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Indian Journal of Public Health Jan 2024Invasive fungal sinusitis is a highly lethal infection in an immunocompromised population that can spread rapidly to involve the adjacent structures by direct invasion...
Invasive fungal sinusitis is a highly lethal infection in an immunocompromised population that can spread rapidly to involve the adjacent structures by direct invasion or through vascular invasion. Involvement of cerebral parenchyma by vascular invasion is a devastating complication in these patients which may lead to vasculitis, thrombus formation, cerebritis, or abscess formation. Here, we present a case of a young male with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus who initially presented with COVID-19 lung disease and later developed sinonasal mucormycosis complicated with left orbital cellulitis and pulmonary mucormycosis.
Topics: Humans; Mucormycosis; Male; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Lung Diseases, Fungal; Adult; Diabetes Complications
PubMed: 38847641
DOI: 10.4103/ijph.ijph_237_23 -
Ophthalmology Science 2024To describe a pilot study on the use of single-session, high-dose-rate, Food and Drug Administration-cleared, yttrium-90 (Y) plaque brachytherapy for iris and...
PURPOSE
To describe a pilot study on the use of single-session, high-dose-rate, Food and Drug Administration-cleared, yttrium-90 (Y) plaque brachytherapy for iris and iridociliary melanoma.
DESIGN
A single-center, clinical case series.
PARTICIPANTS
Six consecutive patients were included in this study. Each was diagnosed with an iris or iridociliary melanoma based on clinical examination with or without biopsy.
METHODS
Each tumor was staged according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer criteria and received Y eye plaque brachytherapy. The main variables were tumor size, patient age, sex, and method of diagnosis (clinical or biopsy). Surgical techniques, treatment durations, and ocular side effects were recorded. Local control was defined as a lack of tumor growth or regression determined by clinical examinations, including slit-lamp and gonio photography, as well as high-frequency ultrasound measurements. Toxicity parameters included acute and short-term corneal/scleral change, anterior segment inflammation, and cataract progression.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Local and systemic cancer control, tumor regression, visual acuity, as well as radiation-related normal tissue toxicity.
RESULTS
High-dose-rate Y plaque brachytherapy was used to treat small (American Joint Committee on Cancer cT1) category melanomas. Single-surgery high-dose-rate irradiations were performed under anesthesia. Because of short treatment durations, high-dose-rate Y did not require the additional procedures used for low-dose-rate plaque (e.g., sutures, amniotic membrane epicorneal buffering, Gunderson flaps, and second surgeries for plaque removal). Only conjunctival recession was used to avoid normal tissue irradiation. High-dose-rate Y treatment durations averaged 8.8 minutes (median, 7.9; range, 5.8-12.9). High-dose-rate Y brachytherapy was associated with no periorbital, corneal (Descemet folds), or conjunctival edema. There was no acute or short-term anterior uveitis, secondary cataract, scleropathy, radiation retinopathy, maculopathy, or optic neuropathy. The follow-up was a mean of 16.0 (range 12-24) months. Evidence of local control included a lack of expansion of tumor borders ( = 6, 100%), darkening with or without atrophy of the tumor surface ( = 5/6, 83%), and a mean 24.5% reduction in ultrasonographically measured tumor thickness. There were no cases of metastatic disease.
CONCLUSIONS
High-dose-rate Y brachytherapy allowed for single-surgery, minimally invasive, outpatient irradiation of iris and iridociliary melanomas.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES
Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.
PubMed: 38840779
DOI: 10.1016/j.xops.2024.100513 -
Clinical Medicine Insights. Case Reports 2024Infratemporal fossa (ITF) tumors are rare in children and may present with a variety of symptoms. Teratomas are neoplasms derived from the 3 germ layers and...
Infratemporal fossa (ITF) tumors are rare in children and may present with a variety of symptoms. Teratomas are neoplasms derived from the 3 germ layers and approximately 6% to 10% are within the head and neck. Our study discusses one of the first reported cases of teratoma in the ITF in a pediatric patient. A 3-year-old girl presents with 2 years of recurrent monthly left periorbital swelling accompanied by fevers, skin discoloration, and pain. Prior episodes were treated with antibiotics with incomplete resolution. Imaging revealed a cystic lesion centered in the ITF. She was taken for endoscopic endonasal biopsy of the lesion and had no complications. Pathology revealed a mature teratoma composed primarily of pancreatic tissue. Providers should consider masses such as teratoma in the differential for ITF tumors and periorbital edema unresponsive to typical treatment.
PubMed: 38827640
DOI: 10.1177/11795476241255563 -
Cureus May 2024Periorbital necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a devastating bacterial infection associated with irreversible inflammatory destruction of soft tissues. Outcomes include...
Periorbital necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a devastating bacterial infection associated with irreversible inflammatory destruction of soft tissues. Outcomes include disfigurement, vision loss, septic shock, and death within hours to days. We describe two cases of periorbital NF that presented to our unit within a three-month period. We aim to highlight the key clinical features of periorbital NF, demonstrate the rapid progression of the disease, and the need for prompt identification and decisive intervention. Both patients presented with fever and left-sided periorbital swelling and showed rapid progression of swelling and gangrenous changes to the periorbital skin with worsening proptosis. They were treated with broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics and underwent emergency surgical debridement of necrotic tissue followed by reconstruction. We propose a formal protocol that we recommend to aid the diagnosis and management of periorbital NF in an acute setting.
PubMed: 38826916
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59501 -
Sisli Etfal Hastanesi Tip Bulteni 2024Anthrax is a rare zoonotic disease in humans caused by Bacillus anthracis. The most common form of this disease is cutaneous anthrax. Rarely, eye involvement may occur....
Anthrax is a rare zoonotic disease in humans caused by Bacillus anthracis. The most common form of this disease is cutaneous anthrax. Rarely, eye involvement may occur. In this case, a nine-year-old male patient with anthrax on his left eyelids is presented. From the patient's history, it was learned that a slight papular reaction occurred on the left side of the eye, then the lesion enlarged within three days, and edema developed around the eye. On the fifth day of the patient's preseptal cellulitis diagnosis, progress in eye lesions and necrosis and eschar formation around the eyes were detected, while Bacillus anthracis polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity was detected on the fifth day of the patient's complaints. The patient was treated with ciprofloxacin and clindamycin and a clinical response was achieved. Anthrax should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of preseptal and orbital cellulitis, especially in patients who have close contact with animals. If palpebral anthrax is not treated effectively on time, it can leave scars on the eyelids and cause permanent deformities and loss of function. Early diagnosis and initiation of antibiotic therapy significantly reduce the occurrence of complications. In this case report, a pediatric case with eyelid anthrax, which is rarely seen in anthrax disease, is presented.
PubMed: 38808049
DOI: 10.14744/SEMB.2023.51261 -
Cureus Apr 2024Intracranial subdural empyema is a loculated collection of pus in the subdural space between the dura mater and the arachnoid that can be life-threatening. Here, we...
Intracranial subdural empyema is a loculated collection of pus in the subdural space between the dura mater and the arachnoid that can be life-threatening. Here, we present a case of a 22-year-old man hospitalized for management of sepsis due to right orbital cellulitis who experienced sudden-onset right-sided hemiplegia and was found to have a holohemispheric intracranial subdural empyema requiring emergent neurosurgical intervention. Subdural empyemas are commonly caused by maxillofacial infections, including orbital infections. We demonstrate that orbital cellulitis may cause an intracranial subdural empyema that can present with sudden-onset neurological deficits warranting prompt neurosurgical intervention.
PubMed: 38800139
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59065 -
Clinical Case Reports Jun 2024Immunosuppression from B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) chemotherapy and a preceding COVID-19 infection may predispose patients to rare complications such as...
Co-occurrence of rhino-orbital mucormycosis and acute lymphoblastic leukemia post-COVID-19 infection in a young adolescent male: A case report from a low middle-income country.
KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE
Immunosuppression from B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) chemotherapy and a preceding COVID-19 infection may predispose patients to rare complications such as rhino-orbital mucormycosis. Hence, a high index of suspicion should be maintained by physicians (and oncologists) if patients undergoing B-ALL treatment present with orofacial symptoms and ophthalmological manifestations such as peri-orbital swelling, ophthalmoplegia, and loss of vision, suggestive of infection.
ABSTRACT
Mucormycosis is a severe fungal infection that poses significant mortality and morbidity risks, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. We present a rare case of a 16-year-old patient with rhino-orbital mucormycosis following B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) treatment and concurrent COVID-19 infection. We describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of this patient, and discuss the possible interactions and implications of these three conditions. A young 16-year-old male patient without significant clinical history was admitted with complaints of low-grade intermittent fever, fatigue, malaise, restlessness, and unexplained weight loss for the past 2 months. A bone marrow biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of B-ALL. Following the diagnosis of B-ALL, the patient underwent initiation of chemotherapy. Following the initial two cycles of chemotherapy, the patient experienced fever and cough and tested positive for COVID-19 infection. Nearly a week later, the patient presented to the chemotherapy emergency department with a clinical picture characterized by a fever up to 39°C associated with left facial swelling, severe headache, purulent rhinorrhea, and foreign body sensation in the ipsilateral nostril. The following day, erythema and left eyelid edema were observed, with ocular opening limitation. The diagnosis was confirmed based on the positive result of polymerase chain reaction for left-sided mucormycosis. Initial administration of liposomal and lipid amphotericin B at 1-1.5 mg/kg/d doses for 4-6 weeks was followed by surgical debridement of necrotic tissue on the left side of the face and nose. Subsequent ophthalmological examinations showed normal conditions of the left eye. The case underscores the importance of heightened clinical suspicion, early diagnosis through imaging and molecular techniques, aggressive multimodal therapy, and close interdisciplinary collaboration for improved outcomes in such rare and challenging clinical scenarios.
PubMed: 38799526
DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.8972 -
AACE Clinical Case Reports 2024Although common in adults, primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a rare condition in children with the most common etiology being solitary parathyroid adenoma (PTA). The...
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE
Although common in adults, primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a rare condition in children with the most common etiology being solitary parathyroid adenoma (PTA). The typical presentation is symptomatic hypercalcemia. Management of PHTP secondary to PTA requires excision of the adenoma.
CASE REPORT
A 13-year-old adolescent boy presented because of orbital cellulitis and was noted to have hypercalcemia. Despite this, the patient was curiously asymptomatic. Further investigations yielded an elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) level and a normal urine calcium-to-creatinine ratio making the most likely cause of hypercalcemia PHTP secondary to PTA. Imaging demonstrated PTA. The patient underwent parathyroidectomy with the pathology demonstrating PTA. Postoperatively, the PTH levels were undetectable; hence, the patient was treated with calcitriol and calcium supplementation for 1 month and 4 months, respectively. Genetic work-up for multiple endocrine neoplasia 1 and rearranged during transfection mutations was negative.
DISCUSSION
Solitary PTA is the most common cause of PHPT. Adenomas are mostly sporadic or may be a manifestation of an inheritable syndrome, such as multiple endocrine neoplasia. Although symptomatic disease is more common in children, our patient denied any hypercalcemia symptoms. The distinguishing biochemical feature of PHPT because of PTA is high or inappropriately normal PTH level in the context of high-normal or elevated serum calcium levels. Urinary calcium excretion is usually normal or high. PTAs are localized by ultrasound and Tc-99m-Sestamibi scintigraphy. Management includes parathyroidectomy and monitoring for postoperative hypocalcemia.
CONCLUSION
In a child or adolescent presenting with hypercalcemia and elevated PTH levels, it is important to consider PHPT secondary to PTA, because an early diagnosis will aid in preventing complications from hypercalcemia.
PubMed: 38799050
DOI: 10.1016/j.aace.2024.02.008 -
Cureus Apr 2024Pott's puffy tumor (PPT) is a rare but life-threatening complication of chronic sinusitis, although it can be secondary to other entities such as trauma or insect...
Pott's puffy tumor (PPT) is a rare but life-threatening complication of chronic sinusitis, although it can be secondary to other entities such as trauma or insect bites. It is characterized by circumscribed frontal swelling associated with a subperiosteal abscess. Imaging plays a crucial role in diagnosis and early identification of complications, some of which can be life-threatening, including intracerebral and intra-orbital complications. We present a case of a 14-year-old male with non-specific frontal pain and swelling, where the diagnosis of PTT was confirmed through imaging studies. Upon admission, the patient exhibited orbital and intracerebral complications, as shown in MRI and CT scans. Treatment involved a combination of antibiotics and sinus surgery, with close monitoring for orbital and intracranial complications.
PubMed: 38770497
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58640 -
The Journal of International Medical... May 2024Fungal orbital cellulitis is usually seen in immunocompromised individuals, and opportunistic pathogens are the main etiology. We herein report a case of fungal orbital...
Fungal orbital cellulitis is usually seen in immunocompromised individuals, and opportunistic pathogens are the main etiology. We herein report a case of fungal orbital cellulitis due to in a patient with no history of trauma. A 48-year-old man presented to the emergency room of our hospital with a 2-week history of periorbital swelling, conjunctival hyperemia, and chemosis of his right eye. The visual acuity of his right eye was 6/20, and the intraocular pressure was 44 mmHg. The main clinical findings were proptosis of the right ocular globe with conjunctival hyperemia and a palpable infratemporal orbital mass. Laboratory testing failed to detect the presence of a pathogenic infection, and the lesions on computed tomography images resembled those of a malignant tumor of the orbit. The diagnosis was finally confirmed by postoperative pathological examination, and the patient responded favorably to debridement combined with antifungal therapy. Histopathological examination may help to reveal the nature of this disease. Surgical removal of inflammatory lesions can serve as an important diagnostic and treatment method for fungal orbital cellulitis.
Topics: Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Aspergillosis; Immunocompromised Host; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Antifungal Agents; Orbital Cellulitis; Debridement; Eye Infections, Fungal
PubMed: 38757522
DOI: 10.1177/03000605241239857