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Pneumorrhachis, a rare clinical entity, refers to the presence of air in the spinal canal. Air can enter the spinal canal through various pathways, including the lungs and mediastinum (the space between the lungs), or directly from external sources due to trauma or infection. In rare cases, pneumorrhachis may result from repeated secondary Valsalva maneuvers, which is a complication of large-area pneumothorax. In this case report, we discuss a 36-year-old male patient who was involved in a high-intensity road accident. The injury assessment revealed significant findings including a large left pneumothorax, a right pneumothorax, multiple rib fractures, and the presence of pneumorrhachis. The entry of air into the spinal canal originated from the pleural space, likely through injuries to the parietal pleura. Rarely reported, closed thoracic trauma is an exceptional cause of pneumorrhachis. This unique mechanism of injury has been described in a limited number of publications addressing traumatic pneumorrhachis. The identification of pneumorrhachis in a traumatized patient should prompt further investigation to explore other potential injuries that may elucidate the formation of this intraspinal gas collection.
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A 62-year-old man presented with a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) level of 9.89 ng/mL during routine screening. The clinical examination revealed lower urinary tract symptoms, along with a soft, bulging, painless mass in the left lobe of the prostate during digital rectal examination. Imaging confirmed the presence of a left latero-prostatic cystic formation with a low level of malignancy. A prostate biopsy indicated a benign prostatic parenchyma with no signs of malignancy. Medical treatment with alpha-blockers resulted in improved urinary symptoms, and follow-up monitored PSA levels at 3 and 6 months, recording 8.05 ng/mL and 6.87 ng/mL, respectively.
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A common complication of anticoagulation therapy is bleeding, especially in patients receiving long-term vitamin K antagonists. Spontaneous intramural hematoma is a rare etiology among life-threatening major bleeds. An 80-year-old female patient presented with diffuse abdominal pain. Her history included ischemic heart disease and chronic atrial fibrillation treated with 3 mg of acenocoumarol per day. Three days before her admission, she developed diffuse abdominal pain with fecaloid vomiting, bloating, and not passing gas. Palpation of the abdomen revealed asymmetrical distension and pain, with no signs of peritoneal irritation or bleeding. Investigations showed anemia with a hemoglobin level of 9.2 g/dL, a white blood cell count of 14200/mm3, a C-reactive protein of 112.6 mg/L, and a prothrombin time of 75.1 seconds with an international normalized ratio (INR) of 8.5. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed segmental parietal thickening, luminal narrowing, and partial small bowel obstruction secondary to an intramural jejunum hematoma responsible for a gallbladder occlusion with infiltration of the mesenteric fat in front. The patient recovered two days after conservative treatment. In this case, we report an unusual small bowel intramural hematoma of the jejunum secondary to anticoagulant therapy. Physicians should be aware of this unusual cause of abdominal pain. Early diagnosis may avoid unnecessary surgical exploration.
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Background: Neurofibromatoses are a rare group of autosomal dominant tumor suppressor phacomatoses syndromes. Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1 or Von Recklinghausen's disease) is the most commonly found type of neurofibromatosis, and constitutes the most commonly found autosomal dominant disease of the nervous system. Case presentation: We report a case of a 14-year-old boy who reported a 3-year-history of a slowly enlarging right lateral cervical mass. He has a medical history of a progressive limping gait disorder with scoliotic attitude. MRI identified a dumb-bell shaped intradural right cervical process through right paravertebral gutter on C2 to C4, a second intradural dorsal mass with the same characteristics through left paravertebral gutter on D4 and D5 and a large tissue-like mass infiltrating the lumbosacral subcutaneous soft tissues. A Surgical excision of the cervical and lumbar masses was performed with a good outcome after surgical excision. Conclusions: This case illustrates the need for a collaboration of both neurological and head and neck surgeons in terms of managing difficulties related to a cervical neurofibroma. Benign plexiform neurofibromas are rapidly growing tumors, particularly in children and adolescents, which makes all the importance of early detection and appropriate treatment. Repeated interventions are usually needed in order to adapt and stabilize the tumors extension.
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Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) is an uncommon congenital defect of the pituitary gland. It is considered one of the rare endocrinal causes of abnormally short stature. Herein, we present a case of a four-year-old girl who consulted for short stature and delayed growth. The patient's history did not include any past medical or surgical pathology. Birth history revealed a full-term delivery with a breech presentation. Clinically, the patient had a small stature, beneath the third percentile. Magnetic resonance imaging findings, through a typical triad, were consistent with PSIS. We describe through this report, what we believe is a rare typical case of PSIS. This case was discovered in a young patient with pituitary dwarfism. We hope that the concise and synthesized structure of this case report will help physicians acquire the necessary reflexes to notice and diagnose the already underdiagnosed PSIS.
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BACKGROUND: Over the last two decades, several cases of infections caused by Lactococcus lactis have been reported. This Gram-positive coccus is considered non-pathogenic for humans. However, in some rare cases, it can cause serious infections such as endocarditis, peritonitis, and intra-abdominal infections. CASE PRESENTATION: A 56-year-old Moroccan patient was admitted to the hospital because of diffuse abdominal pain and fever. The patient had no past medical history. Five days before his admission, he developed abdominal pain in the right lower quadrant along with chills and feverish sensations. Investigations showed a liver abscess, which was drained, and the microbiological study of the pus revealed Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris. Three days after admission, control computed tomography objectified splenic infarctions. Cardiac explorations were performed and showed a floating vegetation on the ventricle side of the aortic valve. We retained the diagnosis of infectious endocarditis according to the modified Duke criteria. The patient was declared afebrile on day 5 and the evolution was clinically and biologically favorable. Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, formerly known as Streptococcus cremoris, is a rare cause of human infections. The first case of Lactococcus lactis cremoris endocarditis was reported in 1955. This organism includes three subspecies: lactis, cremoris, and hordniae. A MEDLINE and Scopus search showed only 13 cases of infectious endocarditis due to Lactococcus lactis, with subsp. cremoris identified in four of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first case report of the co-occurrence of Lactococcus lactis endocarditis and liver abscess. Despite its reported low virulence and good response to antibiotic treatment, Lactococcus lactis endocarditis must be considered a serious disease. It is imperative for a clinician to suspect this microorganism of causing endocarditis when they notice signs of infectious endocarditis in a patient with a history of consumption of unpasteurized dairy products or contact with farm animals. The finding of a liver abscess should lead to an investigation of endocarditis, even in previously healthy patients without obvious clinical signs of endocarditis.
Assuntos
Endocardite , Lactococcus lactis , Abscesso Hepático , Masculino , Animais , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Endocardite/tratamento farmacológico , Abscesso Hepático/diagnóstico por imagem , Abscesso Hepático/tratamento farmacológicoRESUMO
In the COVID-19 pandemic era, anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is considered to be the most efficient way to overtake the COVID-19 scourge. Like all medicines, vaccines are not devoid of risks and can in rare cases cause some various side effects. The objective of this case report is to highlight this unusual presentation of Henoch-Schönlein purpura following an anti-COVID-19 vaccination in a 62-year-old adult. The 62-year-old patient admitted to the emergency room for a petechial purpuric rash, sloping, occurring within hours, involving both legs and ascending. The clinical signs also included polyarthralgia and hematuria. Reported in the history the notion of an anti-COVID-19 vaccination 8 days prior to the onset of symptomatology. In the case of our patient, we retain the diagnosis of rheumatoid purpura based on the EULAR/PRINTO/PReS diagnostic criteria. Corticosteroid therapy (prednisone) was started, resulting to a rapid regression of clinical and laboratory symptoms, few days after the treatment. Patient was asymptomatic on subsequent visits. The low number of published cases of post-vaccine vasculitis does not question the safety of vaccines, but knowledge of such complications deserves to be known in order to avoid new immunizations that could have more serious consequences, and to avoid aggravating or reactivating a pre-existing vasculitis.