Hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an adjunctive treatment for COVID-19-associated mucormycosis: a report of two cases. / Oxigenoterapia hiperbárica como tratamiento complementario en mucormicosis asociada con la COVID-19: a propósito de dos casos.

OBJECTIVE.: We present the first two cases reported in Peru of the use of adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in patients with COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). The first case is a 41-year-old woman, with pain in the left side of the face and palatine region with purulent rhinorrhea for a month. Only an oroantral fistula was found during physical examination. The second case is a 35-year-old male, with decreased left visual acuity and palatal pain with a fistula, draining purulent secretion for four months. Both patients have history of diabetes, had moderate COVID-19 four months prior to admission, and received corticosteroid therapy for this diagnosis. Tomographic evaluation of both patients showed involvement of the maxillary sinus and surrounding bone tissue; both received diagnostic and therapeutic nasal endoscopy for debridement. Histological analysis showed that the samples were compatible with mucormycosis. The patients underwent debridement and were treated with amphotericin B deoxycholate; however, they presented torpid evolution. Then, HBOT was added and the patients showed an evident improvement after four weeks of treatment with subsequent controls without the presence of mucormycosis. We highlight the favorable evolution of these patients while receiving HBOT as treatment for a disease with high morbimortality, which emerged during the pandemic.

Oxigenoterapia hiperbárica como tratamiento complementario en mucormicosis asociada a COVID-19: a propósito de dos casos / Hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an adjunctive treatment for COVID-19-associated mucormycosis: a report of two cases

Reportamos los dos primeros casos, en Perú, sobre el uso del tratamiento con oxigeno hiperbárico coadyuvante (TOHC) en pacientes con mucormicosis asociado a COVID-19 (MAC). El primer caso es una mujer de 41 años, con dolor en hemicara y región palatina izquierdas con rinorrea purulenta de un mes de evolución. Al examen físico, solo evidencia fístula oroantral. El segundo caso se trata de un varón de 35 años, con disminución de agudeza visual izquierda y dolor palatino con fístula que drena secreción purulenta de cuatro meses de evolución. Ambos pacientes tienen el antecedente de diabetes, tuvieron COVID-19 moderado cuatro meses antes del ingreso, y recibieron corticoterapia por este diagnóstico. Ambos pacientes tuvieron una evaluación tomográfica que mostró compromiso del seno maxilar y tejido óseo circundante, con endoscopia nasal diagnóstica y terapéutica para desbridamiento. Se obtuvieron muestras compatibles con mucormicosis en estudio histológico. Los pacientes fueron tratados con limpieza quirúrgica y anfotericina B desoxicolato, sin embargo, presentaron evoluciones tórpidas. Por lo tanto, se adicionó la TOHC y mostraron una mejoría evidente tras cuatro semanas de tratamiento con controles subsiguientes sin presencia de mucormicosis. Resaltamos la evolución de estos pacientes con TOHC, en una enfermedad con importante morbimortalidad, que ha sido emergente durante la pandemia.

We present the first two cases reported in Peru of the use of adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in patients with COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). The first case is a 41-year-old woman, with pain in the left side of the face and palatine region with purulent rhinorrhea for a month. Only an oroantral fistula was found during physical examination. The second case is a 35-year-old male, with decreased left visual acuity and palatal pain with a fistula, draining purulent secretion for four months. Both patients have history of diabetes, had moderate COVID-19 four months prior to admission, and received corticosteroid therapy for this diagnosis. Tomographic evaluation of both patients showed involvement of the maxillary sinus and surrounding bone tissue; both received diagnostic and therapeutic nasal endoscopy for debridement. Histological analysis showed that the samples were compatible with mucormycosis. The patients underwent debridement and were treated with amphotericin B deoxycholate; however, they presented torpid evolution. Then, HBOT was added and the patients showed an evident improvement after four weeks of treatment with subsequent controls without the presence of mucormycosis. We highlight the favorable evolution of these patients while receiving HBOT as treatment for a disease with high morbimortality, which emerged during the pandemic.

Rabdomiosarcoma embrionario parameningeo en adulto / Parameningeal embryonic rhabdomyosarcoma in adult

Paciente mujer de 22 años, con tiempo de enfermedad de 2 meses, presentó epífora, eritema conjuntival leve, prurito en ojo derecho y aparición de pequeña tumoración verdosa a nivel del canto interno asociada a edema bipalpebral leve. El edema progresó limitando la visión en dicho ojo, asociándose la protrusión del globo ocular derecho. Se realizó estudio anatomopatologico del tumor nasosinusal presentando nidos celulares hipercromáticos de aspecto infiltrativo y el estudio inmunohistoquímico concluyó como rabdomiosarcoma embrionario. Se realizó quimioterapia.

A 22-year-old female patient, with 2-month disease time, presented with epiphora, mild conjunctival erythema and pruritus in the right eye. A small greenish-colored tumor appeared at the level of the internal canthus associated with mild bipalpebral edema. The edema progresses limiting the vision in said eye, associating the protrusion of the right eyeball. An anatomopathological study of the nasosinusal tumor was performed, presenting hyperchromatic cellular nests with an infiltrative aspect and the immunohistochemical study concluded as embryonic rhabdomyosarcoma. Chemotherapy was performed.

Miopatía autoinmune necrotizante / Necrotizing autoimmune myositis

Mujer de 21 años, procedente de Camisea, Cusco, con dos semanas de debilidad muscular progresiva que llego inclusive a la falla ventilatoria, elevación extrema de crantina sérica total, patrón miopático en la electromiografía y con presencia de necrosis masiva sin infiltrado inflamatorio en la biopsia muscular. La pciente mejoró clínica y por los estudios de laboratorio con el tratamiento inmunosupresor.

A 21 year-old woman, from Camisea, Cusco, with two weeks of progressive muscle weakness that came even to ventilatory failure, extreme elevation of total serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) a myopathic pattern in electromyography and presence of massive necrosis without inflammatory infiltrate in the muscle biopsy. The patient improved the clinical and laboratory parameters with immunosuppressive treatment.

Melanoma maligno cutáneo / Malignant cutaneous melanoma

Se presenta el caso de una mujer que fue sometida a amputación parcial del primer dedo del pie derecho y que 21 meses más tarde notó la aparición de lesiones tumorales en el miembro inferior derecho, en el párpado superior derecho, en la axila derecha y en las mamas. El estudio histológico confirmó que se trataba de metástasis de un melanoma maligno.

This is the case of a female patient that underwent a partial amputation of the first right toe and 21 months later she noted the appearance of tumors in the right lower limb, the right upper eyelid, the right armpit and both breasts. The histological study of the lumps confirmed that they were metastasis of a cutaneous malignant melanoma.

Neurofibromatosis tipo 1 asociado a tumor maligno de la vaina de nervio periférico y a carcinoma de colon / Neurofibromatosis type 1 associated to peripheral nerve sheath and colon malignant tumor

La neurofibromatosis tipo 1 es una enfermedad autosómica dominante, producida por la mutación del gen de la neurofibrina, localizado en el cromosoma 17q11.2. Esta enfermedad presenta una diversidad de manifestaciones clínicas y predisposición al desarrollo de tumores, lo cual explica la elevada mortalidad. Presentamos el caso de una paciente con diagnóstico de neurofibromatosis tipo 1, quién desarrolló un tumor maligno de la vaina del nervio periférico y cáncer de colon. Se revisa la literatura y los factores clínicos, de imagen e histológicos que se asocian a la transformación maligna de los neurofibromas.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 is a dominant autosomal disease caused by mutation of the neurofibrin gene located in chromosome 17q11.2. This disease presents a variety of clinical manifestations and predisposition to develop tumors, leading to high mortality. We report the case of a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 diagnosis who developed a malignant tumor of peripheral nerve sheath and colon cancer. The authors review the literature as well as the clinical factors, imaging and histological features associated to neurofibromas malignant transformation.

Hemocromatosis hereditaria / Hereditary hemochromatosis

Se presenta el caso de un varón de 43 años, con diagnóstico de diabetes mellitus, insuficiencia cardiaca, pigmentación de piel, cirrosis hepática, y de hemocromatosis hereditaria confirmada por biopsia hepática. El objetivo de esta publicación es tener presente como diagnóstico diferencial a la hematocromatosis ante un paciente en la edad media de la vida con varias patologías y órganos involucrados.

[Hereditary hemochromatosis]. / Hemocromatosis hereditaria.

The case of a 43-year-old male is presented, with diagnosed diabetes mellitus,heart failure, skin pigmentation, hepatic cirhosis, and hereditary hemochromatosis confirmed by liver biopsy. The objective of this publication is to have hemochromatosis in mind as a differential diagnosis in a middle-aged patient with several pathologies and organs involved.