The Clinical Course of a Severe Case of Malignant Catatonia.

Catatonia is a psychomotor syndrome predominantly associated with mental illness disorders, most commonly bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Catatonia is classified as malignant when, in addition to catatonic symptoms, dysautonomia is present. Autonomic abnormalities can include changes in temperature, labile blood pressure, and changes in heart and respiratory rates. Because malignant catatonia is life-threatening, prompt recognition and management are essential to prevent mortality. We present a severe case of catatonia with malignant features that highlight the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.

Primary Pulmonary Echinococcosis in the United States: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

We depict a unique case of a 34-year-old woman who presents to the emergency department with complaints of dyspnea and chest pain for the past month. A chest x-ray (CXR) from an earlier urgent care visit was concerning for large fluid opacity in the left lung and follow-up imaging revealed a cystic mass suspicious of a pulmonary cystic abscess. The patient underwent complete lobectomy and resection. Post-surgical biopsy confirmed pulmonary hydatid cystic mass and signs of rupture or seeding to liver tissue. The patient was discharged with adjuvant therapy and recommended imaging follow-up for the next decade. The diagnosis, treatment, and maintenance guidelines are discussed in this report which reveals controversy between experts given the lack of complete literature regarding echinococcosis. Our purpose in putting forward this case is to present a rare diagnosis of pulmonary echinococcosis in the United States and to emphasize the importance of early imaging and diagnosis to prevent cystic rupture and secondary organ dissemination.