Exploring the Impact of Subclinical Hypothyroidism on Hyperpigmentation: A Rare Presentation in a 42-Year-Old Woman.

Hyperpigmentation of the skin can occur due to internal and external causes. This case highlights an unusual presentation of generalized acute hyperpigmentation associated with subclinical hypothyroidism in a 42-year-old Indian American woman. After unsuccessful trials of various topical agents, the patient exhibited significant improvement in hyperpigmentation after levothyroxine treatment. Improvements included lightening in the bilateral antecubital fossa, axillae, and neck regions. This case underscores the importance of considering thyroid dysfunction as a potential factor that may contribute to atypical pigmentation disorders.

Bicornuate uterus: A rare case of a viable full term pregnancy in the right uterine horn.

Bicornuate uterus is a rare congenital uterine malformation and structural abnormality that affects less than 05 % of women in the United States. Resulting pregnancies are rarely carried to term and commonly result in fetal abnormalities and complications such as decreased fertility and risks of complicated pregnancies such as spontaneous abortion and miscarriages, IUGR, preterm delivery, cervical incompetence, and fetal malpresentations. This report highlights a case in which a 32-year-old patient with a bicornis bicollis uterus who had a viable pregnancy in one of the uterine horns later delivered a live male neonate at term without complications via spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD). The study underscores the importance of using the imaging modalities of ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, and hysterosalpingograms to aid in the diagnosis and monitoring throughout the duration of the pregnancy.

Operative and oncological outcomes of salvage robotic radical and partial nephrectomy: a multicenter experience.

We aim to describe the perioperative and oncological outcomes for salvage robotic partial nephrectomy (sRPN) and salvage robotic radical nephrectomy (sRRN). Using a prospectively maintained multi-institutional database, we compared baseline clinical characteristics and perioperative and postoperative outcomes, including pathological stage, tumor histology, operative time, ischemia time, estimated blood loss (EBL), length of stay (LOS), postoperative complication rate, recurrence rate, and mortality. We identified a total of 58 patients who had undergone robotic salvage surgery for a recurrent renal mass, of which 22 (38%) had sRRN and 36 (62%) had sRPN. Ischemia time for sRPN was 14 min. The median EBL was 100 mL in both groups (p = 0.581). One intraoperative complication occurred during sRRN, while three occurred during sRPN cases (p = 1.000). The median LOS was 2 days for sRRN and 1 day for sRPN (p = 0.039). Postoperatively, one major complication occurred after sRRN and two after sRPN (p = 1.000). The recurrence reported after sRRN was 5% and 3% after sRPN. Among the patients who underwent sRRN, the two most prevalent stages were pT1a (27%) and pT3a (27%). Similarly, the two most prevalent stages in sRPN patients were pT1a (69%) and pT3a (6%). sRRN and sRPN have similar operative and perioperative outcomes. sRPN is a safe and feasible procedure when performed by experienced surgeons. Future studies on large cohorts are essential to better characterize the importance and benefit of salvage partial nephrectomies.

Posterior urethral valve: A case report in an older Nigerian child.

Posterior urethral valve (PUV) is an anomaly of the urinary tract in male children and is the leading cause of urinary tract obstruction in the pediatric population. PUV is diagnosed radiologically by ultrasonography, both pre- and postnatally, and using micturating cystourethrography. Its prevalence and age of diagnosis may vary by demographic and ethnic background. This case highlights an older Nigerian child that presented with recurrent urinary tract symptoms and was subsequently diagnosed with PUV. The study further explores the key radiographic findings and analyzes the radiographic imaging features of PUV in various populations.

Wilms tumor: A case report with typical clinical and radiologic features in a 3-year-old male.

Wilms' tumor, also known as nephroblastoma, is a rare cancer of the kidney that occurs almost exclusively in children. In this case report, a 3-year-old male presented to the hospital with left flank swelling and recurrent fever of 4 months duration. On examination, the abdomen was distended, with associated left flank fullness and distension of the anterior abdominal wall veins. A left nontender firm flank mass was palpated. Upon extensive imaging, the mass was revealed to be a nephroblastoma. The study reviews the use of imaging as a means of achieving a diagnosis and accurately measuring the size and magnitude of the tumor in order that treatment, whether surgery or chemotherapy, be commenced.

COVID-19 Exposure Unmasking Systemic Amyloidosis With Hepatic Predominance.

Amyloidosis is characterized by depositing insoluble fibrillar proteins that misfold into beta-pleated sheets. This phenomenon occurs on a systemic or local level and may interfere with the function of various organs, including the heart, kidneys, and liver. Among those presenting with amyloidosis, hepatic, gastrointestinal, renal, cardiac, vitreous, and immunological involvement may occur. These manifestations are linked to several clinical presentations, varying from abdominal pain and hepatomegaly to restrictive cardiomyopathy and chronic renal failure. The two most common types of amyloid proteins are amyloid light chain (AL) and serum amyloid A (AA) proteins. AL produced by immunoglobulin light chains kappa and lambda (κ, λ) circulate systemically and accumulate in organs. At the same time, serum AA proteins are acute-phase reactants seen in infectious, chronic inflammatory states. In an immune-mediated infection such as COVID-19, serum AA levels may be a predictive factor of disease severity and a valuable biomarker to monitor the clinical course of COVID-19 patients. This report highlights a case in which infection with COVID-19 provoked an effective immune response that may have contributed to the accelerated progression of systemic amyloidosis with hepatic involvement. The study further investigates the involvement of AL and AA proteins in COVID-19 infections, including their role in synergistically exacerbating an already grueling clinical course.

Olfactory groove meningioma: A case report with typical clinical and radiologic features in a 74-year-old Nigerian male.

Olfactory groove meningiomas (OGMs) are rare, intracranial tumors located in the anterior cranial fossa that grow along the nerves between the brain and the nose. This report highlights a case in which a 74-year-old Nigerian male presented with clinical features of anosmia and headache as well as pertinent CT and MRI findings that typically occur in female patients. The study reviews the importance of imaging as a means of achieving a timely diagnosis and accurately measuring the size and magnitude of the disease as it serves as a guide to surgeons when planning for intervention.

Is YouTube a good resource for patients to better understand kidney cancer?

OBJECTIVE: To assesses the complexity, reliability, and quality of the most popular kidney cancer videos on YouTube. METHODS: We searched YouTube using phrases relevant to kidney cancer and grouped videos based on publishing channel type. Video parameters along with complexity, reliability, and quality scores were recorded. Video complexity was determined using the SMOG index. SMOG scores greater than 6.4 equate to content that is too complex for the general public. Video quality and reliability was scored by 5 reviewers using the Global Quality Scale and a modified DISCERN criteria. All categorical and numerical variables were analyzed via independent t-test and 1-way analysis of variance using SPSS. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-one videos were analyzed. The most popular publishing channel types are professional development (n = 65), medical institutions (n = 27), student education (n = 9), and nonprofit organization (n = 4). Professional development videos are significantly more complex than medical institution videos (mean SMOG score of 11.1 vs. 9.4, P = 0.004), and nonprofit organization videos (11.1 vs. 7.8, P = 0.003). Compared to medical institution videos, professional development videos have fewer mean total views (876 views vs. 17,554, P = 0.016), mean views per month (14.92 views vs. 351.7, P = 0.007), and mean comments (1 comment vs. 18, P = 0.038). Both professional development videos and medical institution videos are more reliable than student education videos (mean DISCERN score of 3.9 vs. 2.9, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There is a lack of understandable and reliable kidney cancer videos on YouTube. Moreover, the majority of kidney cancer videos are intended for medical professionals and may be too complex for the general public. The medical community has the opportunity to make an active effort to provide better resources for patients on YouTube.

Retrolenticular Vitreous Opacities as a Diagnostic Indicator of Systemic Amyloidosis.

Purpose: Systemic amyloidosis is a group of rare, life-threatening disorders characterized by the deposition of amyloid plaques in numerous tissues. Vitreous involvement can occur in amyloidosis and here we describe critical diagnostic findings. Methods: Case report of vitreous amyloidosis diagnosis confounded by non-specific presentation. Results: Despite false-negative vitreous biopsies, in the setting of previous vitreoretinal surgery, the case reveals vitreous opacities, decreased visual acuity, and retinal neovascularization as critical signs in ocular amyloidosis. Conclusions: Here we present the signs and symptoms that raise suspicion for vitreous amyloidosis and how to approach diagnosis early in the disease presentation.

Melanoma in the Vulva of a 71-Year-Old Patient: A Case Report.

Mucosal melanomas (MM) are a rare type of melanomas commonly found in the vulvovaginal, anorectal, and respiratory tract. In this case report, a 71-year-old female presented to her OB/GYN clinic with dark raised mass on her right labial region adjacent to the perineum. Past medical and surgical history of note included third-degree uterine prolapse, senile vaginitis, fibrocystic changes of the breasts bilaterally, hypothyroidism, hypertension, as well as a past hysterectomy and anterior colporrhaphy. Upon further workup, the 2.7 x 1.8 x 2 cm polyploid mass was biopsied and was found to be consistent with malignant melanoma. The patient then underwent a wide local excision confirming that the lesion was a nodular vulvar melanoma with superficial ulcerations and lymphovascular invasion of the vulvar region. Post-wide local incisions were found to be healed well after the procedure and the patient was referred to a gynecological oncologist for continuous monitoring. The purpose of this case report is to bring awareness of melanomas arising in atypical regions. While MMs are rare in comparison to cutaneous melanomas (CM), the prognosis can be poor if not caught early.

Red Cabbage: A Novel Treatment for Periductal Lactational Mastitis.

Lactational mastitis is a common condition in breastfeeding women that manifests as painful, swollen, and erythematous breasts. Customary treatment guidelines include antibiotics, cold compression, and continued breastfeeding. This report highlights a unique case in which the symptomatic progression of lactational mastitis was alleviated with the utilization of red cabbage and warm compresses. The study further investigates the potential benefits and role of red cabbage in treating mastitis infections to prevent unnecessary overuse of antibiotics and promote antibiotic stewardship practices.