Brachial artery pseudoaneurysm: a rare complication after haemodialysis therapy

Haemodialysis patients carry a high risk of pseudoaneurysm due to inadvertent puncture of the brachial artery during venous cannulation for haemodialysis. Signs and symptoms are pulsatile mass and a systolic murmur. Complications are rupture, infection, haemorrhage, distal arterial insufficiency, venous thrombosis and neuropathy. Early diagnosis is essential to plan adequate treatment. Doppler US and angiography usually confirm the lesion accurately. Ultrasound guided compression, percutaneous injection of thrombin, endovascular covered stent exclusion, aneurysmectomy and surgical repair are different treatment options. We report clinical and radiological findings and treatment strategies in four dialysed patients who developed brachial artery pseudoaneurysms.     

White clot syndrome: a rare complication of heparin therapy

A case of white clot syndrome in a 61-year-old man is reported. The patient suffered simultaneous aortic and vena caval thromboses while receiving heparin therapy for pulmonary embolism. Thrombocytopenia was noted. Thrombectomies successfully relieved the thromboses. Apart from heparin, no factors predisposing to aortic thrombosis were evident, and the patient remained well in the succeeding 7 years since. A brief review of the literature on the white clot syndrome suggests that the entity remains poorly defined, regarding both the mechanism of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and its relation to thrombosis.     

Cutaneous gangrene: a rare complication of coumarin therapy.

Sodium warfarin was administered to a 59-year-old woman with congestive cardiac failure and deep vein thrombosis. After 3 days of therapy the nipple and areola of the left breast became inflamed; the entire breast then became necrotic. Gangrene spread and a simple mastectomy was performed. The patient died from pulmonary embolism 1 day after operation. Histologic examination of the breast revealed thrombi in some of the arteries and veins. The etiology of this condition is obscure, and there is no known way of preventing or effectively treating the condition. Simple mastectomy or more conservative local excision recommended.     

Paraplegia after routine cardiac surgery: a rare complication

Two cases of spinal cord infarction with clinical paraplegia are discussed in patients undergoing elective and uncomplicated cardiac procedures with cardiopulmonary bypass. In both cases, the primary etiology was likely peripheral embolization. Other possible etiologies are reviewed, previously reported cases are discussed, and possible solutions to avoid this devastating problem are addressed.     

Zenker diverticulum: a rare complication after anterior cervical fusion

Esophageal injury is a rare but serious complication occurring after anterior cervical spine surgery. Pharyngoesophageal, or Zenker, diverticulum is an acquired outpouching of the pharyngeal musculature just proximal to a functional esophageal stricture, clinically manifesting as dysphagia, aspiration, and weight loss. We report a case in which a patient developed a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum, accompanied by retropharyngeal abscess, first identified 2 years after a 3-level anterior cervical fusion with allograft and anterior plating. The inferior portion of the cervical plate was dislodged anteriorly. In addition, the patient harbored pulmonary and mediastinal infection at the time of presentation. Despite incision and drainage of the abscess with repair of the diverticulum, the patient died in the early postoperative period. Prompt recognition and frequent follow-up, as well as patient education, may prevent this catastrophic complication.     

Cervical spondylodiscitis: a rare complication after phonatory prosthesis insertion

BACKGROUND: Tracheoesophageal puncture has excellent voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy. However, despite its easy insertion and use, severe complications have been reported. METHODS: We report a case of cervical spondylodiscitis, occurring in a 67-year-old woman submitted to phonatory prosthesis insertion. After 1 month, she complained of severe cervicalgia associated with fever. Spondylodiscitis involving C6, C7, and the intervening vertebral disk with medullary compression was detected by means of imaging studies. RESULTS: A right cervicotomy with drainage of necrotic tissue was performed, and a de-epithelialized fasciocutaneous deltopectoral flap was interposed between the neopharynx-esophagus and the prevertebral fascia to protect the neurovascular axis. MR performed 1 month later showed a complete resolution of the infectious process. CONCLUSIONS: Severe neck pain after tracheoesophageal puncture should alert the physician about the possibility of a cervical spondylodiscitis. MR is the most useful imaging technique for preoperative and postoperative evaluation. When neurologic symptoms are detected, surgical exploration of the neck is mandatory.     

Infective subcutaneous emphysema after laparoscopic rectopexy: a rare complication

Subcutaneous emphysema after laparoscopic surgery is not uncommon but infection of the subcutaneous space because of gas forming organisms causing emphysema after a laparoscopic procedure is an extremely rare entity. We report a case of infective subcutaneous emphysema after laparoscopic rectopexy.     

Tension pneumopericardium: a rare complication after thoracic stab wound

The authors report a case involving a patient with thoracic stab wound. The patient developed tension pneumopericardium with acute cardiac tamponade. The clinical and radiological features of tension pneumopericardium and its treatment are discussed.     

Evisceration after enterocele repair: a rare complication of vaginal surgery

Evisceration is a life-threatening surgical emergency which must be promptly treated. Evisceration following vaginal enterocele operation is so rare that no incidence rate can be established. A review of the literature revealed only 71 cases. The reported women were in general postmenopausal, with only 15% less than 50 years of age. In 18% of cases vaginal rupture occurred while straining at stool. Four patients are known to have died due to evisceration. Of the reported repair operations, 57% were performed transabdominably, 28% transvaginally, and 15% via a combined abdominovaginal route. The authors present 1 more case treated transvaginally, with a review of the literature.