Recombinant Factor VIIa Use for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography With Sphincterotomy in a Patient With Choledocholithiasis and Unusual Coagulopathy.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure that combines the use of endoscopy and fluoroscopy to diagnose and treat pancreaticobiliary disorders. The risks of ERCP include pancreatitis, infection, bleeding and perforation. Bleeding during ERCP typically develops after sphincterotomy, hence patients should be screened and tested for coagulopathy before undergoing ERCP. Coagulopathy is a major risk factor for ERCP-related bleeding. Inherited factor VII (FVII) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive hemorrhagic disorder that can lead to significant coagulopathy and severe bleeding if not appropriately recognized and treated preoperatively. Clinically, the disease ranges between an asymptomatic state to lethal hemorrhage and the degree of FVII deficiency does not correlate with the severity of bleeding. The use of FVII replacement therapy has been reported to prevent bleeding during surgery. We present the first report of a patient with a rare cause of coagulopathy due to inherited FVII deficiency who successfully underwent ERCP with sphincterotomy without bleeding where we used recombinant factor VIIa before and after the procedure.

Cervical Spinal Cord Compression: A Rare Presentation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of liver. Distant metastasis to various organs is well known. Skeletal metastasis is also reported to various locations. Vertebral metastasis has been reported mostly to thoracic spine. However, cervical spinal cord involvement leading to cord compression has been reported very rarely in literature. We present a case of 58-year-old male with liver cirrhosis presenting as neck pain. Further work-up revealed metastatic HCC to cervical spinal cord resulting in acute cord compression. Patient has been treated with neurosurgical intervention.

Anemia, intractable vomiting, chronic diarrhea, and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic secretion: a diagnostic dilemma: Disseminated strongyloidosis in a patient with newly diagnosed HTLV infection-case report and review of literature.

RATIONALE: Strongyloidiasis hyperinfection and disseminated disease have high mortality rates due to several complications and early detection of Strongyloides infection is therefore prudent. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 37-year-old male patient came with chronic diarrhea, intractable vomiting and was found to have hyponatremia, and anemia on the initial laboratory tests. DIAGNOSES: Further work up revealed syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic secretion to be the cause of the hyponatremia in addition to gastrointestinal loses. His hospital course was complicated by persistent hyponatremia and later development of partial small bowel obstruction. INTERVENTIONS: Considering his symptoms we had a suspicion of small bowel pathology for which he underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopywith biopsies that revealed strongyloidosis as the cause of his symptoms. He was also found to have human T-cell lymphotropic virus infection, likely contributing to the disseminated disease. OUTCOMES: He was started on ivermectin with complete resolution of symptoms and improvement of hyponatremia. LESSONS: It is very important to suspect Strongyloides infection in a patient presenting with syndrome ofinappropriate antidiuretic secretion as hyperinfection and disseminated disease can be life threatening without antihelmintic therapy.

Fatal Cerebral Air Embolism: A Case Series and Literature Review.

Cerebral air embolism (CAE) is an infrequently reported complication of routine medical procedures. We present two cases of CAE. The first patient was a 55-year-old male presenting with vomiting and loss of consciousness one day after his hemodialysis session. Physical exam was significant for hypotension and hypoxia with no focal neurologic deficits. Computed tomography (CT) scan of head showed gas in cerebral venous circulation. The patient did not undergo any procedures prior to presentation, and his last hemodialysis session was uneventful. Retrograde rise of venous air to the cerebral circulation was the likely mechanism for venous CAE. The second patient was a 46-year-old female presenting with fever, shortness of breath, and hematemesis. She was febrile, tachypneic, and tachycardic and required intubation and mechanical ventilation. An orogastric tube inserted drained 2500 mL of bright red blood. Flexible laryngoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy were performed. She also underwent central venous catheter placement. CT scan of head performed the next day due to absent brain stem reflexes revealed intravascular air within cerebral arteries. A transthoracic echocardiogram with bubble study ruled out patent foramen ovale. The patient had a paradoxical CAE in the absence of a patent foramen ovale.