Meningitis is a serious and potentially life-threatening infection of the central nervous system. Cryptococcus neoformans is a rare fungal cause of meningitis that commonly presents with atypical symptoms. Although this infection is most common in immunocompromised patients, it also occurs in immunocompetent patients. This case report describes an atypical presentation of cryptococcal meningitis in a seemingly immunocompetent patient. Case Report: A 40-year-old immunocompetent patient with no significant past medical history had visited the emergency department (ED) five times within a span of 30 days reporting dental pain and headache. Throughout each of the visits, no clear symptoms signaling the need for a meningitis workup were observed, as the patient had been afebrile, displayed no nuchal rigidity, and his presenting symptoms subsided within the ED after treatment. A lumbar puncture was performed after emergency medical services brought the patient in for his sixth ED visit, initially for stroke-like symptoms and altered mental status. Spinal fluid was indicative of cryptococcal meningitis. Conclusion: This case highlights the challenge of identifying cryptococcal meningitis in the ED, particularly in immunocompetent patients who do not display classic meningitis symptoms. It also highlights the importance of keeping a broad differential and carefully ruling out diagnoses when patients return to the ED multiple times for the same complaint.

Diffuse Pagetoid Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Situ of the Esophagus: A Rare Case Report and Review of Literature

Squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS) with diffuse pagetoid features has been well-described in skin and external genitalia. Diffuse pagetoid SCCIS of the esophagus is extremely rare with only two cases published in the English literature. In this article, we report a rare case of diffuse pagetoid SCCIS of the esophagus in an 89-year-old female with no significant past medical history who presented with dysphagia. Endoscopic examination of the esophagus was remarkable for multiple clean base ulcers spanning 4 cm in the proximal esophagus. Biopsy showed enlarged and hyperchromatic dysplastic cells in the basal half of the epithelium with scattered large individual pagetoid cells as well as several apoptotic dyskeratotic cells in the superficial half of the epithelium. Immunohistochemically, the dysplastic cells were positive for CK7 and p40 with overexpression of p53, and were negative for cytokeratin 20, SOX10, GATA3, CDX2, TTF1. Kreyberg stain was negative for mucin. The histologic features and immunohistochemical profile supported the diagnosis of esophageal diffuse pagetoid SCCIS.

Meningothelial Hamartoma of the Scalp: Clinicopathologic Review of an Unusual Tumor Mimicking a Vascular Neoplasm with Review of Literature

Introduction/Objective Benign meningothelial hamartoma of the scalp is a rare entity with only scattered case reports existing in the literature. The hamartomatous process is believed to occur secondary to ectopic displacement during embryogenesis with the migration of meningothelial cell precursors to the incorrect location or secondary to an obliterated meningocele. This tumor may be easily missed and may be misdiagnosed as lipoma or sometimes as cutaneous angiosarcoma due to the several histologic features that mimic the histology of a vascular neoplasm. Methods/Case Report We report an unusual benign skin lesion occurring in a 19-year-old man with no significant past medical history. The lesion had been present since he was an infant and had been slowly enlarging over the past 15 years. The lesion caused pain and discomfort and the patient underwent an excisional biopsy of the lesion. Histologic examination showed a subcutaneous lesion with ill-defined borders and peripheral areas of infiltration between adnexal structures. Immunohistochemistry performed on the tumor cells showed that they were positive for EMA, progesterone receptor, D2-40, and vimentin. A next-generation sequencing study using a hybrid capture-based panel examining 50 commonly mutated genes in human neoplasia was performed and showed no molecular alterations supporting the benign or non-neoplastic nature of the lesion. Along with this case, we review 20 cases of meningothelial hamartomas from 13 papers and summarize them in the table. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) N/A Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of one of these lesions with associated molecular genetic testing. The molecular study carried out, in this case, did not disclose any genetic variants commonly associated with human neoplasia supporting the notion that this lesion does not represent the neoplastic process but rather a hamartomatous process. Meningothelial hamartoma is an exceedingly rare, benign lesion that may be confused with a low-grade vascular neoplasm due to its rare nature and unusual histologic features.

NUT Midline Carcinoma Mimics Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma

Introduction/Objective NUT carcinoma (NC) is an extremely rare, aggressive subtype of squamous cell carcinoma defined by rearrangement of the NUTM1 (aka NUT) gene. NC most commonly arises within the thorax and head and neck and predominantly affects teens and young adults. For the first time, we described a rare case of NC mimics anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Methods/Case Report A 27-year female with no significant past medical history presented with neck pain and swelling for a few months and was noted to have a “thyroid” mass. An ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration of the mass showed a hypercellular specimen composed of highly atypical epithelial cells with irregular nuclear membrane and prominent nucleolus, high nuclear to cytoplasmic ration, dense cytoplasm, lying singly or in flat sheet mixed with acute inflammatory exudate (Fig. A, B). No thyroid follicular cells or colloid are present. It was signed out as suspicious for squamous cell carcinoma since there was no cell block for further workup. A following excisional biopsy demonstrated similar atypical epithelium detached or embedded in skeletal muscle and soft tissue with acute, chronic inflammation and necrosis (Fig C). By immunohistochemical stains, the atypical cells are positive for p40 (Fig D) and p53. The Ki-67 proliferation index is ranging from 40 % to 70 %. Scattered tumor cells are weakly positive for PAX-8 and TTF-1. These findings raise the possibility that the squamous cell carcinoma might be a component of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. However, molecular studies revealed a NSD3-NUTM1 fusion, which is characteristically identified in a subtype of squamous cell carcinoma know as NUT “midline” carcinoma. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) NA Conclusion Diagnosis of NC can be established by positive NUT nuclear immunohistochemical staining. Recognizing the typical morphology and keeping low threshold for the NUT immunohistochemical staining will increase the diagnostic efficacy.

EP.TU.581Cholecysto-colonic fistula – A rare complication of gallstone

We present a 90year old male patient presenting to the emergency department with complaints of PR bleed for a month with no associated abdominal pain. He described that the blood was mixed with stools and dark in colour. He has a significant past medical history with multiple comorbidities. The patient is known to have gallstones and had ERCP with sphincterotomy in 2017 as a definitive treatment, as he wasn’t a fit candidate for surgical intervention. On clinical examination, his abdomen was soft and non-tender and per rectal examination showed stools mixed with the blood but no active bleeding or fresh blood. His haemoglobin was 72 g/L, inflammatory markers were significantly elevated with deranged liver enzymes and normal bilirubin. The medical team were involved in the management of this patient because of pneumonia and extensive medical issues. A gastroscopy was performed as there was a suspicion of UGI bleed, which was normal. Given a deranged liver function and there was a suspicion of biliary sepsis patient had MRCP and Computed tomography of the abdomen which confirmed that there is haematoma in the gallbladder with gas in the biliary tree, with possible cholecysto-colonic fistula, with a large gall stone (2.7cm lamellated structure within rectum) in the rectum. As the patient was not a surgical candidate decision was made to manage him conservatively with antibiotics under medical care. The cholecysto-colonic fistula is a rare complication of gallstone disease, and very few cases have been reported in the literature.