| A 29-year-old woman with right chest pain was admitted for radiographic investigation and found to have a round mass in the right lower zone. This was initially suspected to be a hydatid lung cyst but was confirmed as a cystic mass by computed tomography and duly excised. Histologic examination revealed an amniotic fluid embolism. The patient had had a stillbirth three months earlier. ( info) |
12/1527. Massive pleural effusion and ascites resulting from esophagectomy with extensive lymphadenectomy for cancer of the abdominal esophagus. chylothorax is an uncommon but well recognized complication of esophagectomy. We present the case of a 57 year-old man with squamous cell carcinoma of the abdominal esophagus who underwent subtotal esophagectomy by right thoracotomy. Post-operatively, the volume of pleural effusion from the right chest was increased (1600-2000 ml/day). The effusion was straw colored, not changing to milky after meals. The characteristics and composition of the pleural fluid were similar to those of chyle. We therefore treated this patient using methods for treatment of chylothorax, conservatively, by administration of OK-432 and minocycline/hydrochloride into the pleural cavity from the chest tube with success. We discuss the pathophysiology of this unusual condition and its treatment. ( info) |
13/1527. Upper respiratory problems in the yellow nail syndrome. A case of the yellow nail syndrome is described. The characteristic nail changes were associated with pleural effusions, lymphoedema of the face and legs and upper respiratory symptoms. The finding of extremely hard ear wax has not been reported previously. A satisfactory response to combination diuretic therapy was seen. The case of recognition of the Syndrome is emphasized together with the danger of excessive investigation if the nails are not inspected. Possible mechanisms for the formation of extremely hard cerumen are discussed. ( info) |
14/1527. Severe nonimmune hydrops fetalis and congenital corneal opacification secondary to human parvovirus B19 infection. A case report. BACKGROUND: In parvovirus infections in animals, congenital anomalies are seen, but the teratogenic potential in humans seems fairly low. CASE: A fetus with hydrops, ascites and pleural effusion was seen at a prenatal ultrasound examination. Fetal cordocentesis was performed, and fetal blood was positive for parvovirus antibodies. Intravascular fetal blood transfusion was given at 21 and 23 weeks of gestation. At 39 weeks labor started spontaneously, and a 2,960-g, female infant was delivered. The newborn had bilateral opacification of the cornea. CONCLUSION: In this case a combination of fetal parvovirus B19 infection and congenital corneal opacification was seen. This case also demonstrates that blood transfusions in hydropic fetuses may reverse the hydrops and prevent intrauterine death. ( info) |
| blastomycosis is endemic in river valley areas of the southeastern and midwestern united states. Pulmonary manifestations include chronic cough and pleuritic pain. Radiographic appearance of the infection can mimic bronchogenic lung carcinoma. pleural effusion is rarely associated with this pulmonary infection, and empyema has not been previously reported. We report a case of pulmonary and pleural blastomyces dermatitidis infection presenting as empyema thoracis. diagnosis and treatment were attained with video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) pleural and lung biopsy and debridement. ( info) |
16/1527. Rapid development of hydrops fetalis in the donor twin following death of the recipient twin in twin-twin transfusion syndrome. Intrauterine death of one fetus in monochorionic twinning is associated with high rates of perinatal morbidity and mortality in the surviving fetus. Subsequent development of hydrops fetalis in the donor twin after fetal demise of the recipient twin has been described in only two case reports and pathophysiology remains unclear. We report on a monochorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancy complicated by severe twin-twin transfusion syndrome. Ultrasound examination at 20 weeks of gestation showed discrepant twins with oligohydramnios in the smaller twins' sac and polyhydramnios in that of the larger twin. Repeated amniocenteses permitted prolongation of the pregnancy. However, the recipient twin developed deteriorating hydrops fetalis and died at 28 weeks of gestation. After this event, subsequent development of hydrops fetalis in the surviving donor twin could be observed, as well as an increase of amniotic fluid. An elective cesarean section was performed at 29 weeks of gestation. Initial hypoxemia could be effectively treated by high frequency oscillatory ventilation, surfactant therapy and inotropic support. The infant was discharged in good condition at the age of 2 months. Although rare, antenatal demise of the recipient twin in a monochorionic pregnancy can be associated with the subsequent development of hydrops fetalis in the surviving donor twin. We speculate that this phenomenon is due to ischemia-reperfusion injury of the previously poorly perfused twin. ( info) |
| A case of postoperative left chylothorax in a 43-year-old black woman with hairy cell leukemia is reported. First submitted to pleural drainage, she was successfully treated with a combination of chemotherapy and elemental enteral diet enriched with medium-chain triglycerides. ( info) |
18/1527. Pseudochylothorax. Report of 2 cases and review of the literature. We report 2 cases of pseudochylothorax and review 172 published cases. tuberculosis is by far the most frequent cause of pseudochylothorax, accounting for 54% of all caes, with a remarkable association with previous collapse therapy and long-term effusions. The remaining etiologies, including rheumatoid arthritis, are infrequent. Tuberculous pseudochylothorax is usually sterile. Successful treatment of an acute tuberculous pleurisy does not preclude the development of long-term complications such as pseudochylothorax. We do not recommend pleural biopsy initially because of its low yield for etiologic diagnosis. Currently, adenosine deaminase (ADA) values in pleural fluid are not useful to sustain diagnosis or therapeutic decisions. We advise draining only symptomatic cases and treating patients with positive Ziehl-Neelsen stain or Lowenstein culture, and those with growing effusions of suspected tuberculous origin, with antituberculous chemotherapy. Pulmonary decortication should be the last therapeutic step for recurrent and symptomatic cases. ( info) |
19/1527. Bilateral pleuritis caused by legionella micdadei. A 58-year-old woman was hospitalized because of progressive respiratory distress. She had a history of myasthenia gravis and invasive thymoma. After thymectomy, she had been administered oral prednisolone and intrathoracic anti-cancer drugs postoperatively. Her chest radiograph revealed bilateral pleural effusions. legionella micdadei (L. micdadei) was isolated from the pleural effusions, and she was diagnosed as pleuritis caused by L. micdadei. She died despite intensive therapy with mechanical ventilation, drainage tube in the chest and intravenous erythromycin. Although only two cases of legionellosis caused by L. micdadei have been reported in japan, clinicians should be aware of L. micdadei as one of the candidates for infection in immunosuppressed hosts. ( info) |
| The case history of a 77-year-old lady with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia is presented. The diagnosis was difficult due to the simultaneous presence of a pleural effusion and congestive heart failure. Radiological findings and treatment are discussed. ( info) |