Laparoscopic management of Chilaiditi's syndrome.

Chilaiditi's syndrome refers to the symptoms of abdominal pain, distention, vomiting, anorexia, and constipation caused by hepatodiaphragmatic interposition of the intestine. Although patients with this radiographic finding are commonly asymptomatic, presentation with symptoms is rare and accurately refers to this syndrome. There is an increased incidence of Chilaiditi's syndrome among mentally ill adults. Traditionally, Chilaiditi's syndrome is managed medically by discontinuing causative medicines. However, among the mentally ill population whose psychotropic medications precipitate the interposition of the colon, ceasing these psychotropic medications is not an appropriate option. The case presented involves a mentally ill patient with Chilaiditi's syndrome who was successfully managed with laparoscopic colopexy. At follow-up, the patient reported marked improvement of abdominal symptoms.

Aggressive fibromatosis of the neck in a patient with Gardner's syndrome.

We report a patient with Gardner's syndrome who, in addition to a total colectomy, had multiple excisions of desmoid tumors in both thighs. He presented with left-sided neck swelling and pain. MRI was highly suggestive of desmoid tumors in multiple neck muscles. To our knowledge this is the first description of diffuse fibromatosis of the neck in association with Gardner's syndrome.

Fulminant CNS perivascular lymphocytic proliferation: association with sargramostim, a hematopoietic growth factor.

Sargramostim (GM-CSF) therapy was instituted in a 49-year-old woman with hepatitis C on chronic interferon alpha-2b therapy. Within two weeks, she developed progressive confusion, lethargy, and gait disturbance. At autopsy 4 months later, diffuse perivascular nonmonoclonal lymphoid infiltrates were demonstrated throughout the central nervous system (CNS). As the use of hematopoietic growth factors in clinical practice increases, potential adverse effects, such as the fulminant CNS lymphocytic proliferation in this patient, are more likely to be encountered.

Delayed diffuse upper motor neuron syndrome after compressive thoracic myelopathy.

A 54-year-old man developed progressive spastic paraparesis beginning 2 weeks after a back injury caused by a subacute compressive thoracic myelopathy attributable to a post-traumatic arachnoid cyst. Three to 18 months after surgical decompression of the thoracic arachnoid cyst, the patient developed a diffuse predominantly upper motor neuron syndrome characterized by spastic quadriparesis, pseudobulbar paresis, and pseudobulbar affect. Retrograde corticospinal tract degeneration and upper motor neuron death after spinal cord injury is recognized. This case suggests that focal upper motor neuron injury can occasionally precipitate diffuse upper motor neuron dysfunction.

Focal rhabdomyolysis and brachial plexopathy: an association with heroin and chronic ethanol use.

A 22-year-old man presented with acute swelling of the left neck and associated weakness of the left arm upon awakening after having snorted heroin. He had consumed large amounts of ethanol regularly for 7 years. Serum creatine kinase was greater than 19,000 units/l. A diagnosis of focal rhabdomyolysis and left brachial plexopathy was made. Focal rhabdomyolysis with associated plexopathy is an uncommon but recognized complication of acute heroin use. Chronic ethanol use may have a "sensitizing" role in the pathogenesis of this syndrome.

Tamoxifen-induced regression of breast cysts.

The use of Tamoxifen as treatment for breast cancer is well established and its use experimentally as prophylaxis is promising, but little has been written about mammographically detected changes in breast parenchyma as a result of Tamoxifen therapy. We report two cases of spontaneous regression of breast cysts after Tamoxifen therapy for premenopausal breast cancer in the contralateral breast.

Entirely intracanalicular meningioma: contrast-enhanced MR findings in a rare entity.

We report an unusual case of an entirely intracanalicular meningioma in a 51-year-old woman. Contrast-enhanced MR images showed an enhancing lesion filling the lateral portion of the left internal auditory canal. Our findings suggest that meningiomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of entirely intracanalicular masses.

Extraaxial ependymoma of the posterior fossa.

We report an unusual case of an extraaxial ependymoma of the posterior fossa in an adult. MR imaging showed a heterogeneously enhancing extraaxial mass with a cystic component. Ependymoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of uncommon extraaxial masses of the posterior fossa.

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage: a very late delayed effect of radiation therapy.

Cerebral necrosis is a well-known delayed sequela of radiation to the central nervous system. Delayed intracerebral hemorrhage occurring several years after radiation is rare; however, with increased survival, this complication will become more common. We report a child who developed a brain-stem hemorrhage 4.5 years following radiation therapy for brainstem tumor. The possible pathogenesis for the spontaneous hemorrhage is discussed. The onset of the neurologic symptoms in this setting occurs later than the usual symptoms of radiation necrosis. It is important to recognize this entity as a late delayed complication of radiation therapy and not to mistake it for tumor recurrence.

The use of glucocorticosteroids to lessen the inflammatory sequelae following third molar surgery.

Acceptance of the use of glucocorticosteroids in density to control postsurgical inflammation has been impaired by concerns over side effects, adrenal suppression, and efficacy. The pattern of administration generally used is characterized as short-term, high-dose or pulse therapy, which has not been associated with significant side effects or adrenal suppression beyond 10 days. The selection of an appropriate glucocorticosteroid with minimal mineralocorticoid activity and extended biological activity is desirable. Oral and parenteral dosing are possible, and the latter can be administered as acetates (repository) or esters. The efficacy of glucocorticosteroids in reducing pain, swelling, and trismus after third molar surgery is difficult to ascertain because of methodological inconsistencies between investigations. In general, studies that used low dosing schedules have failed to produce dramatic and prolonged results. High-dosing intravenous (IV) studies have demonstrated significant short-term improvements, but the effects were not sustained. Combining IV administration with multiple oral dosing or a single intramuscular (IM) dose may be required to extend short-term improvement. High-dosing IM studies have shown significant and sustained anti-inflammatory effects with a single dose administered either pre- or post-operatively.

The role of ultrasound-guided needle aspiration of breast masses.

Ultrasonically guided aspiration cytology is an accurate and cost-effective method for managing sonographically indeterminate breast masses (masses that do not have all the ultrasonic criteria of simple cysts). Forty-five breast masses were aspirated. Of these, fifteen (33%) were atypical cysts, twenty-one (47%) were benign solid masses, three (7%) were malignant and six (13%) were solid lesions with nondiagnostic aspirate material. Since the tip of the needle is ultrasonically identified within the mass prior to aspiration, the accuracy of tissue sampling is potentially greater than with palpation alone. Lesions over five millimeters in diameter can be reliably sampled for cytology. This method can reduce the number of surgical biopsies performed by distinguishing atypical cysts from benign solid lesions and detecting malignant lesions when small. The simplicity of the technique encourages its use whenever an ultrasound study detects a noncystic mass.