1/98. Intensive tandem cryofiltration apheresis and hemodialysis to treat a patient with severe calciphylaxis, cryoglobulinemia, and end-stage renal disease.This is the first report on tandem cryofiltration apheresis (CFA) and hemodialysis (HD). A 44 year old white man with Type II mixed cryoglobulinemia, hepatitis c virus (HCV), severe skin lesions, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on maintenance hemodialysis was air-transferred for CFA, which is only available at our medical center. The patient failed to respond to high dose steroids, immunosuppression, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and plasma exchange for the treatment of his cryoglobulinemia, and he failed alpha-interferon therapy for his HCV. On arrival, he was also found to have severe calciphylaxis secondary to ESRD with generalized, painful skin ulceration, necrosis, and penile gangrene. To treat both conditions, intensive, tandem CFA/HD was initiated. He received extensive wound care and surgical debridement. To prevent pressure ulcers and worsening of skin lesions, he was placed on the FluidAir (Kinetic Concepts Inc., San Antonio, TX) controlled air bed. The patient received 18 tandem CFA/HD treatments, and four extra HD treatments in one month. sodium citrate was used as an anticoagulant for the CFA procedure. His plasma cryoglobulin (CG) level dropped from 6,157 to 420 microg/ml, and his calciphylaxis also improved. The CFA effectively removed 93% of CG, without significant removal of IgG, IgM, IgA, albumin, and fibrinogen. No albumin or fresh frozen plasma (FFP) was required as replacement fluid for CFA. No citrate toxicity or evidence of complement activation with the cryofilter was observed. The entire CFA procedure time (3(1/2) hours) was considered. Intensive, tandem CFA/HD was performed in a critically ill patient with no apparent adverse consequences.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = necrosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/98. Multicentric warfarin-induced skin necrosis complicating heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.Two patients developed catastrophic multicentric skin necrosis while receiving warfarin to treat venous thromboembolism complicated by immune-mediated heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Patient 1 developed skin necrosis involving the breasts, thighs, and face, as well as venous limb gangrene and bilateral hemorrhagic necrosis of the adrenal glands, resulting in death. The second patient developed bilateral mammary necrosis necessitating mastectomies, as well as skin necrosis involving the thigh. Neither patient had an identifiable hypercoagulable syndrome, other than HIT. HIT may represent a risk factor for the development of multicentric warfarin-induced skin necrosis (WISN).- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 10keywords = necrosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/98. A fatal case of craniofacial necrotizing fasciitis.A case of fatal craniofacial necrotizing fasciitis is described in a 72-year-old diabetic woman and management is discussed. Progressive infection of the eyelids occurred with involvement of the right side of the face. Computed tomography revealed soft tissue swelling. Antibiotic treatment was started and debridement performed; histopathology showed acute inflammation and thrombosis of the epidermis and dermis. Despite treatment, scepticemia occurred, resulting in death less than 48 h after presentation. At this time extensive necrosis had developed in the superficial fascia with undermining and gangrene of surrounding tissues. Streptococcus and staphylococcus were the pathogens involved. Poor prognosis in similar patients has been associated with extensive infection, involvement of the lower face and neck, delayed treatment, advanced age, diabetes and vascular disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = necrosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/98. gangrene following intra-arterial injection of procaine penicillin.Irreversible ischaemic gangrene of the upper limb developed in a one-year-old child after an unintentional intra-arterial injection of procaine penicillin. The hand needed amputation. Arterial embolization phenomenon along with intense vasospasm appears to have been responsible for this rare complication. Unintentional intra-arterial injection of penicillin intended for intra-muscular use may lead to disastrous consequences. Regional tissue necrosis has been described previously but ischaemia leading to gangrene of an extremity has not been reported. The following is a case report of a child who developed such a gangrene in his hand which had to be amputated.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = necrosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/98. Hypothenar hammer syndrome: management of distal embolization by intra-arterial fibrinolytics.We report a case of hypothenar hammer syndrome. The ulnar artery aneurysm was resected and a complete thrombectomy of the superficial palmar arch, the common digital and the proximal part of the collateral digital arteries was carried out. The arterial defect of the ulnar artery was repaired by a vein graft. Post-operatively, no clinical improvement was observed on the vascularisation of the second and third fingers. The arteriogram confirmed the presence of arterial obstruction on the distal part of the digital collateral arteries of this two fingers. The finger pulp started to show areas of skin gangrene and in view of the risk of finger necrosis, we decided to use fibrinolytics. This embolic events was dissolved by continuous fibrinolytic and anticoagulant intra-arterial infusion. The treatment was maintained for ten days restoring a normal digital vascularisation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = necrosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/98. hypereosinophilic syndrome presenting as cutaneous necrotizing eosinophilic vasculitis and Raynaud's phenomenon complicated by digital gangrene.Cutaneous necrotizing eosinophilic vasculitis is a recently identified type of vasculitis that is characterized by an eosinophil-predominant necrotizing vasculitis affecting small dermal vessels. Clinically, it presents with pruritic erythematous and purpuric papules and plaques, peripheral eosinophilia and a good response to systemic steroid therapy. This vasculitis can be idiopathic or associated with connective tissue diseases. Although the pathogenic roles of eosinophil-derived granule proteins and interleukins have been documented in diseases associated with eosinophilia, a role of CD40 (a glycoprotein of the tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily) has rarely been described. We describe two patients with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) presenting with multiple erythematous patches and plaques on the lower extremities and Raynaud's phenomenon. They satisfied the criteria for the diagnosis of HES by clinical and laboratory investigations. Histopathology of the cutaneous lesions revealed prominent eosinophilic infiltration with local fibrinoid change in vessel walls in the dermis and subcutis. Immunohistochemical detection of CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD40 was performed. Infiltrating eosinophils were strongly stained by anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody. One patient improved with prednisolone, pentoxifylline and nifedipine, without recurrence. The other patient initially improved with steroids, but after self-withdrawal of steroid developed digital ischaemia that evolved to severe necrosis and required amputation. Cutaneous necrotizing eosinophilic vasculitis, Raynaud's phenomenon and digital gangrene may develop as cutaneous manifestations of HES. CD40 may play a part in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic vasculitis in HES.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = necrosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/98. Peripheral gangrene complicating idiopathic and recessive hemolytic uremic syndromes.Three patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) developed peripheral gangrene. Bilateral carotid artery thromboses occurred in one of these patients after recovery from HUS. One patient had a long history of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. In the second patient, a flu-like illness preceded the onset of HUS. The third was one of two sisters, with the HUS appearing more than 1 year apart. None had evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation or infection with streptococcus pneumoniae. The patient with rheumatoid arthritis had renal cortical necrosis but recovered moderate renal function after treatment with dialysis and plasmapheresis for 6 months. The child with a genetic form of HUS died of renal failure and had massive cortical necrosis and vascular thrombosis at autopsy. This is the first report of peripheral gangrene in children with idiopathic HUS and autosomal recessive HUS.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = necrosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/98. peroneal nerve palsy: a complication of umbilical artery catheterization in the full-term newborn of a mother with diabetes.Umbilical artery catheters are an essential aid in the treatment of newborn infants who have cardiopulmonary disease. However, it is well-known that umbilical artery catheterization is associated with complications. The most frequent visible problem in an umbilical line is blanching or cyanosis of part or all of a distal extremity or the buttock area resulting from either vasospasm or a thrombotic or embolic incidence. Ischemic necrosis of the gluteal region is a rare complication of umbilical artery catheterization. We report the case of a full-term infant of an insulin-dependent diabetic mother with poor blood glucose control who developed a left peroneal nerve palsy after ischemic necrosis of the gluteal region after umbilical artery catheterization. The infant was born weighing 5050 g. The mother of the infant had preexisting diabetes mellitus that was treated with insulin from the age of 14 years. The metabolic control of the mother had been unstable both before and during the pregnancy. The neonate developed respiratory distress syndrome soon after birth and was immediately transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit. Mechanical ventilation via endotracheal tube was quickly considered necessary after rapid pulmonary deterioration. Her blood glucose levels were 13 mg/dL. A 3.5-gauge umbilical catheter was inserted into the left umbilical artery for blood sampling without difficulty when the infant required 100% oxygen to maintain satisfactory arterial oxygen pressure. Femoral pulses and circulation in the lower limbs were normal immediately before and after catheterization. A radiograph, which was taken immediately, showed the tip of the catheter to be at a level between the fourth and fifth sacral vertebrae. The catheter was removed immediately. Circulation and femoral pulses were normal and no blanching of the skin was observed. Another catheter was repositioned and the tip was confirmed radiologically to be in the thoracic aorta between the sixth and seventh thoracic vertebrae. The catheter was continuously flushed with heparinized solution. Three days after umbilical arterial catheterization, bruising was observed over the left gluteal region. The catheter was immediately removed despite its correct position. Over the next few days, the bruised skin and underlying tissues became necrotic. The area affected was 3 x 4 cm in diameter, with central necrosis surrounded by a rim of dark, red skin, which, in turn, was sharply demarcated from normal skin by a narrow, pale zone. Surgical excision of the gluteal necrosis was performed, but a deep ulcer 3 cm in diameter was left. The gluteal ulcer required 1 month to heal completely with extensive scar tissue formation. Throughout this period, the infant showed active movements in all of her limbs. At 4 weeks of age deterioration of all movement below the left knee with a dropping foot was observed. Severe peroneal nerve palsy was confirmed through nerve conduction studies, and there was electromyographic evidence of degeneration of the muscles supplied by the peroneal branch of the sciatic nerve. A Doppler study, which was also conducted, revealed no vascular damage. Treatment with physiotherapy and night-splinting of the left ankle was instituted. Repeated examination and nerve conduction tests at 3 months showed slow improvement with the left peroneal nerve remaining nonexcitable. At the time of this writing, the infant is 6 months old, and muscular strength below the left knee is still weak and atrophic changes in the form of muscle-wasting are already present. The rest of her motor development is normal. In our case, gangrene of the buttocks and sciatic nerve palsy followed displacement of the tip of the catheter into the inferior gluteal artery, a main branch of the internal iliac artery supplying the gluteus maximus, the overlying skin, and the sciatic nerve. The gangrenous changes were probably caused by vascular occlusion resulting from catheter-induced vasospasm of the inferior gluteal artery. sciatic nerve palsy associated with umbilical artery catheterization has been postulated to be caused by vascular occlusion of the inferior gluteal artery. Infants of diabetic mothers may exhibit changes in coagulation factors and be at increased risk of thrombotic complications in utero and postnatally. In addition, maternal diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased incidence of congenital abnormalities, the incidence of which is 3 to 5 times higher than that among nondiabetic mothers. Although no particular or specific abnormalities have been associated with maternal disabilities, abnormalities of the cardiovascular system, including the development of umbilical vessels, frequently occur. This complication of umbilical artery catheterization has not been widely reported. We describe the first case that refers to gluteal gangrene and peroneal nerve palsy after umbilical artery catheterization of a newborn infant of a diabetic mother with poor blood glucose control. It should be noted that there were no contributing factors except that of the displacement of the catheter into the inferior gluteal artery. We speculate that the displacement of the tip of the catheter, with no difficulty in the present case, was associated with the maldevelopment of normal branching patterns of arteries after exposure of the fetus to hyperglycemia. In conclusion, umbilical artery catheterization is possibly associated with vascular occlusion, particularly in infants of diabetic mothers. Frequent inspection after the procedure has been performed is of the utmost importance especially in these neonates who often suffer from cardiopulmonary disease and require catheterization of their umbilical artery.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = necrosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/98. Atheroembolization: a harmful complication of therapeutic internal iliac artery occlusion.Coil embolization of the internal iliac artery (IIA) for proper endovascular treatment of aortoiliac aneurysms is a procedure with an acceptable morbidity rate consisting of buttock claudication in 12% to 55% and erectile dysfunction in 1% to 13%. Atheroembolic complications in this context are not yet reported. We present a case with gangrene of the prepuce and focal cutaneous necrosis of the ipsilateral buttock and foot after coil embolization of one IIA. Multiple atheroemboli were found with the histopathologic examination of the excised prepuce. Atheroembolization is a rare complication of therapeutic IIA occlusion, and the ischemic sequels can be severe because of the coincidence of atheroembolization and occlusion of the main supplying artery.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = necrosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/98. Derman necrosis due to thrombosis in severe secondary hyperparathyroidism.Two patients had gangrenous dermal necrosis associated with chronic renal disease and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Thromobosed and heavily calcified small arteries were underlying the infarcted areas. One patient had severe hypotension secondary to hemorrhage, which immediately preceded the appearance of dermal lesions. Both patients had notably elevated serum parathyroid hormone and serum alkaline phosphatase levels, as well as severe hyperphosphatemia. Therapy with phosphate binders and calcium and vitamin d supplementation corrected the hyperphosphatemia and reduced serum alkaline phosphatase levels. One patient died; the other patient's dermal lesions healed completely. Localized thrombosis, rather than obliterative intimal proliferation, represents a unique cause of dermal necrosis in this condition.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 6keywords = necrosis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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