Vol. 2 No. 5 (2015)

Vol. 2 No. 5 (2015)
  • David Agius, Jonathan Gauci, Lars Aakeroy, Brendan Caruana Montaldo
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    The authors describe the unusual case of a 63-year-old patient who was referred with fever and lethargy, and was found to be hyponatraemic.
    The patient subsequently developed hemiparesis, and neuroradiology showed several space-occupying brain lesions. The cause was later
    identified as cerebral toxoplasmosis in undiagnosed Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

  • Sabine Vermeersch, Kris Poppe, David Unuane, Brigitte Velkeniers
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    Objectives: We report the unusual case of a patient with a thyrotropinoma, discovered after a hemithyroidectomy for a suspicious thyroid nodule, and its therapeutic challenges.
    Materials and methods: In a patient who underwent hemithyroidectomy for cold thyroid nodule, hyperthyroid symptoms persisted, despite stopping levothyroxine treatment. Further investigation was carried out through the following laboratory tests: thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test; free thyroxine (fT4) test; and the thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) test. A pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and genetic analysis was also carried out. The test results confirmed the diagnosis of a thyrotropinoma.
    Results: Treatment with long-acting somatostatin analogues normalised thyroid hormones and symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
    Conclusion: The diagnostic approach to the thyroid nodule should include a detailed clinical and biochemical examination. Initial biochemical evaluation by TSH alone does not allow detecting inappropriate TSH secretion that may increase the risk of thyroid malignancy. In case of a thyrotropinoma, the ideal treatment consists of combined care of central and peripheral thyroid disease.

  • Oana Serban, Laura Irina Poanta, Florin Mihaileanu, Daniela Fodor
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    Background: Peripheral nerve sheath tumours are benign or malignant. Schwannoma is a benign peripheral nerve sheath tumour originating from Schwann cells that slowly grows eccentrically to the nerve axis. Malignant transformation of a schwannoma is rare.

    Case presentation: A 73-year-old woman who presented to our medical service with other medical problems was diagnosed with a tumour of the lower leg (a small mass neglected by the patient for about 10 years). The ultrasound features of the tumour suggested it was a schwannoma. The tumour was resected and histopathological assessment revealed a schwannoma with areas of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour transformation.

  • Nuno Ribeiro Ferreira, Patricia Vicente, Rui Costa, Carolina Gouveia, Sofia Mateus
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    Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is one of the most frequent neoplastic diseases in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The authors report the case of a 40-year-old male with ascites, peripheral edema and peritoneal carcinomatosis secondary to a gastric KS related to human herpes virus type 8 (HHV-8). The patient had severe immunodeficiency, with a TCD4+ count of 86 cells/µl and newly diagnosed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. His clinical condition rapidly deteriorated, with multiorgan failure, and he died without the possibility of initiating antiretroviral therapy or chemotherapy. To the authors’ knowledge, carcinomatosis is a rare feature in KS.

  • Pablo Ruiz-Sada, Julia Ruiz-Sada, Javier Ángel López De la Osa, Esther Niño Aragón, Mikel Escalante
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    Objectives: To describe the case of a patient presenting with weight loss and a pelvic mass.

    Materials and methods: We performed an advanced search in MEDLINE using the key words "wasting syndrome", "actinomycosis" and "pelvic mass".

    Results: A 63-year-old woman had a well-delimited and tender pelvic mass and was found to be anaemic. Before scans were performed, clinicians considered malignancy and other diagnoses.

    Conclusion: Actinomycosis is a chronic infection that usually affects the abdomen. Because of the lack of specificity of clinical and radiological findings, a multidisciplinary approach is the keypoint for making an accurate diagnosis.

  • Jamal Belkhouribchia, Sara Nguyen
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    Objectives: Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) has been used in angioedema crises, however there is a risk of aggravating the symptoms as well as transmitting infections. In this report, the authors emphasize the dangers of this therapy.

    Materials and methods: A 25-year-old woman with hereditary angioedema (HAE) was treated with FFP after which her symptoms escalated.

    Results: Administration of purified C1-inhibitor (C1-INH) resulted in relief of her symptoms.

    Conclusions: FFP is to be avoided in a HAE crisis. Newer therapies for angioedema are preferred.