Abdominal cocoon syndrome, a rare cause of intestinal obstruction presenting in an Asian adult male: a case report.

Primary sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP), commonly known as abdominal cocoon syndrome (ACS), is considered to be one of the rare causes of intestinal obstruction. This syndrome is characterized by the formation of a fibrous-collagenous membrane that encapsulates the intestine and other abdominal organs. Several theories have been proposed to explain the disease's etiology. Patients often present with symptoms of partial intestinal obstruction, which is challenging to diagnose before laparotomy. Of all the available investigations, the contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen is the most sensitive, showing a sac-like fibrous membrane covering the bowel loops along with the fluid collection. Definitive treatment includes excision and adhesiolysis. Case Presentation: We present a case report of ACS in a 30-year-old male patient. Clinical Findings and Investigations: The patient presented with a chronic history of progressive colicky abdominal pain associated with nausea, vomiting, constipation, and weight loss. Interventions and Outcome: Multiple investigations, including abdominal X-rays, ultrasound, and upper GI endoscopy, were unremarkable. However, the contrast-enhanced computed tomography abdomen suggested small bowel obstruction with a differential diagnosis of SEP. Later explorative laparotomy and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of ACS. Adhesiolysis was performed intraoperatively, which resolved the patient's symptoms. The patient was asymptomatic at the 6th month follow-up visit. Relevance and Impact: Being a fairly rare condition, primary SEP can lead to a plethora of misdiagnoses and discomfort to the patient if not diagnosed on time. This case report aims to create awareness of this disease outside of the expected demographics- perimenarchal Asian girls. It is highly important for this unusual case to serve as an educative tool for physicians all over the world.

POEMS Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein elevation, and skin changes (POEMS) syndrome is a rare multisystem disorder that occurs due to an underlying plasma cell dyscrasia. A diagnosis is made with the presence of two mandatory criteria and at least one major and one minor criterion. We present a case of a 28-year-old patient who presented with weakness of bilateral arms and legs, thinning of hands, and swelling of bilateral lower limbs and abdomen. The patient also reported weight loss and loss of appetite. Examination revealed areflexic quadriparesis with sensory loss, diffuse lymphadenopathy, pleural effusion, ascites, and pulmonary hypertension. Investigations showed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Nerve conduction studies revealed severe axonal polyneuropathy of all nerves. Lymph node biopsy showed Castleman disease. A diagnosis of POEMS syndrome was made and he was sent for a stem cell transplant, which is the definitive treatment in patients eligible for stem cell transplant.

A Spectrum of Pulmonary Complications Occurring in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis.

Objective To investigate the trends of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) and find the correlation with effects on the pulmonary system in such patients. Methodology A multicentric prospective study was conducted in the city of Solapur, India. Data were collected from 250 patients through interpersonal interrogation using a questionnaire to capture basic demographic details, the history of ESRD, and relevant respiratory symptoms like breathlessness, cough, fever, etc. related to their disease. Symptoms that are likely associated with the pulmonary system were analyzed and referred to the pulmonology department. Appropriate diagnoses were made using relevant diagnostic tools like X-rays and sputum studies. The association between various disease attributes and pulmonary diagnoses was analyzed using the chi-square (χ2) test, with a p-value of value less than or equal to 0.05 considered statistically significant. Various socio-demographic variables, existing comorbidities, occupation-related risk factors, smoking history, past or current history of any respiratory conditions, the association between the causes of ESRD, time since the first dialysis and sociodemographic factors, and frequency of pulmonary complications were the other covariates in the study. Results Our study reports that 31.6% of our patients had significant impairment in their functioning due to respiratory complaints. The prevalence of respiratory complications was 27.2%. Major contributors were pleural effusion (33.8), pneumonia (25), pulmonary edema (20.58), pleuritis (11.76), collapse (8.8), tuberculosis (5.8), fibrosis (4.4), pericardial effusion (4.4), calcification (2.9), and hydrothorax (1.47). We report one case of Urinothorax as a rare cause of hydrothorax in such patients. Overall, our analysis found a significant association between non-reporting of respiratory complaints and acute admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU) with a respiratory cause at p-value 0.0076 with a greater predilection toward the rural populations. Conclusion Our study results highlight the prevalence of pulmonary complications in ESRD patients. The occurrence of pulmonary complications, irrespective of the presence of symptoms and a greater association between non-reporting of respiratory symptoms and acute admissions to the ICU, is a hallmark to consider the importance of history and clinical vigilance during patient visits.