Uncommon cause of life-threatening retroperitoneal hemorrhage in a healthy young Hispanic patient: splenic artery aneurysm rupture.

Splenic artery aneurysms (SAA) are a rare life threatening clinical diagnosis. We present a case of a young Hispanic woman with an aneurysm of the middle branch of the splenic artery and active leakage. The defect was embolized with complete resolution of the retroperitoneal bleeding. Physicians should be aware of this rare entity especially when female patients presents complainiing of severe epigastric pain with associated hypovolemic shock.

A Hispanic female patient with heartburn: A rare presentation of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a non-malignant, acquired clonal hematopoietic stem cell disease that can present with bone marrow failure, hemolytic anemia, smooth muscle dystonias, and thrombosis. We present a case of a 32 year-old-female, G2P2A0 with no past medical history of any systemic illnesses who refers approximately 2 months of progressively worsening constant heartburn with associated abdominal discomfort. CBC showed leukopenia (WBC 2.9 x 103 /µL) with neutropenia (segmented neutrophils 48%), macrocytic anemia (Hgb 6.1 g/dL, hematocrit 20%, MCV,113 fL) and thrombocytopenia (platelet count 59 x 109/L). Abdomino-pelvic CT scan revealed a superior mesenterc vein thrombosis, which was treated initially with low-molecular-weight heparih for full anticoagulation. Peripheral blood flow cytometry assays revealed diminished expression of CD55 and CD59 on the erythrocytes, granulocytes and monocytes.' Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria is a rare, clonal, hematopoietic stem-cell disorder whose manifestations are almost entirely explained by complement-mediated intravascular hemolysis. The natural history of PNH is highly variable, ranging from indolent to life-threatening. The median survival is 10 to 15 years, but with a wide range. Thrombosis is the leading cause of death, but others may die of complications of bone marrow failure, renal failure, myelodysplastic syndrome, and leukemia. Anticoagulation is only partially effective in preventing thrombosis in PNH; thus, thrombosis is an absolute indication for initiating treatment with Eculizumab. Nevertheless, bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is still the only curative therapy for PNH but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality.

A VERY RARE NEOPLASM IN AN IMMUNOCOMPETENT PATIENT.

Kaposi's sarcoma is a rare malignancy requiring infection with human Herpes virus for development. We report a case of a 76-year-old immunocompetent male with recurrent leg cellulitis. The cellulitis eventually developed into a non-healing ulcer and a palpable nodule consistent with nodular Kaposi's sarcoma.