Predictors of perioperative respiratory adverse events among children with upper respiratory tract infection undergoing pediatric ambulatory ilioinguinal surgery: a prospective observational research.

Objectives: Anesthesia for children with an upper respiratory tract infection (URI) has an increased risk of perioperative respiratory adverse events (PRAEs) that may be predicted according to the COLDS score. The aims of this study were to evaluate the validity of the COLDS score in children undergoing ilioinguinal ambulatory surgery with mild to moderate URI and to investigate new predictors of PRAEs. Methods: This was a prospective observational study including children aged 1-5 years with mild to moderate symptoms of URI who were proposed for ambulatory ilioinguinal surgery. The anesthesia protocol was standardized. Patients were divided into two groups according to the incidence of PRAEs. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess predictors for PRAEs. Results: In this observational study, 216 children were included. The incidence of PRAEs was 21%. Predictors of PRAEs were respiratory comorbidities (adjusted OR (aOR)=6.3, 95% CI 1.19 to 33.2; p=0.003), patients postponed before 15 days (aOR=4.3, 95% CI 0.83 to 22.4; p=0.029), passive smoking (aOR=5.31, 95% CI 2.07 to 13.6; p=0.001), and COLDS score of >10 (aOR=3.7, 95% CI 0.2 to 53.4; p=0.036). Conclusions: Even in ambulatory surgery, the COLDS score was effective in predicting the risks of PRAEs. Passive smoking and previous comorbidities were the main predictors of PRAEs in our population. It seems that children with severe URI should be postponed to receive surgery for more than 15 days.

Case report: Management challenges of late diagnosed 17-alpha hydroxylase deficiency.

Herein we report the intriguing case of a 42-year-old woman presenting with grade three hypertension, severe hypokalemia and primary amenorrhea, which revealed to be the complete form of 17 alphahydroxylase deficiency. We also discuss the challenging therapeutic approach as well as the outcomes and the follow-up of this patient.

Pheochromocytoma of the prostate: An unusual location.

Ectopic pheochromocytomas, also called paragangliomas, are defined as catecholamine -secreting tumors, which develop outside the adrenal medulla. Pheochromocytomas of the urinary tract represent less than 1% of all paragangliomas and are most commonly located in the bladder. Nevertheless, prostatic pheochromocytoma is an extremely rare clinical entity and only a few cases have been reported in the medical literature. Herein, we report a case of ectopic pheochromocytoma arising from the prostate, revealing with hypertensive crisis occurring immediately after ejaculation.

Accelerated silicosis and silico-tuberculosis: A difficult diagnosis.

It is well established that exposure to respirable crystalline silica is associated with higher mortality. Such exposures are associated with an increased risk of silico-tuberculosis, silicosis, and other respiratory morbidities. We report two cases of accelerated silicosis, complicated with pulmonary tuberculosis and pulmonary infection.

Further insights into the spectrum phenotype of TRAPPC9 and CDK5RAP2 genes, segregating independently in a large Tunisian family with intellectual disability and microcephaly.

Intellectual disability (ID) often co-occurs with other neurologic phenotypes making molecular diagnosis more challenging particularly in consanguineous populations with the co-segregation of more than one ID-related gene in some cases. In this study, we investigated the phenotype of three patients from a large Tunisian family with significant ID phenotypic variability and microcephaly and performed a clinical exome sequencing in two cases. We identified, within the first branch, a homozygous variant in the TRAPPC9 gene (p.Arg472Ter) in two cases presenting severe ID, absent speech, congenital/secondary microcephaly in addition to autistic features, supporting the implication of TRAPPC9 in the "secondary" autism spectrum disorders and congenital microcephaly. In the second branch, we identified a homozygous variant (p.Lys189ArgfsTer15) in the CDK5RAP2 gene associated with an heterozygous TRAPPC9 variant (p.Arg472Ter) in one case harbouring primary hereditary microcephaly (MCPH) associated with an inter-hypothalamic adhesion, mixed hearing loss, selective thinning in the retinal nerve fiber layer and parafoveal ganglion cell complex, and short stature. Our findings expand the spectrum of the recently reported neurosensorial abnormalities and revealed the variable phenotype expressivity of CDK5RAP2 defect. Our study highlights the complexity of the genetic background of microcephaly/ID and the efficiency of the exome sequencing to provide an accurate diagnosis and to improve the management and follow-up of such patients.

Suprasellar Melanocytoma with Leptomeningeal Seeding: An Aggressive Clinical Course for a Histologically Benign Tumor.

INTRODUCTION: Meningeal melanocytoma (MM) is a very rare neuroectodermal neoplasm arising from the leptomeninges. Primary suprasellar melanocytomas are exceedingly rare, with only a handful of cases reported. The systemic spread of a nontransformed meningeal melanocytoma is an unusual occurrence. Herein, we report the first case of a primary sellar melanocytoma with cerebral and spinal meningeal seeding. Case Report. A 30-year-old male with no previous medical history presented to the endocrinology department with a loss of body hair. The endocrine workup concluded with isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. The Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain and sella revealed a large suprasellar mass continuous with the infundibulum of the pituitary gland. It was heterogeneously hyperintense on T1-, T2-, and FLAIR-weighted images and was enhanced with contrast, along with cerebral and spinal leptomeningeal spread. The patient was referred to the neurosurgery department, and a lumbar spine biopsy was indicated. The histopathological examination was suggestive of a grade I meningeal pigmented melanocytoma. CONCLUSION: Thus, primary sellar melanocytomas with leptomeningeal spread are an extremely rare phenomenon. Metastatic malignant melanoma should be ruled out. Being aware of differential diagnosis and the unusual behavior of meningeal melanocytoma will be necessary to manage the patient appropriately. Complete tumor resection is the best treatment whenever possible, and radiotherapy should be considered in case of unresectability or partial resection.

Comparative analysis between tuberculous meningitis and other forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis is a multisystem disease that may affect any organ or tissue. Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe form of tuberculosis and commonly affects the brain. We aimed to study the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic and evolutionary features of TBM among adults and to compare them with other forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study including all patients hospitalized for extrapulmonary tuberculosis in the infectious disease department in Sfax, Tunisia between 1993 and 2018. We specified the particularities of TBM cases, and we compared them with other extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases. RESULTS: We encountered 78 patients diagnosed with TBM, among 519 patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis (15%). The median age was 36 years (23-50) years. There were 44 females (56.4%). In comparison with other forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, fever [odds ratio (OR)=4.4; p<0.001], asthenia (OR=3.4; p<0.001) and anorexia (OR=2.3; p=0.001) were significantly more frequent in TBM patients. Adverse effects of antitubercular therapy were more frequent among TBM patients (OR=3.1; p<0.001). The mean duration of antitubercular therapy was 15 (12-20) months. Recovery occurred in 66 cases (84.6%), complications in 44 cases (56.4%) and death in 7 cases (9%). Comparison of the disease evolution showed that complications (OR=7.4; p<0.001) and mortality rates (OR=10.7; p<0.001) were significantly more frequent in TBM patients, while recovery was significantly more frequent in other sites of extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients (OR=0.5; p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In our country, TBM remains a disabling disease. Despite antitubercular therapy, the prognosis was more severe with the occurrence of not only complications but also a high mortality rate in comparison with other forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. When clinical and laboratory features suggest the diagnosis of TBM, clinicians should look for tuberculosis elsewhere in the body.

Q fever presenting as myocarditis.

We report the case of a 19-year-old healthy adolescent, living in an urban area, admitted because of acute chest pain and extensive anterior ST elevation. Coronary arteries were normal on coronary angiography; troponins were very high, echocardiography revealed a preserved global systolic function but an alteration of the longitudinal strain in the inferolateral wall. Cardiac MRI confirmed the diagnosis of acute myocarditis. As part of the etiological workup, Coxiella burnetii serology showed an acute infection. The diagnosis of Coxiella burnetii myocarditis was retained and the patient was treated with doxycycline and corticosteroid therapy. The myocardial localization of this germ is unusual but can be serious, hence the interest of a Coxiella serology in endemic countries face to any acute myocarditis.

An unusual complication following stenting in a patient with chronic mesenteric ischaemia due to radiation therapy.

The endovascular treatment is the first-line revascularization technique in chronic mesenteric ischaemia. We report a case of reperfusion haemorrhage complicating endovascular repair of severe stenosis of the superior mesenteric and coeliac arteries' anatomic variant following abdominal radiation therapy. The haemorrhage resolved spontaneously after medical management, with successful outcome.

Tuberculous and Brucellar Spondylodiscitis: Comparative Analysis of Clinical, Laboratory, and Radiological Features.

STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective study. PURPOSE: The aim was to compare the clinical, laboratory, radiological, and evolutionary features of tuberculous spondylodiscitis (TS) and brucellar spondylodiscitis (BS). OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Clinical presentation of spondylodiscitis varies according to the underlying etiology, among which brucellosis and tuberculosis represent the primary cause, in endemic countries. Only a few studies have compared the characteristics between TS and BS. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted using the data of all patients hospitalized for TS and BS in the infectious diseases department between 1991 and 2018. RESULTS: Among a total of 117 patients, 73 had TS (62.4%) and 44 had BS (37.6%). Females were significantly more affected with TS than males (56.2% vs. 22.7%, p<0.001). Fever (72.7% vs. 45.2%, p=0.004) and sweating (72.7% vs. 47.9%, p=0.009) were significantly more frequent among patients with BS. The median erythrocyte sedimentation rate was significantly higher in the TS group (median, 70 mm/hr; interquartile range [IQR], 45-103 mm/hr) than in the BS group (median, 50 mm/hr; IQR, 16-75 mm/hr) (p=0.003). Thoracic involvement was significantly more frequent in the TS group (53.4% vs. 34.1%, p=0.04), whereas lumbar involvement was significantly more frequent in the BS group (72.7% vs. 49.3%, p=0.01). Initial imaging findings revealed significantly higher frequencies of posterior vertebral arch involvement, vertebral compaction, and spinal cord compression in the TS group. Percutaneous abscess drainage (20.5% vs. 2.3%, p=0.005) and surgical treatment (17.8% vs. 2.3%, p=0.01) were more frequently indicated in the TS group, with a significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of clinical, laboratory, and radiological features can be used to distinguish between TS and BS while these patients await diagnosis confirmation.

Coexisting central and obstructive sleep apnea and mild diurnal hypoventilation associated with unilateral diaphragmatic dysfunction and brainstem lesion.

A 63-year old man was diagnosed with coexisting central (CSA) and obstructive (OSA) sleep apnea, crescendo-decrescendo (CD) periodic breathing (PB), frequent sustained desaturation hypoxemia events related to prolonged hypopnea and mild diurnal hypoventilation. Unilateral diaphragmatic dysfunction (DD) related to diabetic phrenic neuropathy was identified. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the head disclosed frontal-subcortical white matter (WM) lesions, while brainstem MRI found a small punctiform defect in the median area of the pons. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy was ineffective, while a one-month bi-level positive airway pressure (BIPAP) trial provided better outcomes.

An unusual cause of a complete heart block in a young healthy man! (a case report).

Acute myocarditis represents a challenging diagnosis as there is no pathognomonic clinical presentation. It is rare to see heart block as the first-and-only presentation of infectious myocarditis. We report the case of a young healthy patient who presented with syncope secondary to a complete heart block. It was caused by acute presumed viral myocarditis. The diagnosis was confirmed with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. With close monitoring, the EKG abnormalities resolved over the following 5 days. In this case report, we present the importance of several imaging tools to diagnose a rare and reversible cause of conduction disturbances. In at-risk individuals, clinicians should rule out a treatable cause of heart block before proceeding with permanent pacemaker implantation due to enormous clinical and cost implications involved.

An Apical Mass of the Left Ventricle After a Myocardial Infarction: Imaging Contribution.

Intramyocardial dissecting hematoma (IDH) is a rare complication of myocardial infarction (MI). It can affect the left ventricular free wall, the right ventricle, or the interventricular septum. We report a case of a 58-year-old man with an IDH following an acute anterior wall myocardial infarction detected by echocardiography and confirmed by Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).

[Splenic artery aneurysm rupture at the end of pregnancy: a case study]. / Rupture d'un anévrisme de l'artère splénique en fin de grossesse: à propos d'un cas.

Bleeding during pregnancy may not be due to obstetric causes. Pregnancy is a predisposing factor for some disorders due to physiological changes. These obstetric bleedings are rare but are responsible for high materno-fetal mortality. Prognosis depends on the speed of diagnosis as well as on multidisciplinary management. Splenic artery aneurysm (SAA) rupture during pregnancy is rare with a dreadful prognosis. Common clinical signs including abdominal pain associated with hypotension and anemia are very misleading for the obstetrician who usually suspects retroplacental hematoma or uterine rupture. We report the case of a pregnant patient requiring emergency laparotomy due to the detection of splenic artery aneurysm rupture on imaging test.

Combination of amphotericin B and caspofungin in the treatment of mucormycosis.

We report a case of invasive mucormycosis in 52 year-old woman. CT-scan and magnetic resonance imaging found a partial right sinus thrombosis associated with homolateral ethmoidal and maxillary sinusitis with submucosal inflammation. Histopathological examination of excised tissue was positive for mucormycosis. Our patient was treated by surgical debridement and a combination of amphotericin B and caspofungin, with a good outcome.

Multiple myeloma presenting as bilateral breast lumps in pregnant woman.

BACKGROUND: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a systemic disease in the elderly. Its incidence in patients younger than 40 years old and especially in pregnant women is extremely rare. MM may involve extraosseous sites, and only in rare cases it is observed in the breast. CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a 39-year-old woman diagnosed with an IgG lambda light-chain MM (Durie-Salmon stage IIIA, International Staging System II) in the 26th week of pregnancy, presenting with bilateral breast lumps. Dexamethasone (20 mg/m(2)/day on days 1-4, 9-12, and 17-20) was given as an induction agent to decrease tumor mass during pregnancy. Adverse response to dexamethasone was minor with excellent tolerance. A healthy baby was delivered at week 34 of gestation. CONCLUSION: Breast nodules revealing MM are extremely rare. Clinical and radiological features are atypical. Presentation during pregnancy is extremely rare, making anti-MM treatment potentially challenging.