Massive gastrointestinal tuberculosis in a young patient without immunosuppression

Although the lung is the major site for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, gastrointestinal involvement can be present as part of multiorgan disease process or, lesscommenly, can be seen as primary gastrointestinal tuberculosis. In the cases where the culture is negative, it can be difficult to differantiate tuberculosis from Crohn‘‘s disease based on both the clinical and histological features. When side effects of classic antimycobacteria are encountered, we can initially add ciprofloxacin to the treatment of tuberculosis. We reported a case of 19-yr-old patient, who was treated as Crohn‘‘s disease and worsen. We began to tuberculosis treatment, and the patient improved clinically and histologically. The main point in this case is that widespread involvement of gastrointestinal tract can be brought about by non resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis even in immunocompetent patients.     

Massive gastrointestinal bleeding in a patient with COVID-19

Despite the emerging data about the thrombophilic effect of the novel coronavirus [1] , the relation between coagulation disorders and the COVID-19 pandemic is still not well understood. Various studies pointed to the significant role of the COVID-19 induced cytokine storm in development of the hypercoagulable state which leads to serious thromboembolic complications [2], [3] . Some studies report the development of severe immune thrombocytopenia induced by the novel coronavirus [4] . Other studies found a correlation between COVID-19 disease and the development of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) [5].Patients with severe COVID-19 disease have an increased risk for development of gastrointestinal bleeding (GI) which may be related to stress [6] , critical illness or mechanical ventilation [7] . Further studies showed the ability of the novel coronavirus to infect the epithelial cells of the GI tract [8] . Moreover, some data pointed to the ability of the virus even to infect the endothelium of blood vessels [9]. The relation between the COVID-19 pandemic and GI bleeding deserves more studies [10]. We present a case of GI bleeding in a patient with severe COVID-19 disease. We assume that COVID-19 disease can be a predominant factor for the development of DIC and GI bleeding.     

Massive gastrointestinal bleeding due to gastric ulcer in a patient with amyloidosis

Gastrointestinal amyloidosis may occur as part of the systemic manifestations of primary amyloidosis or in a localized form. The symptoms and signs that may occur are numerous and nonspecific, hampering clinical suspicion when this disease has not already been diagnosed. Gastric ulcers presenting as massive bleeding are an uncommon manifestation of this disease. We report the case of a patient with primary amyloidosis who developed massive gastrointestinal bleeding complicated by an amyloid gastric ulcer. Emergency surgery was required to control the bleeding.     

Massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage

Summary The poor prognostic factors in massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage have been enumerated. The accuracy, complications, and value of early diagnostic studies have been discussed. The management of massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage based upon these considerations has been outlined.     

Massive rectal bleeding in a malingering patient

Summary In this case report attention is drawn to malingering as a possible cause for recurrent, and at times profuse, rectal bleeding. The bleeding lesions were, characteristically, limited to the distal part of the rectum and the adjacent mucosa was perfectly normal. In the case described this syndrome occurred in a woman with a hysterical personality and conversion reactions.     

Massive gastrointestinal bleeding due to aneurysmal rupture of ileo-colic artery in a patient with Behcet's disease]

Behcet's disease has been recognized as a systemic vasculitis characterized by the involvement of multiple organs such as orogenital ulcers, eye lesions including uveitis and optic neuritis, and skin lesions including folliculitis and erythema nodosum. Vascular involvement occurs occasionally and is classified into thrombosis and aneurysm. However, massive gastrointestinal bleeding from arterial aneurysm is a rare manifestation of intestinal Behcet's disease. Recently, we experienced a case of intestinal Behcet's disease presenting with massive gastrointestinal bleeding due to aneurysmal rupture of ileo-colic artery. A 30-year-old male with Behcet's disease was admitted because of massive gastrointestinal bleeding. A large ileo-cecal ulcer was revealed as a bleeding focus on colonoscopic examination. Celiac angiography showed aneurysm and stenosis of ileo-colic artery. After the failure of hemostasis with arterial embolization, ileocecectomy was performed. After the resection hematochezia was completely stopped.     

Massive ST-segment elevation without myocardial injury in a patient with fulminant hepatic failure and cerebral edema

A 49-year-old woman presented in fulminant hepatic failure. The ECG showed dramatic ST-segment elevation, suggesting diffuse myocardial injury. However, echocardiography, creatine phosphokinase enzyme determinations, and examination of the heart at autopsy (six days later) failed to demonstrate any physiologic, anatomic, or histologic evidence of abnormality. The appearance of ST-segment elevation in this setting should not prompt treatment for cardiac disease or limit the candidacy for liver transplantation of such critically ill patients.     

Pneumoperitoneum without perforation of the gastrointestinal tract in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

Pneumoperitoneum often occurs after the perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. However, pneumoperitoneum without the perforation has been reported as one of the complications of collagen diseases, the cause of which is usually the rupture of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI). PCI is sometimes observed in the patients with scleroderma and mixed connective tissue disease but rarely in the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. We reported here a case of systemic lupus erythematosus developed the pneumoperitoneum without the perforation of gastrointestinal tract. A 51-year-old female who had been diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus and taken steroid for 12 years, visited our hospital because of general malaise. She had no abdominal symptoms but the roentgenographic examinations revealed the pneumoperitoneum. The laparotomy was performed and there were no findings of the perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. Because PCI is hardly recognized macroscopically after the rupture and the pneumoperitoneum due to PCI is often asymptomatic, we considered the cause of the pneumoperitoneum in this case was the rupture of PCI. The mechanisms of the formation of PCI in patients with collagen diseases were also discussed in this paper.     

Pseudogout in a young patient

Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal deposition disease is conventionally classified into cases that are hereditary, idiopathic (sporadic) or associated with other disorders. In the idiopathic form, the disease usually occurs in middle-aged or elderly patients. An earlier age of disease onset is observed in the hereditary form and the form associated with other disorders. Therefore, the occurrence of CPPD crystal deposition disease in a young patient merits thorough investigation for an underlying cause such as haemochromatosis, hyperparathyroidism, Wilson's disease, hypophosphatasia or hypomagnesaemia and requires a family study to investigate a possible hereditary cause. We report a case of a young female patient who presented with pseudogout at the age of 24 years; no associated diseases or familial occurrence were found despite a follow-up of more than 12 years.     

Massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage from a diverticulum of the appendix

A patient with massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage found to be bleeding from a diverticulum of the appendix is presented. Appendectomy was curative and pathologic changes were those associated with colonic diverticular hemorrhage. A review of the literature reveals this to be a previously unreported cause of gastrointestinal bleeding.     

Massive localized lipolymphedema pseudotumor in a morbidly obese patient

We describe a 31 year old man with a massive localized tumor-like lipolymphedema, a puzzling entity that afflicts the morbidly obese. The 281 kg man presented with a growing ulcerated bleeding mass located on his proximal medial thigh and suspicious for sarcoma. After en bloc resection of the 28.2 kg edematous mass, no evidence of neoplasm was found, only prominent lymphatic vessel dilation and edema with large quantities of unremarkable adipose and connective tissue. The lesion conformed to the diagnostic criteria for massive localized lipolymphedema (MLL) pseudotumor.