1/66. Encephalopathy associated with haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis following rotavirus infection.A 2-year-old Japanese boy with a haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) associated encephalopathy which developed after rotavirus infection is described. The neurological symptoms consisted of coma, seizures and spastic quadriplegia. On therapy with steroids, etoposide and cyclosporin A, the patient recovered without any neurological deficits. The interferon-gamma levels in serum and CSF were elevated at onset of the disease but had returned to normal at the time of clinical remission. brain MRI revealed diffuse white matter abnormalities and parenchymal volume loss. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed elevated lactate in the abnormal lesions observed on MRI, indicating that macrophages not exhibiting aerobic metabolism had infiltrated the CNS. At the time of clinical remission, the white matter abnormalities and brain lactate had disappeared. These findings suggested that the neurological symptoms resulted from the overproduction of cytokines by activated T-cells and macrophages. The pathophysiology of a HLH associated encephalopathy was considered to be a local immune response within the CNS, because interferon-gamma can induce the expression of major histocompatibility complex class I and II antigens on glial cells in the CNS. CONCLUSION: Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis associated encephalopathy should be considered early in the differential diagnosis of cases with acute onset neuropathy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = duct (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/66. Biliary cystadenoma and cystadenocarcinoma: gray scale ultrasound appearance.The gray scale echographic appearance of biliary cystadenoma/cystadenocarcinoma is described. The characteristic findings are a cystic, multiloculated intrahepatic mass with thick, highly echogenic internal septations. Findings are similar to those in pancreatic and ovarian cystadenomas/cystadenocarcinomas.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3614.0503798081keywords = intrahepatic (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/66. vitamin a toxicity secondary to excessive intake of yellow-green vegetables, liver and laver.We report a case of sudden onset of vitamin a poisoning. A 20-year-old Japanese woman had been eating pumpkin and only a very limited amount of other foods on a daily basis for 2 years. She was overly concerned about weight reduction. Aurantiasis cutis and abnormal liver function tests were noted by her family doctor in 1995 when she was 18 years old. At that time, she stopped eating pumpkin. However, she secretly continued an excessive intake of other beta-carotene-rich vegetables, liver and laver for about 2 years. Two and one-half years after being seen by her family physician, she experienced sudden onset of low-grade fever, limb edema, cheilitis, dry skin, and headache. These symptoms worsened daily. A liver needle biopsy was performed, and it showed a normal portal tract along with fat-laden Ito cells in the space of Disse. A final diagnosis of vitamin a poisoning and hepatic injury secondary to an eating disorder was made. Her symptoms and serum beta-carotene levels returned to normal with successful adjustment of her diet.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = duct (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/66. A novel deficiency of mitochondrial ATPase of nuclear origin.We report a new type of fatal mitochondrial disorder caused by selective deficiency of mitochondrial ATP synthase (ATPase). A hypotrophic newborn from a consanguineous marriage presented severe lactic acidosis, cardiomegaly and hepatomegaly and died from heart failure after 2 days. The activity of oligomycin-sensitive ATPase was only 31-34% of the control, both in muscle and heart, but the activities of cytochrome c oxidase, citrate synthase and pyruvate dehydrogenase were normal. Electrophoretic and western blot analysis revealed selective reduction of ATPase complex but normal levels of the respiratory chain complexes I, III and IV. The same selective deficiency of ATPase was found in cultured skin fibroblasts which showed similar decreases in ATPase content, ATPase hydrolytic activity and level of substrate-dependent ATP synthesis (20-25, 18 and 29-33% of the control, respectively). pulse-chase labelling of patient fibroblasts revealed low incorporation of [(35)S]methionine into assembled ATPase complexes, but increased incorporation into immunoprecipitated ATPase subunit beta, which had a very short half-life. In contrast, no difference was found in the size and subunit composition of the assembled and newly produced ATPase complex. Transmitochondrial cybrids prepared from enucleated fibroblasts of the patient and rho degrees cells derived from 143B. TK(-)human osteosarcoma cells fully restored the ATPase activity, ATP synthesis and ATPase content, when compared with control cybrids. Likewise, the pattern of [(35)S]methionine labelling of ATPase was found to be normal in patient cybrids. We conclude that the generalized deficiency of mitochondrial ATPase described is of nuclear origin and is caused by altered biosynthesis of the enzyme.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = duct (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/66. Artificial abdominal hernia for the treatment of hepatomegaly in a neonate with stage 4S neuroblastoma.Surgical widening of the abdomen by a silastic pouch has been used very rarely in the management of critically ill infants with hepatomegaly due to neuroblastoma stage 4S. A female newborn baby was referred on the second day of life because of local compressive effects of a massive hepatomegaly, which lead to multiorgan failure. An artificial abdominal hernia was created on the third day of life using a silastic pouch. During the operation oxygenation and ventilation improved and urinary output returned. After chemotherapeutic reduction of hepatic metastases and primary tumor the pouch was successfully removed on day 57 without local complications. The child has survived for more than 1 year and is in complete remission. An artificial abdominal hernia should be considered more often in the critically ill neonate with stage 4S neuroblastoma and massive hepatomegaly.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = duct (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/66. hepatomegaly and cholestasis as primary clinical manifestations of an AL-kappa amyloidosis.A 53-year-old man, who presented with weight loss over a period of 10 months, hepatomegaly, markedly raised cholestatic enzymes and Ca 19-9, was initially suspected of suffering from metastatic cholangio-carcinoma. Liver biopsy revealed depositions of AL-amyloid. Further investigations confirmed a generalized amyloidosis. Biopsies taken from the gastric, colonic, and bronchial mucosa all showed depositions of amyloid. A nephrotic syndrome was interpreted as being secondary to the renal involvement. echocardiography identified changes which were consistent with cardiac involvement. A plasmacytoma or lymphoma was excluded. At the time of diagnosis the patient was in a good physical condition with normal renal function. Within a few weeks the renal function deteriorated and after 2 months the patient developed ascites and became jaundiced. Four months after initial presentation the patient died from cardiac failure.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 6043.2793746318keywords = cholestasis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/66. Abdominal expansion using a polytetrafluoroethylene prosthesis in the treatment of Pepper syndrome.The authors report three cases of stage IV-S neuroblastoma in infants aged 4, 6, and 8 weeks, who despite chemo- and radiotherapy required surgical intervention to urgently relieve major thoracoabdominal compression secondary to massive hepatomegaly. The results were successful, with abdominal expansion being achieved by the introduction of a polytetrafluoroethylene prosthesis, which was removed during the 2nd, 3rd and 7th postoperative month, respectively, after tumor regression. Two children were in complete remission 32 and 38 months later, the 3rd died after 16 months of tumor progression.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = duct (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/66. Congenital hepatic fibrosis in 3 siblings with phosphomannose isomerase deficiency.Congenital hepatic fibrosis is a rare disorder of intrahepatic bile ducts with the persistence of embryological bile duct structures in ductal plate configuration. Three siblings aged 18, 17 and 14 years old were found to have congenital hepatic fibrosis associated with a deficiency of the enzyme phosphomannose isomerase. The clinical symptoms were recurrent attacks of persistent vomiting with diarrhea and mild hepatomegaly. The biochemical abnormalities included elevated serum transferases during attacks, clotting factor deficiencies and persistent hypoalbuminemia. In the youngest patient protein-losing enteropathy was present. Liver biopsies of the three patients taken when they were 1, 3 and 14 years old showed an excess of bile duct structures in ductal plate configuration with mild fibrosis in the portal triads. In one patient the liver biopsy was repeated after 18 years and showed only a mild progression of fibrosis in the portal triads. Duodenal biopsies taken in infancy in two of the three patients did not show any abnormalities. Recognition of phosphomannose isomerase deficiency in association with congenital hepatic fibrosis and protein-losing enteropathy is important, because some of the clinical symptoms are potentially treatable by oral mannose therapy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3711.3972799708keywords = intrahepatic, bile duct, bile, duct (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/66. pregnancy after avascular necrosis of the femur complicating Gaucher's disease.A patient with type I Gaucher's disease had avascular necrosis of the right femoral head that resulted in an altered bony pelvis and marked restriction of right hip abduction. enzyme replacement therapy with alglucerase prevented further deterioration and improved thrombocytopenia. Vaginal delivery was achieved with the patient in the left lateral position with exaggerated flexion at the contralateral hip.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = duct (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/66. Hemophagocytic syndrome.This case report is about an elderly man who presented with a long-standing history of high-grade fever and weight loss. He initially had only hepatosplenomegaly, but then developed jaundice. He also had pancytopenia and raised liver enzymes. His septic screen was negative, but he had a positive Monospot test and immunoglobulin g for Epstein-Barr virus. The liver biopsy showed sinusoidal phagocytosis and the subsequent bone marrow aspiration and biopsy showed significant hemophagocytosis, hence Hemophagocytic syndrome was diagnosed. The fever was refractory to antibiotic and anti-tuberculosis therapy, but it responded only partially to steroids. Full response was only noticed following anti-viral treatment in the form of intravenous ganciclovir. The patient's general condition, liver enzymes, bilirubin, hematological parameters and even the weight returned back to their normal range 2 weeks after ganciclovir therapy. Cessation of this drug resulted in relapse of his symptoms and oral antivirals did not help. splenectomy, steroid pulse therapy and immunosuppressive treatment were only partially helpful. Reintroduction of ganciclovir did help for a short period. We conclude that our patient had virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome most likely related to Epstein-Barr virus infection, which was then confirmed by the splenic biopsy, and that ganciclovir can be of great help in eradicating the virus and treating the disease, provided that it is given for a long enough period.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = duct (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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