Advanced colonic carcinoma in children.

We report two cases of colorectal carcinoma in children with a delay in diagnosis due to the low index of suspicion of this pathology as the cause of presenting symptoms. We conclude that any child presenting with unexplained rectal bleeding and abdominal pain should be investigated with endoscopy and barium enema.     

An innocuous finger injury resulting in a very rare complication

We report a case of acromio-clavicular joint septic arthritis, a very rare complication of an innocuous finger injury.     

A Management of Early CRPS I Caused by Ankle Sprain: A Case Report

Abstract:   We present a case of a 13-year-old boy who developed signs and symptoms of neuropathic pain/early Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Type I, formerly known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), after spraining his ankle while wrestling. Aggressive pain control, using medications and sympatholytic blocks, with physical therapy and rehabilitation, led to the resolution of his painful condition. This prevented the disease from possibly progressing to a full-blown case of CRPS I (RSD) that is very challenging to treat.     

Willard Parker's 1841 orbital operation

There are few records detailing the techniques and tribulations of early American surgeons who dared venture into the treacherous recess of the human orbit. The authors present a recently discovered letter written by a young woman who in 1841 underwent an orbital operation performed by the prominent New York City surgeon, Willard Parker. The letter details the patient's experiences in an era without anesthesia or antibiotics, and her subsequent development of conjunctival adhesions.     

Characteristics of placebo response during long-term treatment of panic disorder

Mixed-panic disorder patients (16/60, 27%) randomly assigned to receive blind placebo during a 40-week treatment study were defined as placebo responders based on combined criteria of Hamilton Anxiety Scale score percentage decreases below the median point (-42%), moderate to marked improvement on both clinician and patient Clinical Global Impressions scores, and panic-free at final treatment visit. These criteria applied separately also resulted in a similar clinical grouping and pattern of response. Differential patterns of response between responders and nonresponders occurred across most clinical measures of panic/anxiety. Responders experienced early improvement within the first week of double-blind treatment. This response progressed during treatment and tended to persist during taper and at followup 1 month later. Post-hoc analysis of demographic and clinical features at entrance into the study failed to characterize this stringently defined group of placebo responders.     

Coats'-type retinitis pigmentosa

Coats'-like changes (i.e., retinal telangiectasia and/or exudative detachment) have been reported in as many as 1.2 to 3.6 percent of patients with retinitis pigmentosa. In severe cases this disorder may progress to total retinal detachment and visual loss in the context of longstanding retinitis pigmentosa. Forty-six cases of Coats'-type retinitis pigmentosa gathered from the literature are reviewed. Historical and epidemiological features, hereditary factors, clinical features, histopathological findings, pathogenesis, differential diagnosis, prognosis and possible treatment are discussed.     

Beta irradiation of recurrent ptergia: results and complications.

Although postoperative beta irradiation for prevention of pterygium recurrence is widely used, its complication rate has not been widely appreciated. Thirty-six patients underwent pterygium excision followed by irradiation with 90Sr to between 1600 and 5300 cGy (median 2400) in two to four fractions over 7 to 27 days. A median of three fields were used in each treatment course (range two to 10). Most patients had undergone previous treatment for their pterygia, including surgery alone (25 patients), or both surgery and irradiation (5 patients). Overall, recurrences developed in 10 eyes (28%). Recurrence occurred in one eye after re-irradiation (20%), compared to 9 of 31 (29%) previously non-irradiated eyes (p greater than 0.1). There was no association with number of excisions and recurrences, although all but 6 patients had undergone more than one excision. Thirteen patients (36%) developed complications including: epithelial defect or corneal thinning (3), symblepharon (5), cataract (4) and corneal ulceration (1). Complications developed in 4 of the 5 (80%) re-irradiated eyes compared to 9 of 31 (29%) previously non-irradiated eyes (p less than 0.05). The power of the statistical analysis was limited by sample size, but no significant association was observed between the development of complications or recurrences and total dose, number of abutting fields, number of previous surgical excisions or patient age, even when re-irradiated patients were excluded. Recently described calibration uncertainties with the 90Sr applicator may explain in part these complications. Alternatively, technical factors such as the number of fields or volume treated may play a role. Excessive complications and recurrences with the use of postoperative beta irradiation in this series emphasize the danger of re-treatment and the need for alternative safe and effective therapies.     

Transperineal percutaneous iridium-192 interstitial template implant of the prostate: results and complications in 321 patients.

A total of 321 patients with localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate treated by modified pelvic lymphadenectomy, Iridium-192 implant, and external beam iridium radiation were retrospectively reviewed. Analysis covered 8 years between 1981 and 1989 with a median population age of 72 (range 42 through 82 years). Disease-free survival for the entire group is 69% at 5 years with a median follow-up of 34 months (range 1.5 months to 98.5 months). As expected, both bulkier disease and positive nodal status adversely affected 5-year disease-free survival (p = 0.0001 for both). For tumors stage T1b (A2), T2a (B1), T2b (B2), T3 (C) the disease-free survival is 89.5%, 89.9%, 64.7%, and 48.8%, respectively; for NO disease 5-year disease-free survival is 76.5% versus N1/N2 disease with 5-year disease-free survival of 33.2%. Local control was excellent except for bulkier disease (p = 0.009). Tumors T1b, T2a, T2b, and T3 have 60-month local control rates of 95%, 93%, 83.6%, and 73.1%, respectively. Histologic grade also affected disease-free survival and local control with grade 1, grade 2, grade 3 showing 81.2%, 65.7%, and 45.1% disease-free survival at 5 years; and 93.6%, 82.2%, and 72.4% local control at 5 years. Estimates obtained using Kaplan-Meier method. Radiation induced morbidity was analyzed separately for all patients, there were 41 patients (13% of total) with 54 documented complications. There were no Grade 4 or 5 complications as per RTOG categories. Only 3 cases showed grade 3 complications (1%) and 51 cases showed grade 2 complications (15.9%). Grade 1 complications were not recorded. Of the grade 2 and grade 3 complications 30 were GU and 22 were rectal. The morbidity associated with combined interstitial implantation by transperineal percutaneous template and external beam iridium radiation for the localized prostate cancer is minimal with excellent local control and disease-free survival.