1/18. anesthesia in a patient with undiagnosed salicylate poisoning presenting as intraabdominal sepsis.An 81-year-old woman with unintentional salicylate intoxication presented with features of sepsis, abdominal pain, and tenderness. laparotomy was performed to rule out acute cholecystitis. anesthesia was complicated by severe hypercarbia despite hyperventilation, and progressive cardiovascular and neurologic deterioration postoperatively. The adverse neurologic, respiratory, and hepatic effects of abdominal surgery and general anesthesia probably potentiated salicylate toxicity and increased patient morbidity. Anesthesiologists should be aware of the protean manifestations of salicylate poisoning and consider it as a cause of "medical abdomen."- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/18. Successful treatment of an infant with chromobacterium violaceum sepsis.chromobacterium violaceum sepsis, a rarely reported phenomenon, has a high mortality rate. We report a unique case of C. violaceum sepsis in an infant. A 4-month-old girl presented to our institution with fever, pustular skin lesions, and distended abdomen, as well as diminished activity and mental status. Radiological investigation revealed brain, lung, and hepatic abscesses. The infant was successfully treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/18. An unusual case of corneal perforation secondary to Pseudomonas keratitis complicating a patient's surgical/trauma intensive care unit stay.We report a case of corneal perforation secondary to bacterial keratitis caused by pseudomonas aeruginosa in a trauma patient in our intensive care unit. A 43-year-old man was involved in a motorcycle crash and suffered multiple injuries necessitating a prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Subsequently P. aeruginosa was cultured from his sputum, blood, and open abdomen. He developed a bacterial keratitis in his right eye, which also grew P. aeruginosa. This infection rapidly progressed to corneal perforation requiring a Gunderson conjunctival flap and lateral tarsorrhaphy in addition to aggressive antibiotic treatment. At the time of discharge from the hospital the patient had the return of vision to light only in his right eye. corneal perforation is an unusual event in the ICU. Prevention or early detection of bacterial keratitis with aggressive antibiotic treatment is needed to prevent such complications. Pseudomonas is one of the more virulent organisms that can infect the cornea and early identification is paramount for a good outcome. Management of this complicated case is discussed and the limited amount of literature on nosocomial bacterial keratitis in the ICU is reviewed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/18. capnocytophaga canimorsus sepsis presenting as an acute abdomen in an asplenic patient.Acute abdominal symptoms are frequently caused by surgical intra-abdominal problems. However, the differential diagnosis also includes several internal diseases. Overwhelming infections may present with acute abdominal signs, particularly in the immunocompromised host. Asplenic patients are highly susceptible to infections with encapsulated bacteria such as streptococcus pneumoniae, haemophilus influenzae and neisseria meningitidis. Severe infections due to capnocytophaga canimorsus (DF2), are also common in this group. C. canimorsus is a Gram-negative rod, present as a commensal organism in cat and dog saliva. We describe the atypical presentation of a fatal C. canimorsus-sepsis in a 46-year-old man, who underwent traumatic splenectomy two decades earlier.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/18. mediastinitis complicating a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: a case report.BACKGROUND: Since its introduction in the early 1980s, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy has become the most popular method for performing a gastrostomy for long-term enteral feeding. It has been associated, however, with a lot of minor and major complications. CASE PRESENTATION: A case of mediastinitis with concominant sepsis caused by a masked esophageal perforation after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in a multi-traumatized, brain-injured patient is presented. Ten - fourteen days after the procedure, the patient became febrile and gradually septic with tenderness of the sternum and upper abdomen. Computerized tomography of the thorax revealed mediastinitis. An urgent left thoracotomy and laparotomy were performed for drainage of the mediastinum, removal of the gastrostomy and insertion of a jejunostomy tube. The patient improved soon after the surgery. He was successfully weaned off the ventilator and was discharged from the intensive care Unit. CONCLUSION: Perforating mediastinitis is a rare but potentially lethal complication of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. When diagnosed and properly treated it may have a favourable outcome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/18. Severe meningococcal septicaemia associated with splenic rupture.OBJECTIVE: To present the first report of ruptured spleen associated with meningococcal septicaemia. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 13-year-old girl presented with an acute abdomen and clinical signs of meningococcal septicaemia. Features of her illness placed her in a high mortality group. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: She required cardiovascular and respiratory support in the intensive care Unit. Failure to initially identify the organism led to percutaneous fine-needle aspiration of fluid in the lesser sac. A laparotomy revealed free intraperitoneal blood and a ruptured spleen. During the course of her illness she was given penicillin and methylprednisolone, and required haemodialysis. She made a complete recovery. CONCLUSION: Ruptured spleen does occur with severe meningococcaemia, and may complicate management.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/18. Congenital tuberculosis: a case report.Congenital tuberculosis is a rare disease, difficult to be correctly diagnosed from clinical manifestations alone without maternal tuberculous history. In this article we report a neonate who exhibited abdominal distension and bloody diarrhea simulating neonatal sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis. Exploratory laparatomy was performed for the markedly distended abdomen and deteriorated condition. Calcified lymph nodes over mesentery and spleen were found, and biopsy was done to show caseous tubercles. However, this neonate deteriorated rapidly and died one day after operation. autopsy revealed generalized discrete miliary tubercles over the lungs, liver, spleen, pancreas, adrenal glands, thyroid and lymph nodes.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/18. Acute meningococcaemia: a case study.A 20-year-old female presented with sudden onset of abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting progressing to fever, tachycardia and mild hypotension. Within 12 hours, a petechial rash appeared on the face and abdomen, spreading to the extremities. Laboratory findings confirmed the diagnosis of acute meningococcaemia. Clinical features of endotoxic shock, vasculitis and skin necrosis rapidly ensued. Aggressive treatment to control the septicaemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation and unstable cardiovascular state ultimately proved successful. Approximately 6 weeks later, amputation of some of the digits and extensive skin grafting were carried out in the Regional burns Unit. However, serious psychological side effects gradually began to appear which required urgent psychiatric intervention. For an active young woman the challenge of coping with such a severe illness and coming to terms with the disability and disfigurement resulting from it was almost overwhelming. It was, perhaps, particularly hard because of the threat posed to her ambition to complete her nursing education and become a nurse. Little was found in the nursing literature on acute meningococcaemia. But this illness provides considerable challenges not only to those who suffer from it, but also to those who nurse them. A final brief review of published literature on acute meningococcaemia and the clinical manifestations and outcome of it is provided for those who wish to know more about it.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/18. neuroleptic malignant syndrome: another medical cause of acute abdomen.We present a patient with neuroleptic malignant syndrome and intestinal pseudo-obstruction misdiagnosed as being secondary to septicaemia. The management of the patient is discussed with emphasis on the role of creatine kinase and liver function tests.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/18. salmonella cholerasuis bacteremia and mycotic aneurysm of abdominal aorta--report of five cases.From August 1986 to October 1987, there were 5 cases of primary mycotic aneurysm of the lower abdominal aorta in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Kaoshiung. All patients were proved to have salmonella cholerasuis (Sal. chol.) septicemia by blood culture. The ages ranged from 60 to 80 years old, the mean age was 71.6 years old. The male to female ratio was 4 to 1, 3 patients had diabetes mellitus (DM) and 3 had hypertension. The duration of symptoms lasted from 1 week to 2 months before diagnosis. Clinically, all patients had sepsis with fever, chills, leucocytosis, and complained of pain in the lower abdomen (80%), at flank (20%) or low back (20%). Abdominal tenderness was present in 3 (60%). Two patients underwent surgery, 1 expired during the operation, the other expired 1 month after operation because of retroperitoneal abscess and sepsis. Three were discharged in septic shock and expired within 1 day. The mortality rate was 100%. The diagnosis of complicated aneurysm of the lower abdominal aorta was established in all by computed tomography (CT). In conclusion, when there are clinical manifestations of sepsis, positive blood culture for Sal. chol., and pain or tenderness in the lower abdomen, flank area or back, one should consider the possibility of mycotic aneurysm of the lower abdominal aorta. Although the prognosis is poor, early surgical intervention may improve the outcome. And the diagnosis is best established by CT.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = abdomen (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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