Pseudo-mediastinal tumor: Brachiocephalic artery buckling.

Buckling of the brachiocephalic artery is an important cause of unusual chest x-ray findings which resemble those of a mediastinal tumor. The possibility of a vascular anomaly should be kept in mind whenever a chest x-ray demonstrates an abnormal mediastinal opacity, especially in elderly female patients with hypertension.

Renal Pelvic Haemorrhage Complicating Emphysematous Pyelonephritis.

Subepithelial haemorrhage of the renal pelvis is a rare cause of haematuria and can be diagnosed based on radiographic findings. This haemorrhage often appears as a non-enhancing hyperdense mass in the renal pelvis on computed tomography, which sometimes results in unnecessary nephrectomy because it can mimic renal neoplasms. It can be managed conservatively, and its prognosis is generally benign. We report a case of renal pelvic haemorrhage complicating emphysematous pyelonephritis that needed emergent nephrectomy. Our case highlights the importance of careful observation for complications of urinary tract infection, although complications are rare. LEARNING POINTS: Renal pelvic haemorrhage is an uncommon cause of haematuria. It can mimic renal neoplasms, which sometimes results in unnecessary nephrectomy.Although the prognosis of renal pelvic haemorrhage is generally benign, careful observation for complications of urinary tract infection is important.

Bochdalek Hernia Causing Sigmoid Colon Strangulation in an Elderly Patient.

Diaphragmatic hernia with bowel strangulation is a fatal condition requiring a prompt diagnosis. Bochdalek hernia is a common type of diaphragmatic hernia that rarely but occasionally occurs in adults. We herein report a case of Bochdalek hernia causing sigmoid colon strangulation in an elderly patient whose condition was initially misdiagnosed as empyema. The early diagnosis of strangulated bowel stemming from diaphragmatic hernia can be challenging because of its rarity and the nonspecificity of its symptoms. However, tracing the mesenteric arteries on computed tomography can enable a quick diagnosis.

Ralstonia mannitolilytica Bacteremia Stemming From Frequent Outpatient Intravenous Injections at a Local Clinic.

An 83-year-old, male patient was admitted with primary bacteremia caused by Ralstonia mannitolilytica. Before onset, he had been receiving regular injections at a local clinic for abnormal liver function. The present case is the first in which regular injections apparently served as the transmission route for R. mannitolilytica causing bacteremia and demonstrates that this disease can occur in clinics as well as hospitals, raising concerns about the hitherto unnoticed risk of excessive or inappropriate treatments at local clinics.

Hyoro-zeme in the Battle for Tottori Castle: The first description of refeeding syndrome in Japan.

Eating after a period of starvation can cause refeeding syndrome, a fatal condition caused by a shift in fluids and electrolytes that can result in sudden death. The Battle for Tottori Castle (1581) during the Warring States Period of Japan, which witnessed the use of hyoro-zeme, the tactic of intentionally starving a besieged enemy, was followed by a dramatic episode of mass death among starving soldiers not from fighting but from eating; accounts from the period relate that many of the besieged soldiers survived the hyoro-zeme only to die soon afterwards when they were fed immediately after surrendering. We herein reviewed the Japanese historical records of the Battle for Tottori Castle and hypothesized that the hyoro-zeme episode they recount is possibly the oldest description of refeeding syndrome to be documented in Japan. Our investigation revealed sufficient evidence that refeeding syndrome was the cause of the mass deaths reported after the famous battle.