1/49. Late complications of Silastic duraplasty: low-virulence infections. Case report.The authors describe three patients with expanding hemorrhagic mass lesions who presented 13 to 18 years after undergoing Silastic duraplasty. In all patients, results of bacteriological cultures of the masses obtained intraoperatively were positive, revealing low-virulence bacteria. Two of the patients were treated with antibiotic drugs and made a good recovery. The third did not receive antibiotic medications initially and later developed an epidural empyema that necessitated reoperation, but subsequently made a complete recovery. Vascularized neomembranes are generally agreed to be causes of the expanding masses, but the possibility that patients could be harboring chronic infections must be considered. Thus, on removal of duraplasty materials a complete bacteriological culture should be obtained, and if it is positive the proper antibiotic therapy should be administered. Furthermore, the creation of a registry of patients who have received implants is advocated to facilitate tracking of implanted material in case of complications.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = membrane (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/49. Necrotizing otitis externa caused by staphylococcus epidermidis.We present a case of malignant necrotizing otitis externa (MNOE) caused by staphylococcus epidermidis, which is usually a non-pathogenic microorganism. The patient is an otherwise healthy, nondiabetic 58-year-old white man. Contributory history began in 1994 after surgery for bilateral exostoses of the external auditory canals. Between April 1994 and May 1998 persistent otalgia occurred, with progressive mixed hearing losses, purulent discharge from both ears, spontaneous perforations of the tympanic membranes and ulceration of canal wall skin. From the beginning, Staph. epidermidis was isolated in all but one culture, but was not recognized as the pathological agent because of the presence of other more frequently involved bacteria and fungi. After multiple intravenous and oral antibiotics and antifungal treatments failed, further management involved frequent debridement of both external auditory canals and tympanic membranes, right tympanoplasty, bilateral mastoidectomy, revision tympanomastoidectomies and left modified radical mastoidectomy. Antistaphylococcal therapy including ceftazidime, vancomycin, teicoplanin, clindamycin and rifampicin was tried. Following the modified radical radical mastoidectomy, normalization of the status of his ears took approximately 2 months and has since remained stable to date. His left ear is deaf because of vancomycin administration, while magnetic resonance imaging and gallium scintigraphy have shown persistent inflammation of the skull base.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = membrane (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/49. Secondary infection presenting as recurrent pulmonary hypertension.Primary infection in the neonate, especially group B streptococcal infection, has long been recognized as a cause of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), sometimes requiring treatment with inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). However, secondary nosocomial infections in the neonatal period have not been widely reported as a cause of severe recurrent pulmonary hypertension (PHTN). We now present two cases of secondary infection in the neonate leading to significant PHTN. In both cases, the infants presented with PPHN soon after birth, requiring transfer to a level 3 neonatal intensive care unit and treatment with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation and iNO. After successful resolution of the initial PPHN, including extubation to nasal cannula, both infants developed signs of severe recurrent PHTN, leading to reintubation, high-frequency oscillatory ventilation and iNO therapy, and consideration of ECMO. In both cases, blood cultures taken at the time of recurrence of PHTN returned positive, one for staphylococcus epidermidis, the other for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. These unusual cases present the possibility of severe recurrent PHTN requiring iNO or ECMO in the setting of secondary infection. We speculate that these infants, although extubated after their first episodes of PHTN, were at risk for recurrence of PHTN due to continued pulmonary vascular reactivity.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = membrane (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/49. Genetic disorders and molecular mechanisms in cholestatic liver disease--a clinical approach.cholestasis may result from genetic or acquired defects in bile secretion. Cloning of hepatobiliary transporter genes has advanced our understanding of the molecular basis of bile formation and cholestasis. Hereditary mutations of transporter genes, exposure to cholestatic injury (eg, drugs, hormones, cytokines), or the combination of both can result in reduced expression and function of hepatobiliary transport systems. These molecular changes impair hepatic uptake and excretion of bile salts and other organic anions (eg, bilirubin). Other molecular changes contibuting to cholestasis include alterations of membrane fluidity, cytoskeleton, vesicle movement, and cell contacts. Transporter mutations can be diagnosed at the molecular genetic level. Gene therapy and hepatocyte transplantation could be used in the future to correct hereditary transport defects. Drugs used to treat cholestatic liver diseases (eg, ursodeoxycholic acid) stimulate and partially restore defective transporter expression and function. New information on the molecular mechanisms of cholestasis should lead to the development of novel drugs for cholestatic liver diseases.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = membrane (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/49. Toxic shock syndrome after laminaria insertion.BACKGROUND: laminaria tents used to facilitate surgical abortion are rarely associated with significant infectious morbidity. CASE: A parous woman in midpregnancy had laminaria placed in her cervix followed by a second set after 24 hours. Eight hours later, she presented with dyspnea, hives, fever, tachycardia, and hypotension. Antibiotic treatment was initiated and a dilation and evacuation procedure was performed. Amniotic membrane cultures showed a heavy growth of Staphylococcus aureus with staphylococcal enterotoxin C expression, compatible with toxic shock syndrome. CONCLUSION: laminaria cervical dilation might be associated with toxic shock syndrome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = membrane (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/49. Acute coalescent mastoiditis and acoustic sequelae in an infant with severe congenital neutropenia.We report a 2-month-old boy with severe congenital neutropenia (SCN), who developed acute necrotizing otitis media and coalescent mastoiditis due to methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. The infection fulminantly progressed within a day to a subtotal perforation of the tympanic membrane, destructive bony changes of ossicles, lateral subperiosteal abscess, and suppurative labyrinthitis. Despite the combined treatment with intravenous antibiotics and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, the infection resulted in mixed hearing impairment. Much attention should be given to prompt diagnosis of otomastoiditis in SCN, a rare congenital disorder, since resultant acoustic sequelae may affect subsequent speech development and intellectual ability.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = membrane (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/49. Toxic shock syndrome originating from the foot.The most familiar etiology of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is that of menstruation and tampon use. Nonmenstrual TSS has been described in all types of wounds including postsurgical, respiratory infection, mucous membrane disruption, burns, and vesicular lesions caused by varicella and shingles. A case of TSS occurring in a diabetic male patient with foot blisters is presented. Early recognition by an infectious disease specialist and appropriate medical management led to complete recovery. There have been no reported cases of Staphylococcus aureus TSS originating in the foot to date.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = membrane (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/49. Pseudomembranous tracheobronchitis caused by methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.We report a case of severe tracheobronchitis caused by methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in a man exhibiting symptoms of upper airway obstruction after infection with influenza. bronchoscopy revealed diffuse pseudomembrane formation throughout the trachea and bilateral bronchi, which were nearly obstructed. In this case, it was helpful to perform bronchoscopy, protected brushing and tracheotomy immediately in order to avoid choking.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = membrane (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/49. Retro-sartorius bypass in the treatment of graft infection after peripheral vascular surgery.Extra-anatomic bypass is preferred for revascularization after removal of infected vascular grafts. The obturator canal technique has been used to bypass an infected field in the groin, although this method has not always been definitive because of several drawbacks. We present a unique method of extra-anatomic revascularization for use in such a situation. An autogenous graft is placed just below the sartorius muscle in the thigh and penetrates the iliacus muscle near the lateral end of the inguinal ligament. Limb loss and recurrent infection are prevented postoperatively. This retro-sartorius bypass technique may be a useful alternative to obturator bypass grafting in selected patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 8.5039557622025keywords = ligament (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/49. Posterior dislocation of a cruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty following an acute bacterial infection.BACKGROUND: We report a rare complication of posterior dislocation of a cruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty following an acute bacterial infection. The mechanism of dislocation proved to be septic loosening of the femoral component and a tear of the posterior cruciate ligament near to the femoral insertion site. The tear arose during the treatment of acute septic arthritis following total knee arthroplasty when the patient attempted full weight-bearing with the affected limb in a semiflexion position and twisted the knee. methods AND RESULTS: Successful treatment was provided with subsequent surgical debridement, removal of the loosened prosthesis, the application of systemic antibiotics, and a revision total knee arthroplasty utilizing a posteriorly stabilized prosthesis after adequate control of the infection. CONCLUSION: Soft-tissue protection from full weight-bearing of the knee during the treatment of an acute infection following total knee arthroplasty and timely removal of the loosened total knee prosthesis are recommended in order to prevent such a complication.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 8.5039557622025keywords = ligament (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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