Immune-Mediated Non-Infectious Periaortitis After Aortic Graft Replacement Surgery: A Case Report Highlighting the Need for Immunosuppressive Therapy.

BACKGROUND A non-infectious inflammatory reaction against replaced aortic graft for aortic dissection often manifests as fever, malaise, and peri-graft effusion. It usually lasts less than 1 month and subsides spontaneously without immunosuppressive treatment. CASE REPORT A 49-year-old man underwent ascending aorta and total arch replacement for acute thoracic aortic dissection. He had fever, malaise, nausea, and elevated serum C-reactive protein for 1 month postoperatively. Pathological examination of the aorta revealed no aortitis, and repeated blood cultures were negative. We also noted periaortic graft fluid collection, and a small amount of pleural and pericardial effusions. We suspected post-pericardiotomy syndrome. Colchicine and prednisolone were administered, with an excellent clinical response. Three weeks after discontinuation of a 7-week prednisolone treatment, the same symptoms recurred and gradually worsened. Prednisolone was restarted 6 months after the first surgery, with good clinical response. Thereafter, he developed left-sided weakness and dysarthria, being diagnosed as ischemic stroke. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed fluid collection with contrast leak around the aortic grafts, suggesting peel dehiscence, and thrombus formation in anastomotic pseudoaneurysm. He underwent surgical repair. He was diagnosed with non-infectious periaortitis, likely due to an immune reaction to the grafts, based on an excellent clinical response to immunosuppressive therapy. CONCLUSIONS We report a case of non-infectious periaortitis around a thoracic aortic graft, probably with an immune-mediated mechanism, requiring immunosuppressive treatment. When fever persists after aortic graft replacement surgery, non-infectious periaortitis should be considered and immunosuppressive treatment should be considered to prevent critical complications of anastomotic pseudoaneurysm and graft dehiscence.

Clinical Characteristics Associated with the Development of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Objective This study analyzed the clinical and laboratory parameters that might influence the clinical outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes who develop diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which has not been well investigated. Methods We reviewed the clinical and laboratory data of 158 patients who were hospitalized due to DKA between January 2006 and June 2019 and compared the data of patients stratified by the type of diabetes. In addition, the patients with type 2 diabetes were subdivided according to age, and their clinical and laboratory findings were evaluated. Results Patients with type 2 diabetes had a longer symptom duration associated with DKA, higher body mass index (BMI), and higher C-peptide levels than those with type 1 diabetes (p<0.05). Among patients with type 2 diabetes, elderly patients (≥65 years old) had a longer duration of diabetes, higher frequency of DKA onset under diabetes treatment, higher effective osmolarity, lower BMI, and lower urinary C-peptide levels than nonelderly patients (<65 years old) (p<0.05). A correlation analysis showed that age was significantly negatively correlated with the index of insulin secretory capacity. Conclusion Patients with DKA and type 2 diabetes had a higher BMI and insulin secretion capacity than those with type 1 diabetes. However, elderly patients with type 2 diabetes, unlike younger patients, were characterized by a lean body, impaired insulin secretion, and more frequent DKA development while undergoing treatment for diabetes.

[A case of successful treatment with OK-432 administration into lymphatic cyst formed after resection of rectal cancer].

We herein report a case of successful treatment with OK-432 administration into lymphatic cyst formed after resection of rectal cancer. A 61-year-old male patient underwent a very low anterior resection with D3 lymphadenectomy for locally advanced rectal cancer. Four months after the surgery, he arrived at our department with lower abdominal fullness. He was diagnosed as having bilateral intra-pelvic abscess by CT scan, and underwent a tube-drainage. After drainage, abscess lesions were shrunk, but a serous discharge remained. Because we diagnosed lymphatic cysts caused by the delayed lymphatic discharge after lymphadenectomy, an administration of OK-432 into cysts was performed. After administration, the discharge was decreased, and then fistula was closed.

Hybrid quantitative MRI using chemical shift displacement and recovery-based simultaneous water and lipid imaging: A preliminary study.

PURPOSE: To suppress olefinic signals and enable simultaneous and quantitative estimation of multiple functional parameters associated with water and lipid, we investigated a modified method using chemical shift displacement and recovery-based separation of lipid tissue (SPLIT) involving acquisitions with different inversion times (TIs), echo times (TEs), and b-values. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single-shot diffusion echo-planar imaging (SSD-EPI) with multiple b-values (0-3000 s/mm2) was performed without fat suppression to separate water and lipid images using the chemical shift displacement of lipid signals in the phase-encoding direction. An inversion pulse (TI = 292 ms) was applied to SSD-EPI to remove olefinic signals. Consecutively, SSD-EPI (b = 0 s/mm2) was performed with TI = 0 ms and TE = 31.8 ms for T1 and T2 measurements, respectively. Under these conditions, transverse water and lipid images at the maximum diameter of the right calf were obtained in six healthy subjects. T1, T2, and the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) were then calculated for the tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius (GM), and soleus (SL) muscles, tibialis bone marrow (TB), and subcutaneous fat (SF). Perfusion-related (D*) and restricted diffusion coefficients (D) were calculated for the muscles. Lastly, the lipid fractions (LF) of the muscles were determined after T1 and T2 corrections. RESULTS: The modified SPLIT method facilitated sufficient separation of water and lipid images of the calf, and the inversion pulse with TI of 292 ms effectively suppressed olefinic signals. All quantitative parameters obtained with the modified SPLIT method were found to be in general agreement with those previously reported in the literature. CONCLUSION: The modified SPLIT technique enabled sufficient suppression of olefinic signals and simultaneous acquisition of quantitative parameters including diffusion, perfusion, T1 and T2 relaxation times, and LF.

Cholesterol Crystal Embolism Induced by Direct Factor Xa Inhibitor: A First Case Report.

An 80-year-old man presented at our hospital with renal failure. He had been treated with edoxaban, an oral direct factor Xa inhibitor, for deep vein thrombosis for 10 months prior to admission. Although the pulses in his bilateral pedal arteries were palpable, cyanosis was present in the bilateral toes. Laboratory data indicated azotemia and eosinophilia. A skin biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of cholesterol crystal embolism (CCE). Because no invasive vascular procedure was performed, we assumed that CCE was related to edoxaban. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report suggesting CCE induced by an Xa inhibitor.

Technical Note: Development of a cranial phantom for assessing perfusion, diffusion, and biomechanics.

PURPOSE: A novel cranial phantom was developed to simulate the relationships among factors such as blood perfusion, water diffusion, and biomechanics in intracranial tissue. METHODS: The cranial phantom consisted of a high-density polypropylene filter (mimicking brain parenchyma) with intra- and extrafilter spaces (mimicking cerebral artery and vein, respectively), and a capacitor space (mimicking the cerebrospinal fluid space). Pulsatile and steady flow with different flow rates were applied to the cranial phantom using a programmable pump. On 3.0-T MRI, the measurements of the internal pressure in the phantom, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) with monoexponential analysis in the filter, and total simulated cerebral blood flow (tSCBF) into the phantom were synchronized with the pulsatile flow. We obtained their maximum changes during the pulsation period (ΔP, ΔADC, and ΔtSCBF, respectively). Then, the compliance index (CI) was calculated by dividing the volume change (ΔV) by the ΔP in the phantom. Moreover, the same measurements were repeated after the compliance of the phantom was reduced by increasing the water volume in the capacitor space. Under steady flow conditions, we determined the regional SCBF (rSCBF) and perfusion-related and restricted diffusion coefficients (D* and D, respectively) with biexponential analysis in the filter. RESULTS: The internal pressure, ADC, and tSCBF varied over the pulsation period depending on the input flow. Moreover, the ΔP, ΔADC, ΔtSCBF, and rSCBF increased with the input flow rate. Compared to the high compliance condition, in the low compliance condition, the ΔP and ΔADC were higher by factors of 2.5 and 1.3, respectively, and the CI was smaller by a factor of 2.7, whereas the ΔV was almost unchanged. The D* was strongly affected by the input flow. CONCLUSION: Our original phantom models the relationships among the blood perfusion, water diffusion, and biomechanics of the intracranial tissue, potentially facilitating the validation of novel MRI techniques and optimization of imaging parameters.

Agentes infecciosos en sepsis neonatal servicio de neonatologia Hospital de la Mujer-INLASA / Infectious agents in newborn sepsis neonatology unit Hospital de la Mujer-INLASA

OBJETIVO: identificar los agentes infecciosos causantes de sepsis neonatal en el Hospital de la Mujer de la ciudad de La Paz, a partir de hemocultivos y orientarnos en la conducta terapéutica. DISEÑO: estudio descriptivo. LUGAR: Servicio de Neonatología. Hospital de la Mujer. La Paz-Bolivia. MÉTODO: se estudiaron en forma prospectiva durante 5 meses, todos los neonatos con diagnóstico presuntivo de sepsis neonatal, mediante dos hemocultivos seriados por paciente para su posterior análisis. RESULTADOS: durante el periodo de estudio se documentaron 77 neonatos, de los cuales 41 (53.25%) tuvieron hemocultivo positivo, de estos 22 (54%) fueron prematuros, 38 (49%) presentaron ruptura prolongada de membranas, 22 (54%) no tuvieron control prenatal y 50 (51,2%) fueron sometidos a métodos invasivos. A mas horas de vida, mayor cantidad de hemocultivos positivos (p < 0.000), cuya edad promedio fue 122.4 horas con DE de 157.3. No se observó correlación en los parámetros de células blancas y proteína C reactiva con el hemocultivo positivo. Encontramos S. epidermidis en 12 (29,26%), Acinetobacter spp en 7 (17,09%), S. aureus en 4 (9,75%), K. oxytoca, Candida spp y Enterococcus spp en 3 casos respectivamente (7,32%), Pseudomonas spp y K. pneumoniae en 2 (4,87%), E. coli en 1 (2,45%) y otros en 4 (9,75%). CONCLUSIÓN: El perfil de microorganismos aislados en el servicio de neonatología, concuerda con los antecedentes y factores predisponentes del recién nacido. La relación entre hemocultivo positivo y la edad del recién nacido en el momento de la toma de muestra, nos orienta a pensar en infecciones de origen nosocomial.

OBJECTIVE: to identify the infectious agents of neonatal sepsis in the Hospital de la Mujer of La Paz, taking blood cultures to help us determine the therapeutic approach. membranes, 22 (54%) did not have prenatal care and , 50 (51,2%) had invasive procedures. The older the patient the more positive blood culture found (p<0.000), the average age was 122.4 hours with SD of 157.3. There was no relationship between white cells, protein C with and positive blood cultures. We found S. epidermidis in 12 (29,26%), Acinetobacter spp in 7 (17,09%), S. aureus in 4 (9,75%), K. oxytoca, Candida spp and Enterococcus spp in 3 cases each (7,32%), Pseudomonas spp and K. pneumoniae in 2 (4,87%), E. coli in 1 (2,45%) and other bacteria in 4 (9,75%). DESIGN: descriptive study PLACE: neonatology Unit. Hospital de la Mujer. La Paz ­ Bolivia METHOD: in a prospective way and during 5 months we took two blood cultures to patients with the presumptive diagnosis of sepsis for posterior evaluation. RESULTS: during the this period we enrolled 77 neonates and 41 witj positive blood culture (53.25%) were positives to the blood cultures, 22 (54%) were premature, 38 (49%) had prolonged rupture of CONCLUSIONS: the microorganism found are in accordance with the predisposing factors of the newborns studied. Because of the relationship between positive blood culture and age of the newborn led us to suggest in nosocomial infections.

Hidatidosis pulmonar confundida con tuberculosis pulmonar: experiencia clinica en una provincia de La Paz / Pulmonary hydatid disease confuse with pulmonary tuberculosis: clinical experience in a province of La Paz

Presentamos un caso de un paciente de 17 años de edad, con antecedentes de cuadro de pequeñas hemoptisis de un año de evolución, diagnosticado radiológicamente de tuberculosis pulmonar, recibiendo tratamiento antituberculoso, esquema I Nacional. Es captado en su domicilio a los 6 meses de su tratamiento sin modificación de la signo sintomatología, motivo por el cual se realiza un análisis exhaustivo de su caso, solicitando unanueva placa radiográfica y ELISA para hidatidosis, llegando a confirmar el diagnóstico de hidatidosos pulmonar. Por la calidad de vida del paciente y falta de recursos económicos de su familia se decide iniciar tratamiento con mebendazol vía oral en dosis de 100 mg. BID. Al cabo de tres meses de tratamiento se evidencia evolución favorable tanto en la signo sintomatología como en la radiográfia de control. Es un cuadro que nos lammó la atención por el tiempo de evolución a pesar del tratamiento con el que cursaba. Además el diagnóstico baciloscópico y cultivo paa Micobacteriúm tuberculosis feron negativos desde un inicio.