Sudden, Unexpected Death Due to Pseudo-Meigs Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Meigs syndrome is the triad of ascites, hydrothorax, and benign ovarian tumor (mostly fibroids). It is a diagnosis of exclusion, and the characteristic symptoms disappear after resection of the tumor. Instead, in Pseudo-Meigs syndrome, the triad includes a nonfibroma ovarian tumor. The latter may consist of benign tumors (ie, of fallopian tube or uterus, struma ovarii, and ovarian leiomyomas) but can also comprise ovarian or metastatic gastrointestinal malignancies.The authors describe a case of sudden death in a 43-year-old woman, with no noteworthy reported history of present illness or medical history and in apparently good health before death.The autopsy showed a picture of bilateral hydrothorax with lung collapse, ascites, and a large left-sided ovarian mass, approximately 15 cm in diameter. Histopathological examinations revealed an ovarian epithelial malignancy (cystadenocarcinoma). There was also lung atelectasis with accompanying thrombosis of small and medium blood vessels. The combination of autopsy and histological findings allowed us to establish the diagnosis of Pseudo-Meigs syndrome, undiagnosed antemortem, resulting in death due to pulmonary and thrombotic complications. Our subsequent review of the literature found no case reports of undiagnosed Pseudo-Meigs syndrome presenting as sudden death, highlighting the uniqueness of the case presented herein.

Synchronous urinothorax and uroperitoneum.

Urinothorax was first described in 1968 by Corriere et al. as the presence of urine in the pleural cavity due to retroperitoneal leakage of accumulated urine. Herein, we present a female patient, who complained of dyspnea due to urinothorax. This is the first case of urinothorax that developed so tardive after radiotherapy and was diagnosed due to high clinical evidence despite the negative scintigraphy.

Advanced gastrointestinal carcinoma with massive ascites and hydrothorax during pregnancy: A case report and review of the literature.

RATIONALE: Gastrointestinal carcinoma is rare during pregnancy. It is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage because special gastrointestinal symptoms are generally overlooked during pregnancy, and there are many limitations and contraindications for using diagnostic tools during pregnancy. PATIENT CONCERNS: We present a case of a 29-year-old patient with 27 weeks and 5 days of gestation due to massive ascites and hydrothorax. DIAGNOSES: The patient was diagnosed with an advanced gastrointestinal cancer. Pathological report showed poorly differentiated tumor with the signet ring cell component. INTERVENTIONS: Caesarean section was performed. At the same time, an abdominal exploration showed that the omentum was like biscuits . There were extensive and firm intestinal adhesions, and many tumor lesions were found on the surface of greater curvature of stomach, spleen, intestine, peritoneum, ascending colon and descending colon. OUTCOMES: Gastrointestinal surgeon was invited during operation, and palliative gastrectomy was not performed because of extensive metastases. The patient died 30 days after caesarean section. LESSONS: This study present a case with advanced gastrointestinal cancer during pregnancy. We suggest that endoscopic exam is recommended if the patient is highly suspicious.

[DIFFERENTIATED TACTICS OF VIDEOTHORACOSCOPIC DIAGNOSIS OF THE PLEURAL EXUDATE SYNDROME].

Differentiated tactics of diagnostic videothoracoscopy (VTHS) in a pleural exudate syndrome, which ought to be treated with hydrothorax elimination and artificial pneumothorax creation, was proposed. Further roentgenological investigation permits to create a plan for the operation conduction and a certain anesthesia application. Criteria for the operation planning and the anesthesiological support choice were elaborated. Results of VTHS conduction in 261 patients in Department of Thoracic Surgery were analyzed. The differentiated tactics for the VTHS performance application have had saved the patients from the unnecessary endotracheal narcosis conduction, and reduced a pharmacological load on a patient, as well as a rate of contraindications for the operation usage and the stationary treatment duration.

Fetal MRI of Torsed Bronchopulmonary Sequestration with Tension Hydrothorax and Hydrops in a Twin Gestation.

While bronchopulmonary sequestration typically has a benign course, this congenital lung malformation has a high mortality rate when associated with untreated in utero tension hydrothorax and hydrops. Hydrops related to bronchopulmonary sequestration is believed to result from torsion of the mass with compromise of the associated blood supply. The impaired venous return of the mass then leads to tension hydrothorax with compression of the heart and mediastinal vessels, impairing global venous return. To our knowledge, this scenario has only been described prenatally by ultrasound. We present the imaging findings of a dichorionic, diamniotic twin gestation with one fetus developing tension hydrothorax and hydrops from presumed intermittent torsion of a bronchopulmonary sequestration. This diagnosis was only able to be confirmed by MRI prior to the use of ultrasound-guided interstitial laser photocoagulation for the treatment of this anomaly.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen block hydrothorax absorption in mice.

OBJECTIVES: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) and paracetamol alter pleural permeability, hindering pleural fluid recycling. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents on fluid recycling in an induced hydrothorax model in mice. METHODS: Hydrothorax was induced in C57BL/6 mice by injecting 500 µl phosphate-buffered saline-bovine serum albumin 1% isosmotic in the right hemithorax. Paracetamol (1 g/kg), ibuprofen (250 mg/kg) and parecoxib (2 mg/kg) were administered systematically by intraperitoneal injections. Each drug group included eight mice, which were sacrificed at 2 h and 4 h, respectively, after injections. The remaining hydrothorax volume and total cells contained were determined. RESULTS: Regarding the paracetamol and ibuprofen groups, the remaining hydrothorax volume was greater than in the control group (350 ± 61, 348 ± 62 and 270 ± 51 µl, respectively, P = 0.042) when mice were sacrificed within 2 h. Similar observations were made in groups sacrificed after 4 h (202 ± 45 and 198 ± 44 vs 107 ± 56 µl, respectively, P = 0.002). In the parecoxib group, the remaining hydrothorax volume was 122 ± 53 µl (P = 0.038 versus paracetamol and ibuprofen, P > 0.05 versus control group). At the same time, the absorption rate in the paracetamol and ibuprofen groups was lower than in the parecoxib and control groups (P = 0.033). In the parecoxib group, the absorption rate was lower than that in the control group after 2 h (P = 0.042). In the paracetamol and ibuprofen groups, the total cell count and the macrophage and the neutrophils counts were increased, compared with the control and parecoxib groups (P = 0.025, 0.028 and 0.032, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Paracetamol and ibuprofen acutely hinder pleural fluid recycling by lowering the fluid absorption rate (higher remaining hydrothorax volume), while they increased total white cell counts. COX-2s presented lower remaining hydrothorax volume without acutely increasing the absorption rate. These findings could present some relevance to the administration of painkillers in patients with pleural effusion after thoracotomy.

Diagnostic exercise: hemolysis and sudden death in lambs.

Within a 24-hour period, 7 out of 200 three- to four-week-old pastured Katahdin lambs died after showing clinical signs of hemoglobinuria, red-tinged feces, weakness, and recumbency. One of the lambs that was examined clinically before natural death also had abdominal pain, trembling, tachycardia, and severe anemia with a packed cell volume of 4%. Pathologic findings included icterus, hemoglobinuric nephrosis, dark red urine, pulmonary edema, hydrothorax, splenomegaly, and acute centrilobular to midzonal hepatocellular degeneration and necrosis with cholestasis. The differential diagnoses and diagnostic workup to achieve the diagnosis are briefly discussed.

Clinical experience of Pseudo-Meigs' Syndrome due to colon cancer.

We report a rare case of Pseudo-Meigs' Syndrome caused by ovarian metastasis from sigmoid colon cancer, which was accompanied by peritoneal dissemination. A 58-year-old female patient presented with massive right pleural effusion, ascites and a huge pelvic mass. Under the diagnosis of an advanced ovarian tumor, bilateral oophorectomy was performed and sigmoidectomy was also carried out after intraoperative diagnosis of peritoneal dissemination involving the sigmoid colon. However, immunohistochemical staining revealed that the ovarian lesions were metastasis from the primary advanced colon cancer. Postoperatively, ascites and pleural effusion subsided, and the diagnosis of Pseudo-Meigs' Syndrome due to a metastatic ovarian tumor from colon cancer was determined. The patient is now undergoing a regimen of chemotherapy for colon cancer without recurrence of ascites or hydrothorax 10 mo after the surgery. Pseudo-Meigs' Syndrome due to a metastatic ovarian tumor from colon cancer is rare but clinically important because long-term alleviation of symptoms can be achieved by surgical resection. This case report suggests that selected patients, even with peritoneal dissemination, may obtain palliation from surgical resection of metastatic ovarian tumors.

Outcome predictors of cirrhotic patients with spontaneous bacterial empyema.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous bacterial empyema (SBE) is a complication of cirrhotic patients in which a pre-existing pleural effusion becomes infected. This retrospective study was designed to investigate the bacteriology and outcome predictors of SBE in cirrhotic patients. METHODS: Medical records of cirrhotic patients treated in a tertiary care university hospital from December 2004 to December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Of 3390 cirrhotic patients seen during the study period, 81 cases of SBE were diagnosed. The incidence of SBE was 2.4% (81/3390) in cirrhotic patients and 16% (81/508) in patients with cirrhosis with hydrothorax. There were 46 monomicrobial infections found in 46 SBE patients. Aerobic Gram-negative organisms were the predominant pathogens (n=29, 63%), and Escherichia coli (n=9, 20%) was the most frequently isolated sole pathogen. The mortality rate of SBE was 38% (31/81). Univariate analysis showed that Child-Pugh score, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD)-Na score, concomitant bacteraemia, concomitant spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, initial intensive care unit (ICU) admission and initial antibiotic treatment failure were predictors of poor outcomes. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that the independent factors related to a poor outcome were initial ICU admission [odds ratio (OR): 4.318; 95% confidence interval 1CI) 1.09-17.03; P=0.037], MELD-Na score (OR: 1.267; 95% CI 1.08-1.49; P=0.004) and initial antibiotic treatment failure (OR: 13.10; 95% CI 2.60-66.03). CONCLUSION: Spontaneous bacterial empyema in cirrhotic patients is a high mortality complication. The independent factors related to poor outcome are high MELD-Na score, initial ICU admission and initial antibiotic treatment failure. High MELD-Na score may be a useful mortality predictor of SBE in cirrhotic patients.

Sudden death associated with myocardial contraction band necrosis in Boer goat kids.

Parenteral selenium (Se) and vitamin E (Vit E) were administered to all newborn kids at a Boer goat farm where there was previous high neonatal mortality assumed to be due to nutritional myopathy. All treated kids were affected by severe respiratory distress and died within 8 hours of Se/Vit E administration. Gross lesions included severe pulmonary edema, hydrothorax, and hydropericardium. The primary histopathologic finding was severe, acute, and monophasic myocardial contraction band necrosis. The diagnosis was accidental acute selenosis based on trace mineral analysis of the liver. This case highlights an important differential diagnosis in cases of acute myocardial contraction band necrosis and sudden death in goats and emphasizes the need for caution when administering parenteral Se/Vit E preparations.

CT verified cause of death in hepatic hydrothorax without ascites.

In patients with cirrhosis of the liver, ascites is a common symptom, some of these patients will also present hydrothorax. Under rare circumstances patients with liver cirrhosis develop hydrothorax without showing any signs of ascites. This study presents one such case and shows autopsy findings consistent with hepatic hydrothorax without ascites. Furthermore, we present CT imaging which shows the possible cause of death in the case of severe hydrothorax.

Tratamento de hidrotórax com shunt portossistêmico transjugular intra-hepático (TIPS) / Treatment of hydrothorax with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS)

O hidrotórax hepático caracteriza-se pelo derrame pleural secundário a ascite volumosa em pacientes com cirrose descompensada. É complicação rara em hepatopatas com hipertensão portal e de difícil reversão com o manejo clínico convencional para o tratamento da ascite. A introdução do shunt portossistêmico transjugular intra-hepático (TIPS) como opção terapêutica para esses pacientes mostrou-se procedimento bastante eficaz e com pequena morbidade associada. O objetivo deste trabalho é relatar o caso de uma paciente hepatopata crônica, com ascite volumosa e hidrotórax refratários ao tratamento clínico, a qual foi submetida à colocação de TIPS para tratamento. Pacientes com cirrose descompensada e ascite são candidatos a complicações como peritonite bacteriana espontânea, síndrome hepatorrenal e hidrotórax. O tratamento definitivo nestes casos é o transplante hepático – nem sempre viável e de rápido acesso. O TIPS é opção terapêutica temporária e de baixo risco para esses pacientes e que vem mostrando altas taxas de sucesso.

Liver hydrothorax is characterized by pleural effusion secondary to voluminous ascites in patients with uncompensated cirrhosis. It is a rare complication in hepatopaths with portal hypertension, one not easily reverted through the standard clinical management for the treatment of ascites. The introduction of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) as a therapeutic option for these patients proved to be quite efficacious and with little associated morbidity. The aim of this work is to report the case of a chronic female hepatopath with voluminous ascites and hydrothorax refractory to clinical treatment, who was submitted to TIPS. Patients with uncompensated cirrhosis and ascites are candidates to complications such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome, and hydrothorax. Definitive treatment in these cases is the hepatic transplant – not always viable and easily accessed. TIPS is the temporary, low-risk therapeutic option for such patients, which has shown high rates of success.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for the treatment of hepatic hydrothorax: report of twelve cases.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic hydrothorax is defined as a significant pleural effusion in patients with liver cirrhosis and without underlying cardiopulmonary diseases. Treatment of hepatic hydrothorax remains a challenge at present. METHODS: Herein we share our experiences in the treatment of 12 patients with hepatic hydrothorax by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Repair of the diaphragmatic defects, or pleurodesis by focal pleurectomy, talc spray, mechanical abrasion, electro-cauterization or injection was administered intraoperatively, and tetracycline intrapleural injection was used postoperatively for patients with prolonged (>7 d) high-output (>300 ml/d) pleural effusion. RESULTS: Out of the 12 patients, 8 (67%) had uneventful postoperative course and did not require tube for drainage more than 3 months after discharge. In 4 (33%) patients the pleural effusion still recurred after discharge due to end-stage cirrhosis with massive ascites. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the repair of the diaphragmatic defect and pleurodesis through VATS could be an alternative of transjugular intrahepatic portal systemic shunt (TIPS) or a bridge to liver transplantation for patients with refractory hepatic hydrothorax. Pleurodesis with electrocauterization can be an alternative therapy if talc is unavailable.

Extralobar pulmonary sequestration revealed by prenatal hydrothorax.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary sequestration is a rare congenital pulmonary anomaly that can be diagnosed in utero. AIM: Report a New case. CASE REPORT: In this case report of extralobar pulmonary sequestration, the authors report a case revealed by hydrothorax and describe this disease appearance in different imaging technique (Doppler ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging and postnatal multislice CT angiography).

Extrapleural apical fluid collection: an important sign on plain X-ray suggesting a pre-ganglionic brachial plexus injury.

Forty of 136 consecutive patients referred for management of brachial plexus injuries had closed supraclavicular injuries. The results of the initial chest X-rays were available for 29 patients. Nine had avulsion of the C8 and T1 nerve roots from the spinal cord. Eight cases had MR confirmation of lower root avulsion, six of these cases were confirmed surgically and none had any long-term clinical recovery. Twenty had partial brachial plexus injuries without avulsion of these roots. Seven of nine patients with avulsion of C8 and T1 had an extrapleural apical fluid collection. One of these had a fractured first rib. Two of 20 without avulsion had an extrapleural apical fluid collection. Both had fractured the first rib. The difference in incidence of extrapleural apical fluid collection between the two groups, excluding those cases with first rib fractures, was statistically significant. Without a first rib fracture, an ipsilateral extrapleural apical haematoma on a plain chest X-ray of patients with brachial plexus injury strongly suggests pre-ganglionic injury to the lower roots.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for hydrothorax in peritoneal dialysis patients - check-air-leakage method.

Hydrothorax developing from pleuroperitoneal communication as a complication of peritoneal dialysis was first described in 1967 [Edward SR, Unger AM. Acute hydrothorax-a new complication of peritoneal dialysis. JAMA 1967; 199:853-5. ]. The incidence of hydrothorax is approximately 1.6-2% of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. The key to successful therapy is obliteration of the transdiaphragmatic route of dialysate leakage with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). The method in which air leakage is checked intraoperatively is the preferred choice and better than all other procedures.

The morphology of diaphragmatic defects in hepatic hydrothorax: thoracoscopic finding.

BACKGROUND: Until now, the pathophysiology of hepatic hydrothorax has been moot. We discuss (on the basis of gross videothoracoscopy findings in 11 cases and the literature) the pathogenesis and clinical presentation of this complex condition. METHODS: We prospectively studied 11 patients (age, 31-73 years; 6 men and 5 women) with refractory hepatic hydrothorax (Child-Pugh class B-C) who underwent thoracoscopic repair of diaphragmatic defects. The diaphragmatic defects were examined intraoperatively. RESULTS: The diaphragmatic defects stemming from hepatic hydrothorax were classified into 4 morphologic types: type I, no obvious defect (1 patient); type II, blebs lying on the diaphragm (4 patients); type III, broken defects (fenestrations) in the diaphragm (8 patients); and type IV, multiple gaps in the diaphragm (1 patient). The type of diaphragmatic defect did not correlate with the volume occupied by the pleural effusion in the preoperative chest radiograms. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of this study allowed hepatic hydrothorax pathophysiology to be directly visualized, and further studies concerning the treatment of hepatic hydrothorax might be based on these mechanisms.