Disseminated Rhodococcus equi infection in a patient with Hodgkin lymphoma.

INTRODUCTION: Rhodococcus (R) equi is an opportunistic, uncommon human pathogen that causes mainly infection in immunocompromised hosts. The disease is usually presented as subacute pneumonia that is mostly cavitary and sometimes bacteremic. CASE REPORT: We reported the extremly rare case of a 43-year-old woman with Hodgkin lymphoma, who developed R equi pulmonary infection after recieving multiple courses of chemotherapy. Secondary, the patient developed bacteremia, leading to sepsis and dissemination of R equi infection in many extrapulmonary sites. At addmission the patient was febrile, tachypnoic, tachycardic, hypotensive, with fa cial edema, splenomegaly, positive meningeal signs, left hemiparesis and paraparesis. Laboratory data included erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) > 140 mm/h, C-reactive protein (CRP) 143.0 mg/L, red blood cells (RBC) 2.14 x 10(12)/L, whyite blood cells (WBC) 2.8 x 10(9)/L, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) 706 U/L, serum albumin 26 g/L, sodium 127 mmol/L and potassium 2.7 mmol/L. Blood culture and culture of sputum and empyema were positive for R equi. Imaging studies demonstrated a large right cavitary pneumonia and abscess, empyema, pericarditis, mediastinal and intra-abdominal lymphadenopathy, brain and psoas abscesses, osteomyelitis and spondylodiscitis. The patient recovered completely after a 12-month treatment with combinations of parenteral and oral antibiotics (meropenem, vancomycin, teicoplanin, ciprofloxacin, rifampicin, macrolides etc), including drainage of abscesses and empyema. Eight years after completition of the treatment the patient was without recurrence of R equi infection and lymphoma. CONCLUSION: Since the eradication od R equi is very difficult, it is very important to make the diagnosis and initiate appropriate antibiotic therapy as soon as possible.

Long-term outcome of a modified balloon dilatation in the treatment of patients with achalasia.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Balloon dilatation is a standard approach to the initial achalasia treatment. Modified dilatation is also applied to rise efficacy and to lower complications. METHODS: A total of 57 patients were analysed within a median follow-up of 8.2 years. No premedication was used, dilatation was performed up to the pain treshold, while introduction and positioning of a dilatator was done in combination of endoscopic and radiological control. Dilatation effect was estimated by both Kim Symptom Scoring and objective parameters: body weight rise and radiological scintigraphic findings. RESULTS: Excellent and good results were obtained in 50 (88%) of the patients, while in 7 (12%) of the patients surgery was performed. There was no difference in dilatation efficacy regarding sex of the patients, but the results were better in the patients above 40 years. Duration of symptoms, body weight loss, esophageal lumen width do not indicate the definitive dilatation outcome. Esophageal scintigraphy and body weight increase were in a direct correlation with the effect of dilatation measured with the Kim Symptom Scoring. After the one to two repeated dilatations the efficacy increased from 74% to 88% justifying the repetition of dilatation. In 2 (3.57%) of the patients, that is in 2.65% of the totally dilated patients, perforation was recorded. There was no lethal outcome of dilatation, and the other complications were not clinically significant. CONCLUSION: Modified balloon dilatation can be recommended for initial method in achalasia treatment due to high efficacy, easy performance in daily hospital while complications are in standard range.

Sclerosing mesenteritis as a rare cause of upper ileus.

INTRODUCTION: Sclerosing mesenteritis is a rare pathological entity characterized by non-specific tumor-like expansion in mesentery. Accurate diagnosis of this disease is rarely made preoperatively. Surgery takes place in diagnosis, as well in treatment of the disease. We presented a case of sclerosing mesenteritis that affected the final portions of duodenum and initial part of jejunum with clinical picture of upper gastrointestinal obstruction. CASE REPORT: A 46-year-old man without previous medical history was presented with vomiting and loss of weight in the last 6 months. Due to suspicion of parapancreatic tumor by CT examination and clinical presentation of the disease, the patient underwent laparotomy. A mass infiltrated mesenteric root, initial part of superior mesenteric artery, the fourth duodenum portion and the ligament of Treitz, while the stomach and duodenum were dilatated. The intraoperative biopsy indicated a benign process. The mass was reduced with desobstruction of the duodenum. Definitively, histopathological finding showed fibromatosis in different phases of activity. Postoperative course passed without complications. The patient continued to receive an immunosuppressive drug therapy. After a 6-month treatment the patient showed no gastrointestinal problems. CONCLUSION: Sclerosing mesenteritis that affects the duodenum and the proximal part of the jejunum with subacute upper gastrointestinal obstruction is an extremely rare condition. In the presented case a surgical procedure was necessary for marking the diagnosis and treatment as well.

[Surgical treatment of pain in chronic pancreatitis].

INTRODUCTION: The principal indication for surgical intervention in chronic pancreatitis is intractable pain. Depending upon the presence of dilated pancreatic ductal system, pancreatic duct drainage procedures and different kinds of pancreatic resections are applied. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to show the most appropriate procedure to gain the most possible benefits in dependence of type of pathohistological process in chronic pancreatitis. METHOD: Our study included 58 patients with intractable pain caused by chronic pancreatitis of alcoholic genesis. The first group consisted of 30 patients with dilated pancreatic ductal system more than 10 mm. The second group involved 28 patients without dilated pancreatic ductal system. Pain relief, weight gain and glucose tolerance were monitored. RESULTS: All patients of Group I (30) underwent latero-lateral pancreaticojejunal--Puestow operation. 80% of patients had no pain after 6 month, 13.6% had rare pain and 2 patients, i.e. 6.4%, who continued to consume alcohol, had strong pain. Group II consisting of 28 patients was without dilated pancreatic ductal system. This group was subjected to various types of pancreatic resections. Whipple procedure (W) was done in 6 patients, pylorus preserving Whipple (PPW) in 7 cases, and duodenum preserving cephalic pancreatectomy (DPCP) was performed in 15 patients. Generally, 89.2% of patients had no pain 6 month after the operation. An average weight gain was 1.9 kg in W group, 2.8 kg in PPW group and 4.1 kg in DPCP group. Insulin-dependent diabetes was recorded in 66.6% in W group, 57.1% in PPW group and 0% in DPCP group. CONCLUSION: According to our opinion, DPCP may be considered the procedure of choice for surgical treatment of pain in chronic pancreatitis in patients without dilatation of pancreas ductal system because of no serious postoperative metabolic consequences.

[Radiographic signs of scaphoid union after bone grafting: the analysis of inter-observer agreement and intra-observer reproducibility].

INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis of radiological union of scaphoid bone after bone grafting requires clear evidence of bony trabeculae traversing the graft from the proximal to the distal pole on at least two of four standard scaphoid views. This sign is the only objective assessments of union. Radiographs of the scaphoid taken 18 weeks after operation, however, can be difficult to interpret. This fact led us to question whether radiographs of scaphoid at 18 weeks provide reliable and objective indication of union. OBJECTIVE: Our study was, therefore, designed to determine the reliability of the radiographic diagnosis of scaphoid union after bone grafting by testing the degree of inter-observer agreement and reproducibility. METHODS: Out of 30 sets of the scaphoid bone radiographs after bone grafting taken 18 weeks after operation, 15 of good quality were selected. Each set included four views: postero-anterior, lateral, semi- pronated and semi-supinated. Seven observers were tested: three orthopedic consultants, three residents and one consultant in radiology. Each was presented with 15 sets of radiographs designated from 1 to 15 and each was asked to answer the question: "Are there trabeculae crossing the fracture site?" Possible answers were 'yes' or 'no'. Eight weeks later, the same 15 sets of radiographs were marked in alphabetic order from A to K and presented to the same seven observers. Data was then analyzed and expressed in terms of interobserver agreement in pairs and intra-observer reproducibility. Calculation was done by kappa statistics so that the degree of disagreement was taken into account and allowance was made for chance agreement. Kappa values can vary from -1.0 (complete disagreement) through 1 (chance agreement) to +1 (complete agreement). RESULTS: For all 15 sets of radiographs, the degree of agreement between each pair of observers was illustrated in Table 2. It demonstrated the level of agreement between each pairs of seven observers. The overall median kappa coefficient for inter-observer agreement was 0,46. This value corresponded to "moderate" strength of agreement. Median kappa coefficient for consultant was 0.62, but median kappa coefficient for residents was 0.43. The degree of agreement between the opinions of each observer at his first and at his subsequent reviews of the same set of radiograph after 8 weeks was presented in Table 3. The overall median Kappa coefficient for the intraobserver agreement for all seven observers was 0.54. The ability of seven observers to reproduce their own opinion regarding trabeculae crossing the fracture line was poor to use it for assessment of bone union. CONCLUSION: Our conclusion is that radiographs taken 18 weeks after scaphoid grafting cannot be reliable and reproducible for assessment of bone union.

[External fixation war injuries of the proximal humerus]. / Spoljna fiksacija ratnih povreda proksimalnog okrajka humerusa.

Nine patients with open fractures of the proximal humerus were treated using an external fixation device. All of them had grade III open fractures resulting from high-velocity missile and explosive injuries with massive foreign body contamination. Radial nerve injury was present in five and two multiply injured patients with thoracic wall and abdominal viscera were present. There were no major arterial injuries. Chronic osteitis with fistula and sequestra developed in one. There were no nonunions and no refractures. Minor painless limitation of shoulder and elbow motion presented in all patient. Upper-third humeral open fractures due to firearms are a unique type of open fractures. They are usually highly comminuted therefore, stable fixation is difficult or impossible to achieve. On the other hand, the risk of infection is high following plate fixation. External fixation allows adequate management of the soft tissue wounds, provides stable bone fixation and allows early mobilization of the shoulder and elbow.