[A case of sole supportive care of severe neuroparalytic foodborne botulism due to homemade pesto]. / Fall einer rein supportiven Behandlung eines schweren neuroparalytischen Nahrungsmittelbotulismus durch hausgemachtes Pesto.

In this article, a case of severe foodborne botulism in a 78-year-old man due to homemade pesto is presented. His initial symptoms were gastrointestinal problems. Later he suffered of cranial nerve palsies, muscle weakness of the upper extremities and respiratory failure, so he had to be admitted to the intensive care unit for mechanical ventilation. The botulism was confirmed by serology and culture. Because of spontaneously improving neurological deficits, we decided not to treat with the botulism antitoxin and the patient had complete clinical remission.

[Sensory neuronopathy of Sjögren's syndrome. A diagnostic challenge]. / Sensible Neuronopathie bei Sjögren-Syndrom. Eine diagnostische Herausforderung.

Sjögren's syndrome is an important differential diagnosis in patients with sensory neuronopathy because immunosuppressive therapy may prevent progressive degeneration of sensory fibres, ganglions and axons. Due to the challenges in the diagnostic process the diagnostic criteria have repeatedly changed over the past few years. In patients with negative antibodies (SSA, SSB antibodies) biopsy of the salivary glands of the lip and the parotid gland can be useful to diagnose Sjögren's syndrome. We report on four patients in whom biopsy of the salivary gland was helpful in establishing the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome and consequently immunosuppressive therapy was initiated. One of these patients suffered from hypersalivation. This was probably due to denervation hypersensitivity. To our knowledge this has not been reported yet.

Conservative management of intragastric migration of Swedish adjustable gastric band by endoscopic retrieval.

BACKGROUND: Intragastric migration is a known complication of gastric banding for morbid obesity. METHODS: Instead of immediate reoperation, complete migration of the Swedish Adjustable Gastric Band (SAGB) into the gastric lumen was awaited in 4 patients who were asymptomatic. RESULTS: After completed migration, the episternally placed access port was removed with the patient under local anesthesia, and the disconnected adjustable band was retrieved endoscopically. All 4 patients underwent rebanding with SAGB within 3 months after extraction. CONCLUSIONS: With this procedure, patients who are asymptomatic can be spared laparotomy and possibly gastrostomy.