Pancreatic carcinoma accompanied by pseudocyst: Report of two cases

Two cases of pancreatic cancer accompanied by pseudocyst are reported. Case 1 was a 60-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital complaining of left lower abdominal discomfort. A cystic lesion, about 3 cm in diameter, was found in the pancreatic tail by ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT). No signs of chronic pancreatitis were found. At operation, an elastic, hard, white tumor, about 1 cm in diameter, was felt adjacent to the cystic lesion on the duodenal side. Histologically, this tumor was a duct cell carcinoma with an adjacent pseudocyst upstream of the pancreas. Case 2 was a 57-year-old man who complained of back pain and loss of body weight. US and CT examination revealed a cystic lesion, 11×7 cm in size, in the tail of the pancreas. Histological examination of the resected speciment revealed both a duct cell carcinoma, 3 cm in size, in the body of the pancreas and a pseudocyst, 9 cm in size. Pseudocysts accompanying carcinoma are thought to develop from obstruction of the pancreatic duct by the carcinoma, followed by intraductal high pressure and disruption of ductules upstream of the pancreas. Thus, we should pay careful attention to pseudocyst of the pancreas, especially when signs of diffuse chronic inflammation cannot be found, to help identify duct cell carcinoma in the early stage. Further detailed examinations of the cyst fluid or pancreatic juice, such as cytology, tumor marker determinations, or establishment of K-ras codon 12 mutation, are needed.     

Intestinal and peritoneal tuberculosis: Report of two cases

One hundred and seven cases of abdominal tuberculosis were analyzed. There were no specific laboratory or x-ray findings pathognomonic of abdominal tuberculosis. Leukopenia was often found, but was nonspecific. An abdominal tumor was often palpable. A great rarity in our series was profuse hemorrhage from a jejunal tuberculous ulcer; the patient had to be subjected to an emergency operation. In another case tuberculosis appeared in a side-to-side small intestinal anastomosis and in its blind ends, which had developed as a late complication. The diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis must be confirmed by histologic examination of biopsy specimens; if the results are inconclusive, acid-fast bacilli must be seen or culture should be positive. Guinea-pig inoculation is rarely positive, probably owing to the low virulence of the tuberculous bacteria in abdominal tuberculosis. Good results are obtained with chemotherapy in both intestinal and peritoneal tuberculosis. The complications, obstruction being most usual, must be surgically treated. Resection of the affected segment is the best surgical procedure. For ileocecal tuberculosis, right hemicolectomy was performed. According to the authors, roentgenographic evidence of tuberculosis in the abdomen must always be confirmed by operation, because differentiation from carcinoma and other inflammatory lesions is impossible. For good results after operation, anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy is mandatory.     

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Report of nine cases

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Tumors of the endocrine pancreas are infrequent, and their malignant behavior is assessed only in the presence of lymph node or hepatic metastases. We present 9 new cases from the past 11 years. METHODOLOGY: We reviewed the clinical records of 9 patients diagnosed of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, analyzing age, sex, past medical history, symptoms, clinical presentation, laboratory tests, imaging studies, operative findings, pathological diagnosis, mortality, morbidity and hospital stay. RESULTS: There were 5 women and 4 men, with a mean age of 48.7 years. In 4 patients the tumor presented with hypoglycemia. Malignant behavior was observed in 2 cases. We discuss the origin and classification of these tumors, as well as the best diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. CONCLUSIONS: Endocrine tumors of the pancreas affect middle aged men and women, presenting with specific signs or symptoms in less than half of the cases. In small tumors preoperative or intraoperative localization may be difficult. Most of the lesions are localized in the tail of the pancreas, and malignant behavior is seen in less than 25% of the cases.     

Endobronchial tuberculosis. Report of 21 cases

Since the advent of antituberculosis drugs, endobronchial tuberculosis has become an exceptional finding, often in a misleading context. Cases reported generally occur in patients with immune deficit. We report 21 cases of endobronchial tuberculosis in immunocompetent patients (mean age 37 years). Clinical and radiological signs were not specific. Bronchial fibroscopy was essential for certain diagnosis, particularly in budding forms. Early treatment reduced the risk of complications. Based on our experience with these 21 cases, we propose a discussion of the pathogenic mechanisms involved and the diagnostic difficulties encountered as well as the disease course and risk of complications that can be expected.     

Bronchial tuberculosis. Report of 4 cases

Four cases of bronchial tuberculosis are reported. The first case was revealed by signs of bronchitis; in the second patient M. tuberculosis was found at light microscopy but x-ray films of the chest were normal; the third patient presented with signs of bronchitis and upper lobe infiltration on fibrous sequelae; the fourth patient showed a pseudo-tumoral bronchial image. These cases and those of the literature show that clinical signs are usually those of bronchitis sometimes with the systemic symptoms of tuberculosis. Chest radiography may be normal or may display disorders of ventilation of lung opacities suggestive of recent tuberculosis. Endoscopy reveals granular inflammation with whitish secretion and progressive stenosis. Diagnosis rests on bacteriological and pathological examinations. Medical treatment does not differ from the standard one. Sequelae consisting of bronchial stenosis or bronchiestasis are extremely frequent. Bronchial tuberculosis is now seldom encountered and usually affects elderly women. However, it may now become more frequent due to the greater number of cases of tuberculosis with a slightly atypical course, as found in AIDS patients.     

肺结核并发静脉血栓栓塞症二例报告并文献复习

静脉血栓栓塞症是病死率较高的血管急危重症之一。肺结核并发静脉血栓栓塞症的临床表现缺乏特异性,易被临床医生误诊或漏诊,导致死亡风险增加。笔者报道2例肺结核并发静脉血栓栓塞症患者,并对相关文献进行复习,旨在提高对肺结核并发静脉血栓栓塞症的认识并指导临床进行规范治疗。     

Ifosfamide-related encephalopathy. Report of two cases

INTRODUCTION: Due to ifosfamide urotoxicity, encephalopathy is a frequent complication accompanying treatment with this drug. The various clinical, physiological and therapeutical aspects of ifosfamide-related encephalopathy are reviewed. We report two cases and review current literature. EXEGESIS: Ifosfamide-related encephalopathy has polymorphous and non-specific clinical picture. The disease severity is variable, as related deaths have been reported. Clinical signs disappear with treatment discontinuation. Routes of administration, doses, tumoral site and gender have been implicated in the disease physiopathology. Admittedly, metabolite mitochondrial toxicity would be the underlying mechanism. Treatment would be based on intravenous methylene blue. A clinical trial aimed at studying prophylaxis is in progress. A few number of patients have been cured until now. CONCLUSION: Further studies are required to confirm the involved physiopathological mechanisms and methylene blue effects.     

Abdominal tuberculosis in children. Report of 10 cases

BACKGROUND: Abdominal tuberculosis is a rare location of this infection with a lot of diagnostic difficulties. The aim of this study was to review our experience of pediatric abdominal tuberculosis with that of the literature data. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted over a 7-year period; 10 cases of abdominal tuberculosis in children were reviewed (6 girls and 4 boys, mean age: 11 years, extremes 4-14). Eight patients enrolled in this study satisfied the following criteria: a positive culture for mycobacterium tuberculosis on samples of ascites fluid, sputum, urine, abscess puncture and/or caseating granulomas on histologic examination of biopsies obtained by endoscopy, percutaneous aspiration or needle biopsy or exploratory laparotomy. Two other patients (patients No 1 & 5) had a favorable response within 10 weeks of antituberculous therapy. RESULTS: We observed 8 cases of peritoneal tuberculosis and 2 cases of intestinal tuberculosis. Extra-abdominal tuberculosis was found in 4 of those patients. Two patients had a contact with a tuberculosis positive individual. Nine children had BCG immunization. The main clinical features were abdominal distension (6 cases) and abdominal pain (6 cases). Abdominal ultrasonography visualized mesenteric lymphadenopathies (6 cases), an abdominal mass (5 cases), free (1 case) and localized ascites (1 case). Barium enema and small bowell series showed small bowel stenosis (1 case) and ileal ulcerations (1 case). Exploratory laparotomy, performed in 3 patients, showed whitish granulations and peritoneal abscesses with caseous necrosis on histology. Quadruple therapy with tuberculostatic agents was prescribed in all patients, associating isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide combined at the start of the treatment with streptomycin (7 cases) and ethambutol (3 cases). Short term outcome was favorable with no deaths. The long term outcome was complicated by persistent ascites (1 case) and the development of portal hypertension (1 case). CONCLUSION: Abdominal tuberculosis remains a rare localization with a lot of diagnostic difficulties.     

mu-chain disease. Report of two new cases.

We report two cases of mu-heavy-chain disease. Both patients were affected with a lymphoproliferative disease that shared several suggestive features with the previously reported cases of mu-chain disease: the presence of vacuolated plasma cells in bone marrow, a small amount of alpha 2 moving abnormal mu-chain protein, and urinary kappa Bence Jones protein in one case.     

Miliary tuberculosis. Report of 4 cases proved by autopsy

Four cases of acute miliary tuberculosis, including one case of nonreactive tuberculosis, are reported in this article. Final diagnoses were proved by autopsy. Literature review shows that symptoms of the disease vary greatly in different cases, but fever with unknown causes and overwhelming infection is the constant features. Nonreactive tuberculosis is common in the patients with low immunity and correct diagnosis depends on autopsy in most cases. Anti-tuberculosis drugs for nonreactive tuberculosis is not very effective and the prognosis is unfavourable. This article provides for the doctors with the experience of mis-diagnosis of acute miliary tuberculosis, especially nonreactive tuberculosis.     

Traumatic lateral sinus thrombosis. Report of two cases.

Two cases with thrombosis of the transverse sinus caused by a fracture crossing the sinus are reported, and the roentgenological changes seen in cerebral angiography are discussed. In 1 case, a filling defect was seen which at subsequent autopsy was found to correspond with an intraluminal thrombosis. In the other case, not verified at autopsy, the angiographic changes were consistent with a thrombosis of a transverse sinus.     

Heart block and hyperthyroidism. Report of two cases.

In two patients with hyperthyroidism who had no signs of heart disease, first-degree heart block with tall and large P waves occurred. In one patient, a left bundle-branch block and transient complete heart block with Stokes-Adams episodes also occurred, although there was no verifiable evidence of acute inflammatory disease.     

Cyclic premenstrual unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. Report of two cases.

Two young women developed unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia that fluctuated with the menstrual cycle. They were otherwise healthy, and there was no evidence of hematologic or chronic liver disease. Serum unconjugated bilirubin rose concomitant with the rise of basal temperature during the premenstrual period, and it declined immediately after the end of menses. Administration of progesterone during the postmenstrual period elevated unconjugated bilirubin. A close relation of hyperbilirubinemia to female hormones was suggested. The condition may be called "constitutional unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia with a menstrual cycle.