Spontaneous rectus sheath hematoma revealed by abdominal pain during pregnancy: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Rectus sheath hematoma (RSH) is an uncommon but significant cause of acute abdominal pain in pregnancy, challenging in both diagnosis and treatment. It often arises from ruptured epigastric vessels and is associated with factors like anticoagulation therapy and previous abdominal surgery. Misdiagnosis, due to nonspecific symptoms, frequently leads to unnecessary surgeries, posing substantial risks to maternal and fetal health. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a 32-year-old multiparous woman at 31 weeks of gestation, experiencing right-sided abdominal pain and irregular contractions. With a history of four full-term deliveries and no recent trauma, her examination showed hemodynamic stability but featured pain upon movement and a notable blue discoloration in the left abdominal area. Moderate anemia was observed in lab tests. The diagnosis of RSH was confirmed via ultrasound and MRI. The treatment approach shifted from conservative to surgical due to deteriorating symptoms and falling hemoglobin levels. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: This case highlights the rarity and seriousness of RSH in pregnancy. Its non-specific symptoms complicate differential diagnosis, underscoring the need for prompt and precise diagnosis to avoid unwarranted surgical interventions. While conservative management is preferred in stable cases, surgical action is required in situations of instability or hematoma growth. CONCLUSION: RSH is a critical consideration in pregnant patients with acute abdominal pain. Early detection and tailored management are essential to mitigate surgical risks and ensure the safety of mother and child. This case reinforces the importance of vigilant and systematic patient evaluation to improve outcomes and minimize unnecessary surgical procedures.

A Real-world Data Analysis of Intermittent Catheterization, Showing the Impact of Prelubricated Versus Hydrophilic Catheter Use on the Occurrence of Symptoms Suggestive of Urinary Tract Infections.

Background: Systematic reviews have highlighted the lack of evidence on choosing the type of intermittent urinary catheter (IUC) with regard to the occurrence of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Objective: To describe the incidence and frequency of symptoms suggestive of UTIs (ssUTIs) for prelubricated versus hydrophilic IUCs. Design setting and participants: An observational study of a patient database compiled by UK general practitioners was conducted. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: The primary outcome measures were the proportion of patients with at least one ssUTI (prescription of a nonspecific antibiotic with a UTI-related diagnosis, or prescription of a UTI-specific antibiotic) and the mean number of ssUTIs per affected patient in the 12 mo following the index IUC prescription. Comparable prelubricated ("PRELUBE") and hydrophilic ("HYDRO") catheter groups were obtained with 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM). Results and limitations: A total of 5296 patients were included (prelubricated: n = 458; hydrophilic: n = 4838). After PSM, the two groups had similar proportions of patients with ssUTIs at baseline. The proportion of patients with ssUTIs during exposure was similar in the PRELUBE (36.9%) and HYDRO groups (41.5%; p = 0.155). However, among patients having used the same type of catheter throughout the exposure period, the proportion with ssUTIs was significantly lower in the PRELUBE group (44.6%, vs 55.0% for HYDRO; p = 0.015), as was the number of ssUTIs per patient (1.3 vs 1.8; p = 0.036). Conclusions: When choosing a coated IUC, physicians and patients should not rule out PRELUBE IUCs for safety reasons alone. Patient summary: Using real-world data compiled by UK general practitioners, we described the incidence and frequency of symptoms suggestive of urinary tract infection in people who were using various types of intermittent urinary catheters. When the same type of prelubricated catheter was used throughout the study period, the incidence of these symptoms was lower than for hydrophilic catheters.

New insights in radiation-induced leukoencephalopathy: a prospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Radiation-induced leukoencephalopathy (RIL) is the most threatening delayed complication of cerebral radiotherapy (RT) and remains roughly defined by cognitive dysfunction associated with diffuse FLAIR MRI white matter hyperintensities after brain irradiation. We documented clinical, neuropsychological, and radiological aspects of RI in order to refine diagnostic criteria. METHODS: Patients referred to our center for deterioration in cognitive complaint at least 6 months after completing a focal or whole brain RT underwent a systematic cross-sectional assessment including clinical examination, neuropsychological tests, and a standardized MRI protocol. Patients with progressive tumor were excluded. RESULTS: Forty patients were prospectively enrolled. Of these, 26 had received a focal RT, median dose of 53 Gy (range 50 to 60), and 14 had received a whole brain RT, median dose of 30 Gy. Cognitive complaints, gait apraxia, and urinary troubles were reported in 100, 67, and 38% of cases, respectively. On neuropsychological examination, patients displayed a global and severe cognitive decline through a subcortical frontal mode. The cognitive changes observed were not hippocampic, but related to executive dysfunction. On MRI, 68% of the patients had extensive FLAIR hyperintensities with anterior predominance, 87% had brain atrophy, and 21% had intraparenchymal cysts. T2*-weighted MRI showed small asignal areas in 53% of the patients. These abnormalities are evocative of cerebral small vessel disease. Fractional anisotropy in the corpus callosum correlated with the cognitive evaluation. No differentiation in terms of cognitive and MRI features could be made between patients treated with focal brain RT (glioma) and patients treated with WBRT (for brain metastases or PCNSL). CONCLUSIONS: RIL can be defined by clinical symptoms (subcortical frontal decline, gait apraxia, urinary incontinence) and MRI criteria (cortico-subcortical atrophy, spread FLAIR HI, T2* asignals). This condition mimics a diffuse progressive cerebral small vessel disease triggered by RT, independent of RT protocol.

Quick, non-invasive and quantitative assessment of small fiber neuropathy in patients receiving chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) is a common, potentially severe and dose-limiting adverse effect; however, it is poorly investigated at an early stage due to the lack of a simple assessment tool. As sweat glands are innervated by small autonomic C-fibers, sudomotor function testing has been suggested for early screening of peripheral neuropathy. This study aimed to evaluate Sudoscan, a non-invasive and quantitative method to assess sudomotor function, in the detection and follow-up of CIPN. Eighty-eight patients receiving at least two infusions of Oxaliplatin only (45.4%), Paclitaxel only (14.8%), another drug only (28.4%) or two drugs (11.4%) were enrolled in the study. At each chemotherapy infusion the accumulated dose of chemotherapy was calculated and the Total Neuropathy Score clinical version (TNSc) was carried out. Small fiber neuropathy was assessed using Sudoscan (a 3-min test). The device measures the Electrochemical Skin Conductance (ESC) of the hands and feet expressed in microSiemens (µS). For patients receiving Oxaliplatin mean hands ESC changed from 73 ± 2 to 63 ± 2 and feet ESC from 77 ± 2 to 66 ± 3 µS (p < 0.001) while TNSc changed from 2.9 ± 0.5 to 4.3 ± 0.4. Similar results were observed in patients receiving Paclitaxel or another neurotoxic chemotherapy. During the follow-up, ESC values of both hands and feet with a corresponding TNSc < 2 were 70 ± 2 and 73 ± 2 µS respectively while they were 59 ± 1.4 and 64 ± 1.5 µS with a corresponding TNSc ≥ 6 (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0003 respectively). This preliminary study suggests that small fiber neuropathy could be screened and followed using Sudoscan in patients receiving chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in the adult.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review focuses on the newest data on mechanistic aspects of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), its assessment and the current status of neuroprotection and treatment options. RECENT FINDINGS: Several anticancer drugs are associated with CIPN. Rodent models showed that axons, dorsal root ganglia and terminal trees are affected, whereas myelin remains unaffected. Oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage, as well as the role of nerve growth factor, have been highlighted in CIPN. Candidate genes, single nucleotide polymorphisms, were correlated with a higher incidence of CIPN in patients receiving a combination of chemotherapies. CIPN assessment mainly relies on patient-oriented questionnaires, nevertheless an international effort is ongoing to access reliable and objective means to assess small and large fiber impairment.To date, dose modification is the most effective strategy to prevent CIPN, whereas duloxetine is recommended for patients with painful CIPN. SUMMARY: CIPN is a common, potentially severe and dose-limiting adverse effect of cancer treatment. Chemotherapies mainly target axons, dorsal root ganglia and terminal trees of intraepidermal nerve fibers. A quick and noninvasive method allowing the assessment of CIPN should be developed, although no treatment prevents CIPN or improves its long-term course. Furthermore, symptomatic therapy is often largely ineffective in reducing CIPN symptoms.