A rare foreign body into the male penile urethra

A wide variety of urethral foreign bodies have been described in the literature. In adults, this is commonly caused by the insertion of objects used for masturbation, and is often associated with a mental disorder as in our case described herein. We report a 28-year-old man, hospitalized for self-insertion of a pen into the urethra. The pen was removed successfully by surgery.     

Tubular skin appendage, renal agenesis and popliteal web: a further example of the human homologue of disorganization (Ds)

We describe a newborn infant with defects similar to those seen in mice heterozygous for the mutant disorganization (Ds) gene. The child had left popliteal webbing, left iliac bone hypoplasia, bifid scrotum, hypospadias, chordee deformity of the penis and a sacral dimple. Other anomalies included absence of the right kidney and a bizarre hamartomatous tubular skin pedicle on the left thigh. No obvious amniotic bands or oligohydramnios were noted. The similarity between the proband's anomalies, those in previously reported cases, and those found in mice support the possibility of a human homologue of the Ds gene.     

Tilt training for recurrent neurocardiogenic syncope: effectiveness, patient compliance, and scheduling the frequency of training sessions

Unsatisfactory results obtained with medical therapy and dual-chamber pacing for prevention of recurrent neurocardiogenic syncope necessitated the development of new treatment modalities. Tilt-training, a novel treatment for recurrent neurocardiogenic syncope based on exercise sessions with prolonged upright posture (either on a tilt-table or standing on foot against a wall), was shown to be effective in preventing the recurrence of neurocardiogenic syncope. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the long-term beneficial effects of a transient tilt training program lasting 2 months. Thirty-two patients with recurrent neurocardiogenic syncope (mean number of syncope episodes in the last 6 months was 3.4 +/- 2.3) constituted the study group. All of the patients were tilt test positive. The patients were taught a tilt training program with 2 phases (in-hospital training with repeated tilt procedures until 3 consecutive negative results were obtained and home exercises with standing against a wall) and home exercises lasted a maximum of 2 months. After this training program, the patients received no treatment and were followed for the recurrence of syncope. At the end of the follow-up period (376 +/- 45 days), 81% of the patients were free of recurrent syncope. This study revealed that similar successful results can also be obtained with a transient tilt training program as a first line treatment strategy. Less interference with the daily activities of the patients is the major advantage of this strategy. The ease of performance and high effectiveness rate will most likely result in more frequent utilization of this treatment modality.     

Irreducible open posterolateral knee dislocation due to medial meniscus interposition

Posterolateral knee dislocations are generally irreducible due to the interposition of the medial capsule and retinaculum. These injuries have a 'dimple sign' which shows the invagination of the tissues in the medial joint line. We present an unusual case of an open posterolateral traumatic knee dislocation (KD-4 [ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL-PLC torn] open knee dislocation) without a 'dimple sign'. Closed reduction attempts were unsuccessful. In surgery, it was found that the medial meniscus was detached from the meniscocapsular junction and entrapped in the joint. The medial meniscus was extracted from the joint, and the joint was reduced. The medial meniscus was sutured to the meniscocapsular junction with anchors. This is the first study reporting medial meniscus interposition in an open posterolateral knee dislocation. Moreover, the presented case is peculiar because although it was a posterolateral knee dislocation, the posterolateral ligament complex was also torn.     

Free-floating Vitreous Cyst in an Adult Male

A 50 year-old male patient was referred to our clinic due to a floating mass in the right eye. The uncorrected visual aquity was 10 / 10 in both eyes.The patient did not have any systemic disorder and trauma history. His ophthalmological examination revealed an unremarkable anterior segment with no signs of inflammation. Indirect opthalmoscopy and posterior segment biomicroscopy performed with 90D lens was unremarkable in the left eye, while in the right eye a single oval cyst was identified floating freely in the vitreous. The cyst was partially masking the underlying retinal vasculature. B-scan ultrasound revealed an echo-free, round-shaped cyst that was free from surrounding vitreous strands or retina localised at the posterior vitreous. Fluorescein angiography (FA) ruled out the presence of intra and overlying vascularisation of the cyst. Indeed, FA showed a clear-edged hypofluorescence due to a pre-retinal masking effect. The indirect hemaglutinin tests of the patient for ecinococcus and cysticercosis were negative. Eosinophilia was not detected in the preripheral blood smear. Based on these findings the patient was diagnosed as primary vitreal cyst. The presented case was mild symptomatic so the patient was decided to be followed up without any treatment.     

A Case of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning with Thrombus in the Heart: A Case Report

Carbon monoxide is a nonirritant, odorless, colorless gas, and is lighter than air. It is an end product of the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. Its effects are most prominent in organs sensitive to oxygen deprivation, such as the heart, brain, and kidney. Carbon monoxide poisoning becomes more abundant in winter and at cold places. In Turkey, every year we see several deaths due to poisonous gas leaks from coal or wood stoves. Deaths particularly due to hypoxia-related central nervous system damage and ventricular dysrhythmias are observed. On the other hand, an association between thromboembolic accidents and carbon monoxide poisoning has been shown in literature. Thromboembolic accidents in the mesenteric, central nervous system, and extremities are reported. However, no atrial thrombus has been mentioned. In this study, a case of an atrial thrombus associated with carbon monoxide poisoning following a diagnosis of carbon monoxide poisoning and treatment in the emergency room is reported and the literature is revisited.