1/41. Can pleural effusions cause cardiac tamponade?pleural effusion(s) can increase the pressure of an otherwise insignificant pericardial effusion to a degree that can result in cardiac tamponade. The case histories presented here illustrate the importance of recognizing this phenomenon and altering our treatment algorithm to drain the pleural effusions instead of the pericardial collections.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/41. Purulent pericarditis presenting as an extracardiac mass in a patient with untreated diabetes.A 50-year-old man with symptoms of bi-ventricular heart failure was transferred to our hospital with a diagnosis of extracardiac tumor. He had a 10 year history of untreated diabetes. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed an extracardiac mass in the right atrio-ventricular groove. cardiac catheterization revealed an elevated mean right atrial pressure of 18 mmHg, mean pulmonary wedge pressure of 16 mmHg, and the right ventricular pressure curve demonstrated typical dips and plateaus. At surgery, there was severe adhesion between the pericardium and epicardium, and the pericardium was severely thickened and contained turbid pus. In the left thoracic cavity, there was large amount of pleural effusion and pus. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with purulent pericarditis caused by left empyema. The thickened pericardium at the anterior portion of the heart was resected, however resection of the remaining portion was abandoned because the adhesion was so tight. After surgery, the patient underwent irrigation of the heart and left thoracic cavity by 1% povidone iodine solution and 0.5 mg/ml of imipenem for 7 days. Bacteriologic culture of the pus from the pericardium revealed anaerobic gram negative bacteria. After 4 months of antibiotics infusion, his C reactive protein became negative and the patient was subsequently discharged from our hospital.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/41. A case of eosinophilic pleural effusion induced by pancreatothoracic fistula.A 49-year-old man was admitted for evaluation of a left pleural effusion. Thoracenthesis yielded a hemorrhagic pleural effusion with a high percentage of eosinophils (15.9%). Although there were no significant abdominal signs, serological examinations demonstrated a marked increase of pancreatic enzyme activity. Moreover, abdominal CT demonstrated cystic changes between the tail of the pancreas and the spleen. Accordingly ERP was performed under pressure, and contrast medium draining from the pancreas was observed. Pancreatic pleural effusion in this patient consisted of pancreatic juice retained in the thoracic cavity, which resulted from intrapancreatic fistulation connecting to the thoracic cavity due to a pancreatic cyst caused by chronic pancreatitis. The present report indicates that we should investigate the retention of eosinophilic pleural effusion considering not only the possibility of thoracic disease, but also the possibility of a pleural effusion derived from abdominal diseases.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/41. Bilateral pleural effusion following cervical abscess drainage: a case report.Postoperative bilateral chylothorax after cervical surgery has been rarely reported, whereas unilateral chylothorax has been occasionally reported after thoracic surgery. Here, we report a rare case of bilateral pleural effusion that developed after cervical abscess drainage. On the second day after the drainage, the patient felt dyspnea, and bilateral pleural effusion was found on a chest X-ray. The effusion was thought to be chyle and was successfully treated with conservative management. Additionally here, we have suggested that non-traumatic chylothorax was caused by increasing intraluminal pressure occurring inside the thoracic duct after its ligation. Careful follow up of any respiratory symptoms and of chest x-rays is recommended after cervical intervention.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/41. The detrimental role of colloidal volume substitutes in severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: a case report.Although, the mechanisms for the development of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) are still not clear, the symptoms usually correlate with the levels of serum estradiol and ovarian enlargement. We report a case, where the clinical course was unusually prolonged. When menstrual bleeding had already occurred, serum estradiol was less than 10 pg/ml and the ovaries were almost normal in size, the patient developed pleural effusion and a significant alteration in blood-coagulation. This was most likely caused by an over-infusion of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) over 10 days. The pleural effusion contained high levels of HES, reaching 74% of the plasma concentration as measured by a novel method after acidic hydrolysis of HES. carbohydrates as dextran and HES are well known to interact with the blood-coagulation system. Increase capillary permeability, typical of OHSS, leads to loss of colloidal substances into the third space, where HES is slowly degraded and osmotic pressure is high. This might prolong and aggravate the urine of OHSS.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/41. death due to bioterrorism-related inhalational anthrax: report of 2 patients.On October 9, 2001, a letter containing anthrax spores was mailed from new jersey to washington, DC. The letter was processed at a major postal facility in washington, DC, and opened in the Senate's Hart Office Building on October 15. Between October 19 and October 26, there were 5 cases of inhalational anthrax among postal workers who were employed at that major facility or who handled bulk mail originating from that facility. The cases of 2 postal workers who died of inhalational anthrax are reported here. Both patients had nonspecific prodromal illnesses. One patient developed predominantly gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The other patient had a "flulike" illness associated with myalgias and malaise. Both patients ultimately developed dyspnea, retrosternal chest pressure, and respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. leukocytosis and hemoconcentration were noted in both cases prior to death. Both patients had evidence of mediastinitis and extensive pulmonary infiltrates late in their course of illness. The durations of illness were 7 days and 5 days from onset of symptoms to death; both patients died within 24 hours of hospitalization. Without a clinician's high index of suspicion, the diagnosis of inhalational anthrax is difficult during nonspecific prodromal illness. Clinicians have an urgent need for prompt communication of vital epidemiologic information that could focus their diagnostic evaluation. Rapid diagnostic assays to distinguish more common infectious processes from agents of bioterrorism also could improve management strategies.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/41. Massive right pleural effusion and ascites caused by a primary constrictive pericardial band.A previously healthy 57-year-old woman with peripheral edema and exertional dyspnea had diminished right breath sounds and edema of both legs. Chest radiography showed massive right pleural effusion, and abdominal computed tomography showed ascites. During cardiac catheterization, pressure curves of both ventricles showed "dip-and-plateau" patterns. We diagnosed constrictive pericarditis and conducted pericardiectomy. During surgery, we found a thick fibrous pericardium surrounding the entire heart and a band of calcium in the atrioventricular groove. Histological examination of excised pericardial tissue showed fibrosis, hyalinization, and calcification, with thickening of < or = 18 mm. Cases of localized pericardial thickening, including constricting bands in the atrioventricular groove, are rare and many such complications occur postoperatively. We report a rare case of primary constrictive pericardial band resulting in massive right pleural effusion and ascites.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/41. Complete airway obstruction in a ventilated patient after oesophageal dilatation.A case of instrumental perforation of the oesophagus is presented. This caused systemic sepsis, requiring tracheal intubation and positive pressure ventilation. Sudden unexpected life-threatening airway obstruction was caused by distal tracheal compression by a peritracheal abscess. The aetiology and management of distal tracheal obstruction is discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/41. A case of refractory bilateral pleural effusion due to post-irradiation constrictive pericarditis.A 51-year-old woman suffering from dyspnoea and refractory bilateral pleural effusions is discussed. The effusion was characterized as a transudate and cardiac decompensation and renal insufficiency were initially suspected. Diuretic agents were not effective and the patient required bilateral chest water-sealed drainage tubes for 4 months, after exclusion of neoplastic infiltration, collagen disease and other cardiac disorders. On echocardiogram, cardiac function and other findings were almost normal, except for shortening of deceleration time in transmitral flow velocity. To evaluate the reduced diastolic compliance, cardiac catheterization was performed, and revealed an elevated pressure in the right ventricle with a dip-and-plateau pattern, and constrictive pericarditis was diagnosed. The hydrothorax resolved after pericardiectomy and symptoms were alleviated. Three and a half years after surgery, the patient is well and taking only oral diuretics. The underlying mechanism of cardiac disorder appears to have been mixed restriction and constriction due to irradiation of her chest for breast cancer 13 years ago. Because the echocardiogram was within normal limits, the diagnosis was delayed. radiation-induced constrictive pericarditis should be considered if there is an unexplained transudate effusion with a normal echocardiogram.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/41. Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis associated with primary pulmonary hypertension: report of 2 new cases and review of 35 cases from the literature.Pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH) is a rare cause of primary pulmonary hypertension characterized by thin-walled microvessels infiltrating the peribronchial and perivascular interstitium, the lung parenchyma, and the pleura. These proliferating microvessels are prone to bleeding, resulting in accumulation of hemosiderin-laden macrophages in alveolar spaces. Here we report 2 cases of PCH with pulmonary hypertension, 1 of them associated with mechanical intravascular hemolysis, a feature previously reported in other hemangiomatous diseases, but not in PCH. Case 2 was diagnosed by pulmonary biopsy; to our knowledge the patient is the second adult to be treated with interferon alpha-2a. review of the literature identified 35 patients with PCH and pulmonary hypertension. The prognosis is poor and median survival was 3 years from the first clinical manifestation. dyspnea and right heart failure are the most common findings of the disease. hemoptysis, pleural effusion, acropachy, and signs of pulmonary capillary hypertension are less common. Chest X-ray or computed tomography scan usually shows evidence of interstitial infiltrates, pulmonary nodules, or pleural effusion. Hemodynamic features include normal wedge pressures. Radiologic and hemodynamic findings are undifferentiated from those of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease but differ from other causes of primary pulmonary hypertension. epoprostenol therapy, considered the treatment of choice in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension, may produce pulmonary edema and is contraindicated in patients with PCH. Regression of lesions was reported in 1 patient treated with interferon therapy and 2 other patients stabilized, including our second patient. PCH was treated successfully by lung transplantation in 5 cases. Early recognition of PCH in patients with suspected primary pulmonary hypertension is possible based on clinical and radiologic characteristics. diagnosis by pulmonary biopsy is essential for allowing appropriate treatment.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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