Horner syndrome after unsuccessful venous port implantation by cannulation of the right internal jugular vein.

BACKGROUND: Horner syndrome is a rare but likely underdiagnosed complication of internal jugular vein cannulation. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a young woman undergoing chemotherapy for gestational trophoblastic disease for whom venous port implantation was attempted due to poor peripheral vein access. Despite ultrasound guidance, the procedure was unsuccessful and complicated by a local haematoma, causing compression of the sympathetic nerves with Horner syndrome. The symptoms subsided within 3 weeks without treatment. The possible pathomechanisms of Horner syndrome after central venous cannulation are presented with suggested diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Special emphasis must be placed on excluding carotid artery dissection because it carries the risk of subsequent cerebral vascular incidents. In the event of a carotid dissection, a multidisciplinary team must choose a pharmacological (antiplatelet drugs/anticoagulation) or interventional approach. CONCLUSION: Even with ultrasonography, central venous cannulation is not free of serious risks. In case of anisocoria following an uneventful procedure, diagnostic imaging of the vascular structures in the neck is mandatory for the exclusion of potentially serious complications, such as carotid dissection or venous thrombosis.

Irradiation-induced bone sarcoma in a patient treated for cervix cancer 28 years earlier.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To present a case of a patient with cervical carcinoma in stage IIA who was diagnosed with pelvic bone sarcoma 28 years after radiotherapy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 37-year-old woman with IIA cervix cancer was treated with external beam irradiation and brachytherapy. The patient had undergone conventionally fractionated external beam irradiation using the "box" technique, with the total dose of 50 Gy and brachytherapy with radium applicators (intrauterine tube and fornix applicator) with the dose of 60 Gy calculated at point A. After treatment she was followed up for 2 years. Twenty-six years later, inoperable pelvic bone sarcoma was diagnosed within the irradiated field. The clinical course was aggressive and rapid progression during chemotherapy was observed. CONCLUSIONS: For patients receiving radiotherapy, long-term careful follow-up is mandatory due to second cancer risk. In the case of any suspicious symptoms, such patients need proper diagnosis to detect any disease as early as possible.

Radiotherapy-induced lumbosacral plexopathy in a patient with cervical cancer: a case report and literature review.

Radiotherapy-induced lumbosacral plexopathy in cervical cancer treatment is a very rare, but extremely serious complication. The clinical course is associated with severe bilateral lower leg pain, reduced sensation, different degrees of weakness, paresis or paralysis, and sometimes also urinary or fecal incontinence. Patient quality of life becomes significantly deteriorated. Escalating neurological disorders may make self-sufficient functioning impossible. Neurological symptoms, most often irreversible, may develop at different times after irradiation, even after more than 30 years. We present a case of neurological toxicity in a patient successfully treated for cervical cancer with pelvis and para-aortic lymph node irradiation and weekly cisplatin. Neurological symptoms developed a few weeks after completion of external irradiation, were gradually escalating and resulted in complete immobilization of the woman. We underline the significance of long-term, systematic physiotherapy and pharmacological therapy which has resulted in significant improvement of motion efficiency. The literature review concerns the questions of frequency, clinical course and mechanisms of radiation-induced plexopathy.