A Paraneoplastic Leukemoid Reaction in Primary Lung Sarcoma.

Pulmonary malignancies are known to have high prevalence and mortality. They are associated with different paraneoplastic syndromes, especially pulmonary carcinomas, because they are more common than pulmonary sarcomas. We present a case of a 56-year-old African American male who was admitted to our institution with a three-month history of a dry cough, progressive shortness of breath, and two to three days of right arm swelling. He had extreme leukocytosis (WBC count of 106,500 cells/mm3). Computed tomography (CT) scan of the thorax demonstrated an irregular, thick-walled 14-cm lung mass occupying the middle and upper hemithorax. CT-guided biopsy of the mass confirmed the diagnosis of lung sarcoma.

Recurrent Spontaneous Pneumothorax Associated With Marijuana Abuse: Case Report and Literature Review.

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit recreational drug in the United States. Growing public support for marijuana law reform has resulted in a significant increase in its use. The harmful pulmonary consequences of chronic marijuana smoking are less researched and discussed than those of tobacco smoking. We present a case of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax in a patient with heavy, persistent marijuana abuse who has no past medical or surgical histories and denied smoking cigarettes or other illicit substance use.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO): A Life Saver in Near-Fatal Asthma.

Near-fatal asthma (NFA) is a life-threatening condition that represents the most severe clinical phenotype of asthma and can progress to fatal asthma. Patients with NFA do not respond adequately to conventional medical therapy and urgent intervention is needed to provide adequate oxygenation by invasive mechanical ventilation. While mechanical ventilation is a potentially life-saving intervention, it could cause lung injury, barotrauma, and dynamic hyperinflation due to high ventilator settings resulting in hemodynamic instability. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides full respiratory support with adequate gas exchange in patients with NFA and improves survival rate. We present a case of a young female patient who presented with NFA, and her clinical condition was worsening despite invasive positive pressure mechanical ventilation.

Gross Hematuria in an Elderly Smoker Male Due to Eosinophilic Cystitis.

This is a case of a 71-year-old smoker man who presented with four days of gross hematuria, which turned to be caused by eosinophilic cystitis (EC) proven by bladder biopsy. EC is a rare clinical and pathological inflammatory condition of the bladder with an unknown exact cause. It can present with hematuria, urinary frequency, dysuria, and suprapubic pain. Sometimes, the presentation can mimic urinary tract infection (UTI) or malignancy, especially in older patients.