1/13. Double prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by streptococcus pneumoniae.Infective endocarditis (IE) caused by streptococcus pneumoniae is a rare disease. Only eight cases of pneumococcal prosthetic valve endocarditis have been described in the literature. In this report we describe the first case of pneumococcal endocarditis involving two prosthetic heart valves. The patient had pneumonia as the probable portal of entry but no predisposing conditions for invasive pneumococcal disease. Our case also illustrates the importance of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for the early diagnosis of IE and a timely decision for cardiac surgery.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/13. Mycotic pseudoaneurysm of the aorta in children.Mycotic pseudoaneurysm of the aorta is a rare disease in childhood. We report on two cases which were diagnosed in an unselected general pediatric population within an 8-month period. The first case was a 16-month-old toddler with a normal cardiac history who presented with purulent pericarditis due to group A streptococcus and subsequent pseudoaneurysm formation of the ascending aorta while convalescing from varicella infection. The second case was a 14-year-old girl with a previously undiagnosed coarctation of the aorta who developed a staphylococcus aureus aortitis in the dilated poststenotic segment with pseudoaneurysm formation and infiltration into the adjacent lung tissue. In both cases parenteral antibiotic therapy was administered over 10 and 4 days, respectively, followed by emergency surgery consisting of aneurysmectomy, coarctectomy (case 2), and in situ homograft implantation. Recovery was uneventful. In both cases early institution of a femorofemoral cardiopulmonary bypass prevented a fatal outcome despite intraoperative rupture of the pseudoaneurysm.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/13. Diagnostic pitfalls in osteomyelitis of the odontoid process: case report.BACKGROUND: Pyogenic osteomyelitis of the odontoid process is a very rare disease associated with a variety of clinical symptoms, and previous reports have stressed the difficulties inherent in making the diagnosis. The authors present a case of osteomyelitis of the odontoid process with epidural abscess in which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used in the diagnosis, assessment of the extent of concomitant epidural abscess, treatment effect, and long-term follow-up.CASE DESCRIPTION: A 68-year-old male was admitted to our hospital with cervical pain, neck stiffness, and fever. Although the diagnosis was missed at the beginning, the patient was diagnosed with osteomyelitis of the odontoid process with a paravertebral epidural abscess by MRI. The patient became asymptomatic after 3 months of antibiotic therapy.CONCLUSION: Pyogenic osteomyelitis of the odontoid process is a rare condition requiring a high index of suspicion for diagnosis. MRI examination should be considered in the diagnosis in patients with neck pain combined with fever. Serial MRI during and after antibiotic therapy provided an objective assessment of the healing rate of the lesions.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/13. Rapidly fatal necrotizing fasciitis after aesthetic liposuction.Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rapidly progressive soft tissue infection involving primarily the superficial fascia and subcutaneous tissue. The disease is caused by streptococcus pyogenes or synergistic infection of anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria. Further characteristics are severe, intolerable pain and a mortality rate of 30 to 50%. The NF can be initiated after surgical procedures, minor trauma, trivial scratches, in the setting of a chronic wound, or even in apparently intact skin. The age of the patient is not relevant for the prognosis of NF. As it is shown in this reported case, a young and previously healthy patient died after aesthetic liposuction in the course of a NF. Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare disease, therefore, it is important to review its diagnostic and clinical features, because only early diagnosis and prompt, radical surgery improves the survival rate.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/13. Congenital penoscrotal lymphedema complicated by sepsis associated with a streptococcal infection.Congenital lymphedema is a relatively rare disease caused by congenital abnormality of the lymphatic system. Although bacterial infection frequently causes complications with lymphedema, severe sepsis in congenital lymphedema of the genitalia has not yet been reported. We describe a patient with congenital penoscrotal lymphedema complicated by cellulitis, lymphangitis, and severe sepsis associated with a streptococcal infection. This case represents the importance of obtaining a detailed clinical history and physical findings.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/13. Pott's puffy tumour: an unusual presentation and management.Pott's puffy tumour is a rare clinical entity in this era of antibiotics. It is usually seen as a complication of frontal sinusitis. This is the first report of Pott's puffy tumour presenting as a complication of maxillary sinusitis. This is also the first reported case of Pott's puffy tumour treated with debridement and gentamicin beads. We discuss the clinical presentation and successful treatment of this rare disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/13. Purulent pericarditis caused by group G streptococcus as an initial presentation of colon cancer.Bacterial pericarditis has been recognized as a rare disease since the development of antibiotics. Usually, the disease is associated with underlying conditions or a seeding of infection elsewhere to the pericardium. Here we describe a case of group G streptococcal pericarditis as an initial presentation of colon cancer. A 52-yr-old man was admitted because of dyspnea. An electrocardiogram showed a diffuse ST-segment elevation and a two-dimensional echocardiogram showed a large amount of pericardial effusion. A pericardiocentesis was done and purulent fluid was drained. Group G streptococci was cultured in pericardial fluid. The patient was treated with antibiotics and pericardiostomy with saline irrigation. A colonoscopy revealed a small mass with moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma in rectosigmoid colon. He underwent a mucosectomy and was recovered without any complication.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/13. streptococcus suis meningitis. A severe noncompensated occupational disease.meningitis caused by streptococcus suis type 2, a rare disease first recognized in 1968 (108 cases worldwide in 1989), is contracted by occupational exposure to pigs and often results in very severe disabilities (definitive deafness and ataxia in 50% of cases). We report the case of an employee in a rendering plant whose initial symptom was deafness. A detailed analysis of medical and veterinary literature is provided concerning the epidemiology of the disease, the clinical forms in man, bacteriological diagnosis and the role of the pig as healthy carrier. It is recommended that this occupational disease be officially recognized for compensation in france.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/13. Pyogenic thyroiditis due to branchial pouch sinus.Suppurative thyroiditis due to branchial pouch sinus is a rare disease, affecting children and young adults. It presents as an abscess in the lower lateral neck, usually on the left side. Suppurative thyroiditis can be suggested by ultrasound, radionuclide scintigraphy or CT scan, but the diagnosis can only be established by barium swallow showing the sinus from the apex of the pyriform sinus to the perithyroid region. Complete surgical excision of the sinus is essential. Two patients are presented and the role of the various imaging modalities in the diagnosis is discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/13. aneurysm of the abdominal aorta in an eighteen-month-old child.We report the case of an infected aneurysm of the abdominal aorta in a 18 month-old child, discovered by routine palpation of the abdomen during hospitalization for pneumonia. ultrasonography and arteriography showed a 6 cm aneurysm of the abdominal aorta beginning distal to the renal arteries which occluded the right common iliac artery. The aneurysm was treated by interposing a 6 mm Gore-Tex graft between the infrarenal aorta and the aortic bifurcation. Pathologic examination of the aneurysmal wall demonstrated a leukocytic infiltrate and the presence of encapsulated Gram positive organisms. Arterial aneurysms are exceedingly rare in children. Their etiology is varied: infection, connective tissue disease, trauma, inflammatory arterial disease or other rare diseases such as tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis, or Behcet's disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = rare disease (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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