Proteus Takayasu's arteritis with unusual intracranial granulomatosis as initial manifestation.

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is an inflammatory vasculitis of aorta and its branches, its low incidence limited our recognition to this entity. We sometimes can confuse this disease with polyarteritis nodosa and other vasculitis when no conventional "big artery" involved in TA cases. Here we report a 26-year-old man with Takayasu's arteritis who presented with a provisional intracranial granulomatosis first and then saccular aneurysms between celiac trunk and arteria hepatica communis and many other proteus manifestations, which is seldom described before.

[One-stage revision of knee endoprosthesis due to periprosthetic infection and Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome]. / Einzeitiger Knieendoprothesenwechsel bei periprothetischer Infektion und Klippel-Trenaunay-Syndrom.

We present the case of a patient with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) who underwent a one-stage revision of an infected total knee arthroplasty. A detailed orthopedic description of KT is presented as well as a discussion on the implementation of one-stage or multi-stage revision following infections of total knee arthroplasty. Due to vascular anomalies with severe coagulation problems, soft tissue swelling and increased risk of infection, surgical treatment of such patients presents a special challenge.

Multifocal Proteus mirabilis osteomyelitis requiring bilateral amputation in an HIV-positive patient.

We present a rare case of multifocal Proteus mirabilis osteomyelitis in an HIV-positive patient. Despite the patient's good immune status as assessed by her CD4 cell count and the aggressive treatment, she eventually underwent bilateral above-knee amputations to eradicate the infection. Multifocal Proteus mirabilis osteomyelitis can have an unpredictable clinical course with a severe outcome in HIV-positive patients.

[Bladder rupture caused by spontaneous perforation of an infected urachal cyst]. / Blasenruptur durch spontane Perforation einer infizierten Urachuszyste.

Anomalies of the fetal urachus are rare. Normally, the postnatal urachus presents as a fibrous band extending from the bladder to the umbilicus. Urachal cysts may occur in postnatal life. Spontaneous perforation of urachal cysts is a very rare condition, which clinically may not be distinguishable from other acute abdominal conditions. We report a case of a 63-year-old male with a history of recurrent urinary tract infections and a bladder rupture caused by a spontaneous perforation of an infected urachal cyst. The symptomatology showed abdominal rigidity and pain, a palpable mass in the lower abdomen, and hematuria. Laboratory findings showed leukocytosis and an increased CRP level. The bladder rupture was confirmed by cystography. Bacteriologic examination identified Proteus vulgaris, Corynebacterium species, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Most of the published cases in the literature report about intraperitoneal perforation of infected urachal cysts. In the present case, we found a spontaneous perforation of an infected urachal cyst leading to an extraperitoneal bladder rupture with an extraperitoneal limitation of the infection. The definitive therapy was complete surgical excision including a cuff of the bladder, drainage, and systemic broad-spectrum and local application of antibiotics. The further course was uneventful.

Nephrobronchial fistula secondary to xantogranulomatous pyelonephritis.

We report a case of staghorn nephrolithiasis that evolved into xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis with perinephric abscess, nephrobronchial fistula, and lung abscess. The patient was an intravenous drug abuser who tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus, without evidence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. He presented with a 2-month history of untreated repeated episodes of left flank pain and hyperpyrexia. Treatment involved left nephrectomy, debridement of abscess, tube drainage, and intravenous antibiotics. The patient illustrates the need to consider untreated nephrolitiasis as a predisposing factor for pulmonary complications.

Intravascular ultrasound diagnosis of aortic graft infection.

BACKGROUND: To assess the value of intra-aortic ultrasound (US) for diagnosing intraprosthetic vegetations in atypical aortic graft infection. METHODS: A 66-year-old man presented with fever 12 months after emergency insertion of a straight infrarenal aortic graft because of rupture of an inflammatory abdominal aneurysm. Blood cultures, leukocyte scan, transabdominal US study, and digital angiography were negative. Spiral CT was equivocal. The patient was imaged with a mechanically rotating US transducer at 12.5-MHz from inside the graft. RESULTS: Intravascular catheter ultrasound showed mobile lesions at the graft wall in the absence of periprosthetic fluid. Immediately after the procedure the patient developed several small cutaneous septic infarctions on both feet. At operation the presence of graft infection was confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: This case report suggests that intra-aortic US may constitute a helpful adjunctive modality in suspected atypical infection of prosthetic aortic grafts.

Otogenic intracranial abscesses.

The commonest cause of the intracranial abscesses collected prospectively during the last two years was chronic middle ear infection (73%). The diagnosis was based on the clinical history, otological investigations, contrast enhanced computerized tomography and surgical findings. The clinical presentation was characterized by chronic otitis with an exacerbation of otorrhea, otalgia or pain in the temporal region or headache with high fever, vomiting and nausea. A review of our 14 patients with otogenic intracranial abscesses is reported to highlight that prompt diagnosis, appropriate therapy and careful monitoring can provide vastly improved results.

Computed tomography of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis presenting as a flank mass.

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis should be part of the differential diagnosis when extensive soft tissue involvement is associated with renal disease. As a diagnosis of neoplasm may be rendered even on microscopy, it is particularly important that this entity be considered.

Alteration of perirenal fat secondary to diffuse retroperitoneal infiltration.

Inflammatory effusions and diffuse neoplasia in the fatty retroperitoneal space, which can alter the perirenal fat, can be recognized radiographically because of density differences. The opacity of fluid and tumor accentuates the remaining fat which conforms to the renal contour. This perirenal fatty border appears as a lucent strip when the perirenal fat is not violated and as abnormal perirenal streakiness when the perirenal fat is infiltrated by fluid or tumor. Six cases are described.

Radiologic features of gram-negative pneumonias in the neutropenic patient.

While gram-negative pneumonia is a frequent complication in immunosuppressed patients with malignant disease, the diagnosis is difficult to establish. Clinical and radiographic study of 195 episodes of pneumonia in 175 consecutive patients was undertaken. Chest radiographs were negative in 19% of the episodes, probably due to absence of alveolar inflammatory cell infiltrate. Radiographic patterns were classified as either alveolar or mixed alveolar and interstitial; no case of interstitial pattern alone was identified. A positive correlation was found between the neutrophil count and the presence of radiographic abnormalities. The different types of organisms could not be distinguished by the radiographic appearance. The importance of early diagnosis and prompt specific treatment is stressed.

New thoughts concerning xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (X-P).

A clinical and roentgenographic analysis of 13 patients with pathologically proved xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (X-P) has demonstrated that many previously accepted truisms associated with this disease may not be valid. As a result of this study it is suggested that X-P: 1. Does have a prominant female distribution. 2. May arise relatively acutely. 3. Can be associated with a well-functioning kidney. 4. May destroy the kidney and collecting system. 5. Does not demonstrate neovascularity. 6. Can be distinguished angiographically from hypernephroma. 7. May be associated with diabetes. Other important facts were again observed: 1. X-P is still often associated with staghorn calculi and urinary tract obstruction. 2. Proteus mirabilis is the main offending organism.