Rapidly Progressive Pituitary Apoplexy in a Patient with COVID-19 Disease Treated with Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery

This report describes a case of pituitary apoplexy with rapidly evolving hemorrhage in a 74-year-old female with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease. The patient presented with severe headache and mild respiratory symptoms, with laboratories concerning for pituitary hypofunction. Brain imaging demonstrated a sellar mass concerning for a pituitary adenoma with ischemic apoplexy. She subsequently developed visual deficits within 24 hours of presentation, and repeat imaging demonstrated evolving hemorrhage and new mass effect on the optic chiasm. She was successfully managed with urgent endoscopic endonasal surgery despite her COVID-19 positive status by taking special intraoperative precautions to mitigate SARS-CoV2 transmission risk. Only a handful of cases of pituitary apoplexy have been reported in association with COVID-19 disease, and even fewer reports exist of endonasal procedures in such cases. We discuss the potential implication of COVID-19 in the occurrence of pituitary apoplexy, in addition to the safety and success of endonasal surgery in this population.

Trauma-Associated Tension Pneumocephalus with Characteristic Mount Fuji Sign—Case Report

Tension pneumocephalus is a rare and life-threatening neurosurgical emergency in the setting of blunt or penetrating head trauma, especially in those with craniofacial fractures, which emergency physicians should be aware about. Early identification and appropriate treatment measures including supine positioning, 100% oxygen via mask, early neurosurgery consultation and, if required, operative intervention are paramount to optimal neurological and survival outcome. Definitive diagnosis requires imaging usually in the form of computed tomography (CT) head and serial monitoring of neurological status, optic nerve sheath diameter measurement and repeat imaging, essential to identify patients who might have features of increased pressure on brain matter, which could lead to adverse neurological and clinical outcomes. We present two cases of tension pneumocephalus with the characteristic Mount Fuji sign on CT head, who were managed nonoperatively with optimal neurological outcome. In patients with severe head or maxillofacial trauma presenting to emergency department, CT should be evaluated for signs of tension pneumocephalus, and such patients need to be closely observed for complications of pressure effect on brain matter to ensure optimal neurological and survival outcomes.

Lung nodules due to Candida parapsilosis in a person with cystic fibrosis

We present the first reported case of Candida parapsilosis pulmonary infection presenting as lung nodules. The patient is a 31-year-old man with cystic fibrosis (CF) colonised with multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli and increased frequency of pulmonary exacerbations in the preceding months. While on intravenous antibiotics for a pulmonary exacerbation, he developed bilateral pulmonary nodules. Bronchoalveolar lavage cultures grew C. parapsilosis. He was initially treated with dual antifungal therapy, voriconazole and micafungin. Discontinuation of voriconazole due to transaminitis resulted in the development of new nodules, and isavuconazonium was added. Repeat imaging revealed no progression of disease. Micafungin was eventually discontinued. Monotherapy with isavuconazonium is planned for 1 year post lung transplant. In the CF population, C. parapsilosis may be an opportunistic pathogen. The case highlights that frequent CF exacerbations and antibiotic exposure increase the risk for opportunistic infections including Candida species and the implications for lung transplantation in this setting.

COVID-19 presenting as pneumatoceles and spontaneous cavitary lesion as a late complication

We report a case of an adult patient with COVID-19 pneumonia presenting as pneumatoceles as a late complication. These pneumatoceles are steroid-resistant and can predispose to cavitary lesions. These cystic lesions need close follow-up with repeat imaging as these can increase the risk of pneumothorax. It can take up to around 12 weeks for the spontaneous resolution of pneumatoceles.

Short Observation Period and Aggressive Discharge of Patients With Head Injury and Serial CT Scans

Background: Many patients undergo two head computed tomography (CT) scans after mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). Radiographic progression without clinical deterioration does not usually alter management. Evidence-based guidelines offer potential for limited repeat imaging and safe discharge. This study characterizes patients who had two head CTs in the Emergency Department (ED), determines the change between initial and repeat CTs, and describes timing of repeat scans. Methods: This retrospective series includes all patients with head CTs during the same ED visit at an urban trauma center between May 1st, 2016 and April 30th, 2018. Radiographic interpretation was coded as positive, negative, or equivocal. Results: Of 241 subjects, the number of positive, negative, and equivocal initial CT results were 154, 50, and 37, respectively. On repeat CT, 190 (78.8%) interpretations were congruent with the original scan. Out of the 21.2% of repeat scans that diverged from the original read, 14 (5.8%) showed positive to negative conversion, 1 (.4%) showed positive to equivocal conversion, 2 (.88%) showed negative to positive conversion, 20 (8.3%) showed equivocal to negative conversion, and 14 (5.8%) showed equivocal to positive conversion. Average time between scans was 4.4 hours, and median length of stay was 10.2 hours. Conclusions: In this retrospective review, most repeat CT scans had no new findings. A small percentage converted to positive, rarely altering clinical management. This study demonstrates the need for continued prospective research to update clinical guidelines that could reduce admission and serial CT scanning for mild TBI.

Chronic Macular Oedema as a Late MIRAgel-Related Complication

Background: MIRAgel® (MIRA, Waltham, MA, USA) is a hydrogel scleral buckle introduced in 1979 to treat rhegmatogenous retinal detachments. Its use was discontinued because late complications that require surgical removal were reported. Methods: Case report. Results: We report a case of left eye MIRAgel® buckle surgery 28 years ago presenting with a tender palpable erythematous swelling at the lower lid, with marked conjunctival chemosis and progressive ophthalmoplegia. Imaging revealed a large, well-defined, horseshoe-shaped lesion in the extraconal space of the left orbit with globe distortion, with histological confirmation of an expanded hydrogel buckle. He recovered well following removal of the explant but developed chronic macular oedema a year later, which persisted despite sub-Tenon’s triamcinolone injections. Repeat imaging demonstrated remaining hydrogel explant. Macular oedema settled well upon successful surgical removal with no recurrence to date. Conclusion: Our case is the first to describe macular oedema as a late MIRAgel-related complication, with complete removal of the explant being the definitive treatment. Macular oedema indicates postoperative inflammation secondary to the remaining explant fragments. Given the friability of hydrolysed MIRAgel®, we recommend ophthalmologists to warn patients regarding the possibility of further inflammation in the globe or the orbit in case of incomplete removal.

Impact of diagnostic errors on adverse outcomes: learning from emergency department revisits with repeat CT or MRI

Background To investigate diagnostic errors and their association with adverse outcomes (AOs) during patient revisits with repeat imaging (RVRIs) in the emergency department (ED). Results Diagnostic errors stemming from index imaging studies and AOs within 30 days in 1054 RVRIs (≤ 7 days) from 2005 to 2015 were retrospectively analyzed according to revisit timing (early [≤ 72 h] or late [> 72 h to 7 days] RVRIs). Risk factors for AOs were assessed using multivariable logistic analysis. The AO rate in the diagnostic error group was significantly higher than that in the non-error group (33.3% [77 of 231] vs. 14.8% [122 of 823], p < .001). The AO rate was the highest in early revisits within 72 h if diagnostic errors occurred (36.2%, 54 of 149). The most common diseases associated with diagnostic errors were digestive diseases in the radiologic misdiagnosis category (47.5%, 28 of 59) and neurologic diseases in the delayed radiology reporting time (46.8%, 29 of 62) and clinician error (27.3%, 30 of 110) categories. In the matched set of the AO and non-AO groups, multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the following diagnostic errors contributed to AO occurrence: radiologic error (odds ratio [OR] 3.56; p < .001) in total RVRIs, radiologic error (OR 3.70; p = .001) and clinician error (OR 4.82; p = .03) in early RVRIs, and radiologic error (OR 3.36; p = .02) in late RVRIs. Conclusion Diagnostic errors in index imaging studies are strongly associated with high AO rates in RVRIs in the ED.

Abstract 1122‐000179: Very Low Rates of Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Patients Transferred for Mechanical Thrombectomy

Introduction : Background: A common convention among stroke patients being transferred for mechanical thrombectomy, particularly if intravenous thrombolysis has been given, is to undergo a repeat plain brain CT at the treating stroke center. The most concerning among several concerns is the discovery of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) which would obviate the value of thrombectomy. This practice has been shown in a previous series to result in a median treatment delay of 20 minutes[1]. By determining the actual incidence of any ICH seen on neuroimaging in patients who undergo repeat imaging on arrival to comprehensive stroke center prior to intervention, we can better determine the true value of this convention of repeat imaging. Methods : Retrospective review of all patients transferred to a single academic comprehensive stroke center for mechanical thrombectomy. We evaluated for the frequency of repeat imaging, the rate of ICH and the rate of undergoing mechanical thrombectomy. Results : There were 682 patients transferred directly for mechanical thrombectomy evaluation over the study period. Intravenous Alteplase was administered to 391 patients prior to arrival and 2 had it on arrival to destination hospital. Plain head CT was repeated at the hub hospital in 590/682 patients (86.5%) (348 with thrombolytics and 242 without. A new intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) was detected in 9 patients. In only 3 of the 9 patients was mechanical thrombectomy deferred solely due to the ICH (other 6 had no evidence of LVO (4), low ASPECTS (1) or exam improvement (1)). Conclusions : In patients being transferred for mechanical thrombectomy, the rate of ICH on arrival to site hospital was 1.5%. In only one third of those patients (0.5%) was the decision to not proceed with mechanical thrombectomy related to the new ICH. Given the delays in door to puncture times associated with repeat imaging indicated in literature and the low yield in detecting ICH in transfer patients, repeating neuroimaging at comprehensive stroke center obtained for the purpose of ruling out ICH on patients transferred for MT should be reconsidered. Limitations: Our study reflects a single center experience. Other indications for repeat imaging at comprehensive stroke center such as assessment of infarcted core, and presence of large vessel occlusion might still warrant repeat imaging at comprehensive stroke center.